COPENHAGEN, New York (WWNY) – Copenhagen honored its fallen with a parade and cemetery Memorial Day service Monday.
Local school bands, businesses, and military personnel marched down Mechanic Street. The 10th Mountain Division band and a float of Copenhagen’s Vietnam War veterans made their way to the village cemetery.
Shots of the three-volley salute rang out, followed by the playing of taps and the laying of wreaths for the fallen.
During the ceremony, a 10th Mountain Division soldier delivered a message about the significance of the lives lost in service of the country and the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“Two and a half centuries ago, a radical idea was written onto paper. That all people are created equal, endowed with rights to liberty, life, and the pursuit of happiness. But, words on paper cannot defend themselves,” said Lt. Col. David Aamidor, 3rd Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Mountain Division. “Our nation was won by the continental army, preserved by generations who refused to let that flame die, and is the reason we can gather freely today in villages just like this one.”
Officials said the honoring of Copenhagen’s lost service members is year-round, though the ceremonies ended Monday.
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