By Matt de Simone
The Town of Buchanan held the 76th annual Memorial Day service on Monday. Due to the inclement weather, the service was moved inside of Solomon’s Mission. American Legion Post 93 Commander Charlie Alphin welcomed guests to the event. David Austin and Keith Wood provided music at the beginning of the program.
American District 9 Commander Dan Garrett and county genealogist Rena Worthen served as guest speakers.
“No matter where their battlefield was… the stories of the fallen matter and need to be told,” Garrett said. “And we, as Americans, need to be reminded… to honor a debt that can truly never be repaid.”
Worthen, a Navy veteran, has helped identify approximately 900 cemeteries in this area and beyond. She spoke about veterans’ graves that she recently identified and encouraged efforts to find more in the county.
Following the service, the annual Memorial Day dinner followed consisting of food from Aaron’s Smokehouse BBQ. All proceeds from the dinner went directly to the preservation of Fairview Cemetery. The day’s activities were sponsored by American Legion Post 93, Ricky Sink VFW Post 5895, and the Fairview Cemetery Association. Any further inquiries or donations may be made to fairview24066@gmail.com.
At 2 p.m., community members joined American Legion Post 93 Commander Bill Price and his wife, Cindy, at Lithia Baptist Church where a dedication ceremony was held for veteran and Buchanan native PFC Russell Smith of the U.S. Army who was killed in action during World War II. A cenotaph was placed in the church’s cemetery. Smith lived in Buchanan until the death of his mother when he was a teenager. His father moved the remaining family members to Ohio, save Smith’s sister who stayed in Buchanan. Smith enlisted in the Army while living in Ohio. He was killed in action when he was 21.
Photos by Matt de Simone