In anticipation of Memorial Day each year, a few local organizations and cemetery caretakers place flags, wreaths, and flowers at the gravesites of servicemen and women interred in area cemeteries.
As in years past, Boy Scout Troop 571 and American Legion Post 126 joined Bristow City Cemetery caretakers Billy Ledbetter and others in placing flags graveside. Ledbetter noted that Bristow VFW Post 3656 members also joined the efforts, in a first this year. Further, Ledbetter stated that a minimum of around 40 people placed flags at the Bristow City Cemetery, including community volunteers unaffiliated with the VFW, Legion, and Scout organizations.
In honor of all those killed in action, KIA, a special ceremony was held graveside after flag placement. Ledbetter noted that at each of those graves, 2 scouts and a current or retired member of the military placed the flag, backed up to stand at attention, and placed their hands over their hearts and saluted, offering gratitude and honoring the ultimate sacrifice of that individual.
Presently, 19 KIA graves have been marked and honored in the city cemetery; however, Ledbetter recently learned there are an additional 3 area servicemen whose remains never made it home for- burial. Instead, those sailors were buried at sea. Just as hometown serviceman Ryan Grady is honored with a small memorial site at the cemetery’s flagpole base, Ledbetter plans to erect similar memorial sites for those additional servicemen and women whose remains never made it home.
One such individual, FC2c J.M. Cross, has a memorial marker at his younger brother’s grave. The memorial was created and made by one of his family members due to his having been lost at sea when the destroyer on which he served, the U.S.S. Bush DD-529, was sunk in action during World War II. That family member also put together an informational packet about him, which was placed at the memorial site in his honor.
As for the KIA flags, those began as a personal project of Ledbetter, who felt that each person killed in action should receive a special honor for making the ultimate sacrifice. He took it upon himself to paint bricks black and mark them with “KIA” for placement at each of their headstones. To further his efforts, his wife Susan sewed many of the KIA flags still placed on-site today. Other KIA flags in the cemetery were sewn by an American Legion Auxiliary member, who has since left the organization.
Ledbetter stated that the flags become fragile with age and when exposed to the elements, requiring them to be replaced every few years. He also noted that the cemetery is in need of additional flags for next year. Due to KIA flag shortages, Cross’ memorial and others were not marked with the KIA flags this year. Parties interested in replacing or adding to the supply of KIA flags may contact Ledbetter by calling 918-888-5299.