Ceremony sponsored by SCHS, Sappington-Concord Historical Society on Memorial Day morning.

Monday, May 28 10:00 am, on the green at St Lucas UCC at 11735 Denny Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63126, in Sunset Hills. The historical society ceremony is generously hosted by St Lucas UCC on the green just east of the church along Denny Road. See directions

The web page below describes the ceremony. It also lists some of the features and participants in the ceremony.

The 100th anniversary of the end of World War One is highlighted this year in the program. A WWI Doughboy re-enactor will take part in the ceremony.

We have “Liberty,” an eagle, photo to the left, from the World Bird Sanctuary. Please visit Liberty in the eagle display tent. You will see the tent at the front of the ceremony area, to the left of the Spirit of St Louis Marching band.

The Memorial Day ceremony was covered in the SunCrest Call newspaper, including the photo below by Bill Brinkhorst. The paper was delivered on Wednesday, May 23 to parts of South St Louis County. If you live outside of the delivery area, read the article on-line at the SunCrest Call newspaper web site.

 

An indoor reception with refreshments follows the ceremony in the Social Hall at St Lucas UCC church. Both ceremony and reception are free and open to the public.

Bring lawn chairs for comfortable seating on the green. If you want a front row seat, please arrive early and enjoy the eagle display among others, listen to the band play. Also, please observe the bunting barrier separating the seating area from the ceremony procession area.

In case of rain, the ceremony will be held indoors

Questions to SCHS President, Stephen Hanpeter at schs.webmanager@gmail.com or call 314-918-1617

What is a green and how does it relate to SCHS and the annual Memorial Day ceremony

The story of the World War II Honor Roll, “From Wood to Wood.”

Featured in the ceremony and on the green at St Lucas

Special feature of the 2018 ceremony is a World War One doughboy re-enactor. This year is the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One. A WWI doughboy re-enactor will be part of the honor guard bringing in the colors and retiring the colors. He is representing the museums at Jefferson Barracks and will be at their information table before and after the ceremony. Visit their table starting at 9:00 am. Meet the doughboy and learn about the current exhibit at Jefferson Barracks on World War One.

Visit the WWI exhibit at Jefferson Barracks Old Ordinance Room museum. Admission: Free ($3 Suggested Donation)
Opens: Saturday, March 3, 2018, Noon – 4 p.m.
Closes: Sunday, December 30, 2018, Noon – 4 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Features of the SCHS Memorial Day ceremony for kids as well as adults
• Distinguished guest speaker, Dave Rogers (see more below)
• Marine Corps Color Guard followed by WWI doughboy re-enactor
• Tribute to MIA/POW, the Missing Man Ceremony
• Laying of wreath at the SCHS World War Two Honor Roll monument
• Eagle display of “Liberty” by the World Bird Sanctuary in Valley Park http://www.worldbirdsanctuary.org/
• Release of 100 doves of peace including one rare white dove. Remarks by Charlie Klipsch of the Mount Pleasant Pigeon Club on the benefits of veterans raising and racing homing pigeons.
• Music by select members of Lindbergh High School Spirit of St Louis Marching band
• Echo taps by the Moolah Drum Corps
• Soloist, Rachel Nieters, a senior this year at Lindbergh High School
• Boy Scout Troop 646 will lead the Pledge of Allegiance
• Small American flags handed out to wave while the band plays the salute to the armed services
• Information tables by Missouri Historical Society (more info below), the museums at Jefferson Barracks (more info above), the Missouri Veterans History Project, the Daughters of Job
• Reception with light refreshments following ceremony in the St Lucas Social Hall, free and open to the public

Distinguished guest speaker, Dave Rogers
Dave Rogers is currently serving in the United States Air Force Reserve as a Master Sergeant, managing the assembly of explosives. David returned from a deployment to Afghanistan in April 2018, his second deployment to Afghanistan. David has served in the Air Force Reserve for 11 years and has twice been recognized as Airman of the Year. Dave brings an immense passion to his service, believing deeply in his role to serve our country.

Dave will share a message on Memorial Day about resilience developed while serving in a war zone, and the important lessons that he learned the hard way through two deployments. Dave will share ideas on how each of us can develop resilience in the face of challenges, how we can all contribute to helping our country, and how we can do this in honor the legacy of the men and women who died protecting our country in honor of Memorial Day.

Re-dedication of Soldiers Memorial commemorates the centennial of end of WWI
Also at the ceremony will be the Missouri Historical Society with an information table about a series of events to commemorate the centennial of the end of WWI. The Soldiers Memorial downtown was built to honor the veterans of World War One and is presently being refurbished by the Missouri Historical Society. There will be a re-dedication of the memorial in early November among other programs.

The Missouri Veterans History Project http://www.mvhp.net will also have a table at the ceremony on the green at St. Lucas. Veterans interested in contributing their oral history to the project can sign up with the representative.

The date of Veterans Day, November 11, reminds us of 11-11-11, the end of World War One
The date for Veterans Day November 11, comes from the actual date and time of the official end of World War One; the 11th month, November, the 11th day, at the 11th hour, 11:00 am. This year, November 11 comes on a Sunday morning. Perhaps some churches will commemorate the end of “The Great War” by ringing their bells at 11 o’clock, perhaps 11 times.

The poem, “In Flanders Fields” is featured in the video below. The poem was written in World War One  and makes the famous reference to poppies.

Read about the World War I Christmas Truce of December 1914