Veterans and family members do their duty

PLAINS - The preparations for Memorial Day started last Thursday in the Plains cemetery with the Women’s Auxiliary that is connected with the Plains VFW Post 3596. The group placed flags on the graves of women who were members of the Women’s Auxiliary.

The group was small that showed, but for each it was a very important day and duty.

Carol Harris said, “My brother was in Vietnam and he’s not passed away, but I want to honor him and his soldier friends.” She also brought along her granddaughter, Cecilia Harris, who just graduated Kindergarten, along to help place the flags. Harris said that it was her granddaughters first time and that it was a continuation of school and that she thought it was important she learn what it means to pay tribute.

A member of the auxiliary for 12 years, Carol Frankxell, also explained why she decided to show up to place flags.

“My uncle was killed in the Battle of the Bulge and I have a step father that was in the war, he made it home, but he passed away about 15 years ago,” Frankxell said. She then said she also comes out to honor the sacrifice of veterans and family members who died for their country.

Two days later, the men of the VFW gathered in the morning under the clear blue skies at the cemetery to place small flags on all the graves of Veterans.

In order to make it to all the veteran graves, which fill the Plains cemetery, the group of veterans from the VFW canvassed the place, carrying bundles of flags and maps to find the graves.

“Well this is just as about important as Veteran’s Day, because it’s a memorial it’s for military that moved on,” Otto Otnes said, explaining why he comes out every year to place flags. He then said, “There’s a good chance I’ll end up here too, it would be nice if someone would do this as long as they’re able. It get’s more and more difficult because there’s more veterans in here and it seems like as the years go by there’s less veterans to put up the flags.”

As the group of veterans split up and searched for the graves that were spread throughout the cemetery, Victoria Twardokus and Justin Davis covered the section closest to the town.

Davis, who said it was his first time out placing flags, said why it distinctly why it is important why he and his fellow veterans place flags on the graves, “It is what we live for.”

Throughout the morning more and more veterans showed with family members to meet with friends and to pitch in to place the flags and search for the graves of fellow service members, while also stopping periodically to pay respect to now deceased friends.