Sterling City ISD Veterans Day 2019

700 7th Street
Sterling City, Texas 76951

Tribute to All Veterans & Their Families
and
Deceased Veteran Surviving Spouses

November 11, 2019

Our Vietnam War Commemoration (VWC) pinning ceremony was held in conjunction with the Sterling City annual Veterans Day ceremonies.  The event’s activities were strongly supported by Sterling County, City, and Independent School District officials.   County Judge Deborah Horwood and Sterling City Mayor Lane Horwood pinned all Vietnam veterans and deceased Vietnam veterans surviving spouses.  Among the supporting activities were 360 memorial poppies presented to attendees and reading of “In Flanders Fields", the famous World War I poem;  the Pledge of Allegiance led by the pre-school students of the First United Methodist Church in Sterling City; playing of the National Anthem; and an invocation.  Mrs. Carmen Barber, who was the coordinator for the entire event, then showed a PowerPoint presentation celebrating all of the veterans of Sterling County who fought in America's wars including 1Lt Jack Mathis, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic service in World War II, and his brother Mark, who also perished during WWII.  The audience was then treated to the third-grade class at the local elementary school's rendition of “You're A Grand Ole Flag”  followed by a playing of the Armed Forces Medley.  Veterans were encouraged to stand during the playing of their particular service branch's song. The Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration program was introduced stressing the goals and objectives of the program and the significance of the lapel pins that were to be presented to the Vietnam veterans and surviving spouses.  Five Vietnam veterans were then called forward to receive their lapel pin and folders containing both presidential proclamations, presentation certificates, bumper stickers, and tin pins.  Following the veteran's presentions, the three deceased Vietnam veterans’ surviving spouses in attendance were invited to the stage and awarded their lapel pins.  In addition to reading out the spouse's name, the announcer also read out their Vietnam veteran spouse's name and the branch of service they served in.  Next, Judge Horwood and Mayor Horwood presented distinctive lapel pins to all the other veterans attending that had participated in America's other conflicts.  Three Korean War veterans, two from the Cold War, and four veterans of the War On Terror and Persian Gulf Wars were so honored.  The official ceremony was ended with a playing of “Taps” and having all of the students from Sterling City's school - all 340 kids - join with the veterans and shake their hands before the students finally returned to their classrooms.   All of the veterans were then invited to attend a free luncheon at the high school sponsored by Sterling County government offices.  All the different parts of the events were extremely successful with some of the folks that were attending stating that they had no idea how grand these celebrations were and that they intended to come again next year.  Needless to say, this was a spectacularly successful 50th-anniversary event! Report prepared by Larry Miller, Heritage Chapter-FTVA outreach coordinator. 

Sponsored by:

Sterling County, Sterling City, Sterling City ISD

First United Methodist Church

The EC-47 History Site
Vietnam War Commemorative Partner Program Committee

Poppies, Pins & Certificates
Heritage Chapter-FTVA

Photos by:
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