The Veterans at the Library met Monday, August 15, at 9:30 a.m. for their weekly breakfast and coffee. Chair John Tapley opened the meeting by asking Wayne Cannady to bless the food and then called on Dess Smith III to lead the Pledge to the U.S. Flag. The group discussed the upcoming Ceremony of the one-year anniversary, August 26, 2021, honoring the eleven Marines, one Navy Corpsman and one Army soldier that were killed by an ISIS-K suicide bomber outside the Kabul airport. The US service members were helping to oversee the humanitarian evacuation mission of thousands of Americans and Afghan allies. This observance will be held on August 28, at the Pine Brook Nature Park, corner of Hwy 57 & U.S. Hwy 80 at 3 p.m. The "Wreaths Across America" project was next item on the agenda to be discussed. The main event will be held on Saturday, December 17, 2022, at 11 a.m. at the Swainsboro City Cemetery. After a short ceremony, volunteers will begin placing the wreaths on every veteran's grave that was previously marked with a very small U.S. Flag. THE PARTICIPATION OF THE PUBLIC IS VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT. You may contact Sherri Watt at the Franklin Memorial Library at 478-237-7791 to discuss donations or information. It is the simple mission of this project to place a wreath this Christmas on every veterans grave in Emanuel County. Please contact Sherri with the veterans name, service date, branch and cemetery location in these four cemeteries: Swainsboro City Cem., First Baptist Cem., Early Settlers Cem. and East Brook Cem. or any other recognized burial site of a veteran that may not be noted on their tombstone. At Monday's meeting, six new veterans were welcomed to the group: Robert Nobles, Jr. who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1974 through 1980. He was stationed at George Air Force Base in Victorville, CA. Robert attained the rank of E-5 and was an Interior Electrician, Nuclear Disposal person and base Bugler; Henry Thompson who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1975-1979 and the Georgia Air National Guard from 1985-2007, which included TDY's and active duty time in support of Bosnia, Gulf War (Saudi Arabia) spent 18 months federally activated for Iraqi Freedom, served in Iraq, Uzbekistan, from 2003-2005 and temporary in Afghanistan, all while a member of the 165th Airlift Wing out of Savannah, GA: Randy Ellison served with the Department of Defense in Iraq and Lebanon from June 2006-February 2008; John Torpy, Sr. served in the U.S. Army and in Vietnam with the 44th IPSD, 25th Infantry Division; Bill Carmichael served in the Georgia Army National Guard as a member of Company A, 878th Combat Engineer Battalion here in Swainsboro from 1971 through 1978: Rufus Youmans served in the U.S. Army and was wounded in Vietnam and received the Purple Heart Medal.
Members of "Squadron 103 of the American Legion" attended Monday's breakfast to make a donation to the Wreaths Across America project. They were Henry Thompson, Commander; Gary Mason, 1st Vice Commander; Chief Randy Ellison, 2nd Vice Commander; Billy Chapman, Chaplain; and Richard Claxton, member. This was the largest group in attendance with 32 attendees. Emory Fennell closed with a prayer.
