On Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, the Douglas-Coffee County Veterans Park Committee held its first Pearl Harbor Remembrance Ceremony at the Veterans Park located at Douglas Municipal Airport. The ceremony honored and remembered service members and civilians who were injured or lost their lives when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
Douglas City Manager, Charlie Davis welcomed everyone to the ceremony with the now famous quote from President Franklin D. Roosevelt naming December 7, 1941 as “a day that will live in infamy.” A moment of thanks and special tribute was given to special guest and World War II Veteran, Mr. Richard McElroy by Veterans Park Committee Chairman, Jeff Hennesy. Following words of remembrance and gratitude, “Taps” was played with a bugle by Mr. Oscar Paulk, and Company C 63rd Signal Battalion WWII Re-Enactors lowered the American Flag to half-mast. Afterwards, the audience was encouraged to stop by the WWII 63rd AAF-FTD Flight Training Museum located on the historic WWII Air Base where Mr. Tom Oliver, a WWII Military Re-enactor presented a special exhibit on Pearl Harbor .
Special thanks to the American Legion Post 515, VFW Post 5976, Citizens Christian Academy Grade School students, Coffee High School Show Choir, Mr. Oscar Paulk, Coffee High School NJROTC, Co. C 63rd Signal Battalion WWII Re-enactors, and everyone who came out to support the ceremony.
For more information about the ceremony or the Douglas Coffee County Veterans Park, follow the link to their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCoffeeCoGAVeteransPark/!
Jeff Hennesy, Veterans Park Committee Chairperson, shows his gratitude to WWII Veteran, Mr. Richard McElroy during the Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance Ceremony.
(Photo credit: Jason Fuller)
