LAS CRUCES — It’s supposed to be much more than just a day off from work, a day to grill outdoors, a day just to kick back.
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died serving the U.S.
To honor those military personnel who have been killed in action since World War I, a first-ever candlelight ceremony to commemorate their sacrifices will be conducted at 8 p.m. Monday at Veterans Memorial Park, 2651 Roadrunner Parkway. A list including the names of 199 Doña Ana County military personnel will be read, and either a family member or sponsor of those who lost their lives while at war will be able to light a candle in their memory and place it on top of the memorial wall.
“As we do this, we will keep in mind that we are not only honoring our veterans from Doña Ana County, but all the members of our armed forces from all corners of our great nation who paid the ultimate price,” said Dolores Archuleta, a member of Memorial Wall Committee, who is coordinating the event.
Of those 199 military personnel who died while serving the U.S., the names of 192 are already listed on the Memorial Wall. There are 10 from World War I, 124 from World War II, 18 who died during the Korean War, 31 in Vietnam, and nine who perished in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Among the seven names not on the monument are Army Staff Sgt. Israel Nuañes, who died May 12, and White Sands Missile Range soldiers Spc. Nathan B. Carse and Sgt. Brian J. Pedro. Although Carse and
Pedro were not from Doña Ana County, their names are being included in the ceremony because WSMR is within the county.
The ceremony will be a family reunion of sorts for some whose fathers died at war. Las Crucen Julian Melendrez, who died during World War II and was buried in Normandy, will have a candle lit in his memory by his daughter, Mary, who didn’t learn until 2009 that her father was laid to rest in Normandy.
Kevin Bradley, whose father Harry Bradley Jr. was killed in action in Korea, will return to Las Cruces and light a candle in honor of his father. Kevin Bradley passed through Las Cruces last week with the Run For The Wall motorcycle caravan, and told committee members he would return for the tribute to his late father.
City Manager Robert Garza said the ceremonies were appropriate, and encouraged residents to attend any or all of them.
“Citizens across the country will celebrate the national holiday this weekend,” Garza said. “Many regard Memorial Day as the beginning of summer and will spend time with family and friends, but we must never forget that it was established to honor all Americans who died while serving in the United States armed forces.”
Earlier Monday, two longtime Memorial Day services will be conducted. At 8 a.m., members of District III Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars will once again stage a memorial service along the west banks of the Rio Grande, off of Picacho Avenue. The ceremony honors military personnel who lost their lives at sea with several commemorative wreaths being placed in the river.
At 9 a.m., a Memorial Day ceremony, sponsored by VFW Post 3242, will be conducted at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens Cemetery, 5140 W. Picacho Ave.
Also in honor of Memorial Day, the city’s garrison flag will be raised and lowered at Veterans Park. Military veterans and residents who want to help will raise the large American flag to half-staff at 8 a.m. The flag will be raised to full height at noon, and will be lowered at 5 p.m.
Memorial Day commemorations begin today, when members of the American Legion gather at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, just north of St. Genevieve Catholic Church, to lay a wreath in honor of military personnel and veterans buried at the cemetery. After the ceremony, American Legion members and volunteers will place small American flags on the graves of military personnel and veterans buried there.
Steve Ramirez can be reached at sramirez@lcsun-news.com; (575) 541-5452. Also follow him on Twitter: @SteveRamirez6.
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Monday Memorial Day schedule
8 a.m.: Raising of the city of Las Cruces’ garrison flag to half staff, Veterans Memorial Park, 2651 Roadrunner Parkway.
8 a.m.: Riverside services, sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10124, District III Ladies Auxiliary, west bank of Rio Grande, off of Picacho Avenue.
9 a.m.: Memorial Day ceremony, sponsored by VFW Post 3242, Hillcrest Memorial Gardens Cemetery, 5140 W. Picacho Ave.
Noon: Raising of garrison flag to full height, Veterans Memorial Park.
5 p.m.: Lowering of the garrison flag, Veterans Memorial Park.
8 p.m.: Candlelight ceremony honoring Doña Ana County veterans killed in action, Veterans Memorial Park, 2651 Roadrunner Parkway.