Attendees applaud in honor of the veterans in attendance at a Veterans Day ceremony held at the Chattanooga National Cemetery on Sunday. The ceremony featured a musical presentation by the Choo Choo Chorus, an address by Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond and a 21-gun salute.
Frank Hale conducts the Jericho Brass, a traditional brass band, during a Veterans Day concert held on the lawn of Ringgold City Hall in Ringgold, Ga., on Sunday. The band played several traditional songs and veterans in attendance were recognized.When Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond was a student at Tennessee Temple University, he would sit under the oak trees at Chattanooga National Cemetery and study for class.
Speaking to more than 250 people gathered at the national cemetery for Veterans Day ceremonies Sunday, Hammond recalled wondering about the lives of the people who were buried there.
“I didn’t know anybody here back then, but 40 years have passed,” said Hammond, who served in the U.S. Navy. “Every now and then, I come across the grave of someone I know.”
For some, having the Veterans Day ceremony at Chattanooga National Cemetery makes it more special.
“This is hallowed ground,” said Flora Lee Kernea, president of the Magnolia chapter of the Gold Star Wives of America Inc., an organization of spouses of those who died on active duty or because of military service. “There’s not only husbands here, there’s sons here, there’s wives and daughters here. If it was not for our veterans, we would not be able to enjoy the freedoms we have.”