ROWLESBURG — Prior to the wreath-laying service during Rowlesburg’s Commemoration Day ceremony, the Rev. Kevin Keplinger of the Rowlesburg Baptist Church shared a story he heard about a paralyzed serviceman in Korea. “A young man whose spine was severed by mortar fire was visited by Reverend Billy Graham. While Rev. Graham was holding the man’s hand and talking to him, the Army doctor came in. He told the boy if he survived he would have to lay on his stomach for the rest of his life. It’s worth if it kept America free, the young man replied.” Veterans and U.S. service personnel were honored by the town of Rowlesburg and the revitalization committee Saturday. The event included the West Virginia Mobile Vietnam Wall, the annual wreath-laying ceremony, The West Virginia Patriot Guard Riders, and a talk about troop readiness by Sgt. Major Phillip Cantrell. Cantrell is a member of the U.S. National Guard stationed at Camp Dawson. Rodney Farley, first vice president of the mobile wall, said it was built in June 2013. It contains only the names of Vietnam veterans from West Virginia. According to Farley, West Virginia had the highest state death rate during the Vietnam War, with 84.1 deaths per 100,000. He said there are 732 names on the wall: 503. Army; 21, Navy; 27, Air Force; and 181, Marine Corps. From Aug. 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975, nine West Virginians from the Vietnam War received the Medal of Honor. One of those nine was Cpl. Thomas Bennett, a medic with the 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry. A native of Morgantown, Bennett was killed in the Chu Pa Region of Pleiku Province on Feb. 11, 1969, while trying to save the life of another soldier. For three days, he had been providing medical aid to wounded soldiers under heavy gunfire. During his speech, Cantrell, said the United States has the strongest military in the world “The reason our soldiers are ready is because of the support from our communities. Every time our service members come to Preston County to train there is overwhelming support,” he said. “I wish there was a way to say thank you. I am happy to be a West Virginian and blessed to be an American.” The West Virginia Patriot Riders formed a flag line for the ceremony and the Preston County Honor Guard presented the colors and provided a 21-gun salute. Don Walters played the bagpipes. Lori Rankin sang “The Star Spangled Banner” and “The Wall,” and led the Pledge of Allegiance. When requested, the Honor Guard renders military funerals for eligible veterans free of charge. The ceremony consists of a 21-gun salute, a speaker, a chaplin who says a prayer, and a bagpiper to play “Taps.”
