SILVERHILL, Alabama — The Town of Silverhill honored veterans on Wednesday, Nov. 11 with a Veterans Day Program at the Silverhill Veterans Memorial, located in Anderson Park on Main Street (Alabama 104), across from Town Hall.
“We gather here twice a year and in my short time as mayor they have become my favorite events because it is a time we can come together to honor our heroes,” said Silverhill Mayor Jared Lyles. “I just want to take this opportunity to thank the Silverhill Veterans Memorial Organization for having this here. They are the reason this is here and the town supports them in whatever they do.”
The memorial was dedicated in March of 2017 in honor of all veterans who served from Silverhill and the surrounding areas. Additions to the memorial were set in place in December and dedicated in January and more additions have been planned for the site, said the Organization’s President Frankie Kucera.
“We are proud to have this memorial here, we are proud of our veterans and we are proud to have community come out and show their support at events such as this,” Kucera said.
Following an opening prayer by the Rev. Jesse Adams with the Silverhill Covenant Church, a flag ceremony was conducted by Bill Coley, Danny Murphy and Mike Gerard.
Guest speakers for the event were Vietnam veteran Danny Murphy, who serves as vice president of the Silverhill Veterans Memorial Organization, and Korean veteran Ed Evans, a Purple Heart recipient who was recently tapped as Alabama’s honoree for the 2021 Purple Heart Patriot Project which will be held in New York in April of next year.
Both Army veterans recounted their service with Evans telling how he was wounded by mortar fire during the taking of Hill 209 with the 9th Infantry “Manchu” Regiment over a five-day battle from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4, 1950.
Evans was joined by his daughters, Karela Dauzat, who nominated him for the honor, and Marcie Evans.
“It’s just a tremendous honor for me,” he said.
In addition, Logan Anthony led the National Anthem and presented two additional selections, America The Beautiful and God Bless America.
The ceremony ended with the playing of T.A.P.S. by Joel Sterling.
Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on Nov. 11, that honors all persons who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
Veterans Day coincides with Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, an observance of the anniversary of the end of World War I in which major hostilities were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I.
In the United States, Armistice Day was officially renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all U.S. military veterans. Memorial Day, which is observed the last Monday in May each year, honors U.S military veterans who died while in military service, while Armed Forces Day, also observed each year in May, honors those currently serving in the U.S. military.
