Picture-perfect spring weather, with pleasant temperatures and cool breezes, blessed the ceremony at the Courthouse lawn as Upshur County paid tribute to its war dead during the annual Memorial Day service Monday. About 250 attended the event, which was jointly sponsored by the Gilmer posts of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans.

Gilmer High School Jr. ROTC members posted the colors, raising the American flag and then lowering it to half staff.

Lynn Alexander, a former Army Bandsman and artilleryman, performed the National Anthem on his trumpet.

“That’s not an electric trumpet. That’s the real thing,” said emcee Jim Eitel. (Because of the shortage of skilled trumpeteers, at many events, recorded music is played from an amplified electric trumpet.)

Gold Star Mother Marie Robertson of Big Sandy, assisted by county veterans’ affairs officer Mike Loyd, placed the ceremonial wreath at the granite monument to the county’s war dead, as Alexander played Taps. A Gold Star Mother is one who lost a son in combat. Mrs. Robertson’s son was killed in Vietnam.

Rev. Huey Jones, a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer, sang America the Beautiful acappella, prior to introducing the speaker, Joan Hallmark of KLTV-Channel 7, from Tyler. Her programs include “Proud of East Texas” and “Freedom Fighters.”

Ms. Hallmark reviewed the history of Memorial Day, pointing out that it began after the Civil War to honor Union veterans. After World War I, it came to honor the dead from all the country’s wars.

She mentioned the many East Texas veterans she has interviewed for her “Freedom Fighters” series.

One had his ship shot out from under him on Dec. 7, 1941.

A woman she interviewed was one of the “Angels of Bataan,” who were the first American women captured in war.

Another soldier, at Choisin in Korea, was about to toss a hand grenade when an enemy artillery round hit nearby, knocking him unconscious, he was discovered the next day, with his hand frozen around the grenade.

It was said that temperatures got down to 40 degrees below zero.

“His fingers were frozen around the grenade, keeping it from going off. They had to find the pin and put it back in the grenade before they could treat him,” Ms. Hallmark said.

She also interviewed a pilot who was shot down over North Vietnam and spent years in the Hanoi Hilton with future Sen. John McCain.

For another interview, she went to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, where there was a man who lost both legs in Iraq, but “his spirit was never broken.”

After her speech, Eitel commented that the day recognized those “who gave the whole ball game.”

Rev. Jones presented a plaque of appreciation to Ms. Hallmark at the conclusion of the ceremony.