Legionnaires to respect true meaning of Memorial Day
The Madison Memorial Day Ceremony will be held on May 27 at 11 a.m. in Captain Jesse Ollie Wikle Jr. Veterans Memorial Park on the east end of Front Street in downtown Madison
MADISON – During May, members of Madison American Legion, Post 229 are preparing to celebrate one of the United States’ most important holidays with the post’s annual tradition, their Memorial Day Ceremony.
“For many, Memorial Day weekend is a time to kick off summer with barbecues, going to the swimming pool and enjoying the weather, but it’s also a time to honor the men and women who died in service of the United States Armed Forces,” Post 229 Commander Larry Vannoy said. Vannoy retired as Colonel from the U.S. Air Force.
“You will see members of Post 229 and Auxiliary Unit 229 at local stores handing out Memorial Day Poppies in the week leading up to Memorial Day” Vannoy said. “The poppy is our country’s national symbol of remembrance.”
“So many Americans don’t know the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day. We hand out poppies not only as a symbol of remembrance but also to educate our community, and especially our youth, about the meaning and purpose of Memorial Day,” Vannoy said.
The Memorial Day Ceremony will be held on May 27 at 11 a.m. in Captain Jesse Ollie Wikle Jr. Veterans Memorial Park on the east end of Front Street in downtown Madison.
This year’s ceremony will honor Madison’s Gold Star Families. A Gold Star family has lost one or more close relatives who were in the U.S. military.
“The term ‘Gold Star Family’ dates to World War I, when military families displayed service flags featuring a blue star for ev- ery immediate family member serving in the Armed Forces,” Vice Commander Jean Downs said. “The star’s color would be changed to gold if the family lost a loved one in the war,” Downs said.
Each year, Post 229 hosts this gathering that includes guest speakers, patriotic music by Madison Community Band and placing of wreaths at the Veteran’s Memorial to honor soldiers who died in wars.
“The tradition began when people around the country started placing flowers on graves of soldiers that had died in the Civil War. In 1886, Union General John Alexander Logan proclaimed May 30 as the official day for decorating soldiers’ graves with flowers, which eventually became the holiday we today know as Memorial Day,” Vannoy said.
Laying of wreaths is an integral part of many remembrance services and highlights the functional and commemorative roles of war memorials, Vannoy said.
This year’s speaker will be Col. Pat Farrell, a 2000 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Currently, Farrell is serving as Army Material Command Project Manager for Task Force Strategic Integrated Kinetic Effects.
For 2025, Memorial Day holds particular significance with the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary. “Its legacy is one of perseverance and unwavering service, often making the ultimate sacrifice. From historic battles to today’s global challenges, soldiers uphold the values of duty, honor and country,” Vannoy said.
Post 229’s officers are Commander Larry Vannoy, Vice Commander Jean Downs and Executive Committeeperson Dan Marr.
