Crowd pays tribute at Memorial Day service in Chattanooga [photos]

Members of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 203, Color Guard present the Colors. Because of inclement weather this year's Memorial Day Program, sponsored by the Chattanooga Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, was moved to the shelter of the National Guard Armory on Holtzclaw Avenue on May 28, 2018. Members of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 203, Color Guard present the Colors. Because of inclement weather this year's Memorial Day Program, sponsored by the Chattanooga Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, was moved to the shelter of the National Guard Armory on Holtzclaw Avenue on May 28, 2018.

By Rosana Hughes May 28, 2018 3 min read

Photo Gallery

Memorial Day in Chattanooga

Gay Zimmerman takes a photo of her husband, Bill, while he stands at the grave of his father, William Zimmerman on Memorial Day. The late Mr. Zimmerman served with the Army Air Corp and flew 35 missions over Europe in a B-17. The Zimmermans are from Scottsboro, Alabama. The heavy rain did not stop many people from visiting their loved ones in the National Cemetery on May 28, 2018.

Bill Zimmerman, of Scottsboro Alabama, picks up debris from the grave of his father, William Zimmerman on Memorial Day. The late Mr. Zimmerman served with the Army Air Corp and flew 35 missions over Europe in a B-17. The heavy rain did not stop many people from visiting their loved ones in the National Cemetery on May 28, 2018.

Paul Blazek directs the Choo Choo Chorus in a Armed Forces Medley. Because of inclement weather this year's Memorial Day Program, sponsored by the Chattanooga Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, was moved to the shelter of the National Guard Armory on Holtzclaw Avenue on May 28, 2018.

Fred Husky of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 203, presents Gold Star Mother, Mary Newman with a rose. Gold Star Mothers are women who have lost a child in service to our country. The ladies seated to Mrs. Newman's right are Gold Star Wives, women who have lost their spouses in the service of our country. Because of inclement weather this year's Memorial Day Program, sponsored by the Chattanooga Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, was moved to the shelter of the National Guard Armory on Holtzclaw Avenue on May 28, 2018.

Military Officers Association of America member, Tom Shipley, far right, sings God Bless America along with others at the event. Because of inclement weather this year's Memorial Day Program, sponsored by the Chattanooga Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, was moved to the shelter of the National Guard Armory on Holtzclaw Avenue on May 28, 2018.

Gold Star Wife, Bonnie White prays during the Invocation. Gold Star Wives are women who have lost their spouses in service to our country. Because of inclement weather this year's Memorial Day Program, sponsored by the Chattanooga Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, was moved to the shelter of the National Guard Armory on Holtzclaw Avenue on May 28, 2018.

The American Legion Post 95 Band provides a musical prelude before the event. Because of inclement weather this year's Memorial Day Program, sponsored by the Chattanooga Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, was moved to the shelter of the National Guard Armory on Holtzclaw Avenue on May 28, 2018.

The Vietnam Veterans of America Honor Guard fires a 21 gun salute. Because of inclement weather this year's Memorial Day Program, sponsored by the Chattanooga Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, was moved to the shelter of the National Guard Armory on Holtzclaw Avenue on May 28, 2018.

World War II Navy Veteran, Al Smith, renders a salute during the National Anthem. Mr. Cox served in the Pacific Theater aboard a submarine. Because of inclement weather this year's Memorial Day Program, sponsored by the Chattanooga Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, was moved to the shelter of the National Guard Armory on Holtzclaw Avenue on May 28, 2018.

Chattanooga-Hamilton County historian, Linda Moss Mines, interduces the Keynote Speaker, Louis Varnell. Because of inclement weather this year's Memorial Day Program, sponsored by the Chattanooga Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, was moved to the shelter of the National Guard Armory on Holtzclaw Avenue on May 28, 2018.

Dressed in the uniform of a World War I Marine military historian Louis Varnell speakes on the service of Americans during World War I. Because of inclement weather this year's Memorial Day Program, sponsored by the Chattanooga Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, was moved to the shelter of the National Guard Armory on Holtzclaw Avenue on May 28, 2018.

Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla Commander, David Cox plays a duet of Taps with United States Air Force Major (retired) Andy Addison. Major Addison was positioned on the opposite side of the hall. Because of inclement weather this year's Memorial Day Program, sponsored by the Chattanooga Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, was moved to the shelter of the National Guard Armory on Holtzclaw Avenue on May 28, 2018.

The heavy rain did not stop many people from visiting their loved ones in the National Cemetery on May 28, 2018. Because of inclement weather this year's Memorial Day Program, sponsored by the Chattanooga Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, was moved to the shelter of the National Guard Armory on Holtzclaw Avenue on May 28, 2018.

Gold Star Mother Mary Newman sat quietly in the front row among a group of Gold Star Wives during Monday’s Memorial Day program honoring fallen service members.

Newman, 77, lost her son, 42-year-old John Newman, to pancreatic cancer 10 years ago. He served as a U.S. Navy reservist for a number of years, including an active duty year-long deployment to Iraq. She’s convinced the toxic pollutants created by fires that permeated the desert air are to blame for her son’s death.

I am at the National Guard Armory covering the Memorial Day services pic.twitter.com/COHVgszBlp
— Rosana Hughes Rodríguez (@HughesRosana) May 28, 2018

“I’d go to him and try to pick [his spirits] up, and he’d pick me up,” she said. “He said, ‘Mom, we’ll get through this.’ We got through it as best we could.”

He did better at handling the notion that he was dying than she did, Newman said.