Hundreds of Scouts from the gathered over Memorial Day weekend at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in south St. Louis County, honoring the millions of U.S. troops who lost their lives in war.
The Gravois Trail Memorial Day Good Turn on Sunday took place for the 75th year at the national cemetery 鈥� known for being one of the oldest and largest in the country. The annual tradition began in St. Louis and is now practiced across the country. More than 200,000 veterans and their loved ones are buried there, according to the . The burial ground includes gravesites from every U.S. war, including the Civil War and American Revolutionary War.
Children and their parents swatted at pesky cicadas as the insects buzzed by on the hot and sunny afternoon. More than 400 Scouts 鈥� dressed in tan attire with troop numbers highlighted on colorful patches 鈥� and their families walked to the cemetery in a quiet procession just before noon.
A bagpipe band played, and after the Pledge of Allegiance, a flag-raising ceremony, other remarks and prayer, retired Army Lt. Col. took to the mic.
鈥淚t looks like the Lord has been with us on the weather,鈥� Wolfinger said with a smile. 鈥淣ow if he can just take care of the cicadas, we鈥檇 really be happy, but maybe that鈥檚 something he blessed us with.鈥�
Wolfinger, who served 21 years in the Army, reflected on the history of Memorial Day, inaugurated in 1868 by Maj. Gen. John A. Logan, commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic. Wolfinger noted that the day was marked as a way to remember the losses of both sides of the Civil War.
鈥淲e鈥檙e talking about fatalities in the military in the order of about 1.2 million, and here we鈥檙e close to 200,000 buried here at this facility,鈥� said Wolfinger, who served in Vietnam and Germany. 鈥淭he only national cemetery that has more is at Arlington, so this is a very impressive place to be and an honor to be out here on this day.鈥�
Katherine Adams, 19, a marketing intern at the Greater St. Louis Area Council, said she understands that most people wouldn鈥檛 want to spend part of their three-day weekend in the heat or rain putting flags on graves. Many of the Scouts were tasked with planting American flags at thousands of headstones after the ceremony.
鈥淏y putting the flag on the grave, we make sure that everybody in this cemetery is remembered in some way,鈥� Adams said. 鈥淛ust to see the mass turnout of Scouts who are probably getting to know some of these names or visiting some of their family members here, it鈥檚 a really special thing.鈥�
The Scouts also assisted Jewish War Veterans Post 644 in placing flags at other local cemeteries. Wolfinger commended the Scouts for their efforts.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e honoring the people who are heroes,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat term gets used a lot these days. But it鈥檚 truly those who have given their lives for this country and for the world. We鈥檝e done a lot to try to make the world a better place, not only here in the United States, but across the globe.鈥�
He encouraged everyone to take a moment to read the gravestones.
鈥淓very now and then I ask you to take a look at the tombstones and read what鈥檚 inscribed on them so that it鈥檚 just not a body in a casket in the ground, but maybe you get a little feeling for the person who is there.鈥�
