American Legion Post 159 hosts Memorial Day ceremony

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – On Monday, The American Legion Post 159 hosted a Memorial Day Ceremony where they set aside time for community members to commemorate those who died while serving our country.

Friends, family, and veterans gathered to honor those who have given their lives to serve the country at the 2024 Memorial Day ceremony.

The ceremony started with the recognition of the POW and MIA table, the Brazos Valley Community Band performed several songs, there was an Armed Forces Medley to honor each military branch, and the Post 159 Honor Guard performed a 21-gun salute and taps.

The Commander for the American Legion Post 159, Dale Hutchcraft, in Bryan said this event is valuable for the community.

“I think it’s important to have these types of events so that people will not forget, we tend to forget and when it comes up and we come to one of these, we remember and it’s always important to be reminded so that we will never have to do this again, never have another way,” said Hutchcraft.

Captain LeeRoy Lance was the keynote speaker of the event and he served in the U.S. Navy for 34 years.

“It’s a time that we take away from our busy lives once a year to remember our war dead, our fallen heroes,” said Lance.

Lance’s Uncle Jack was killed while serving, reminding Lance of the true weight of Memorial Day.

“My mom is 92, or will be 92 in July, and she proudly wears her gold star family pin every day and in fact, she has his purple heart and she cherishes it highly,” said Lance.

Although many use this day to spend time with family and eat Barbeque, this day remains heavy in many hearts.

“No matter what they did, these men went forward and they signed a blank check to Uncle Sam, to give up many things including their lives and many of them did and these are the ones we are talking about. In terms of the military, they faced the elephant, they looked down the barrel of somebody’s gun, unfortunately, we are talking about the ones who did not survive,” said Lance. “If we don’t remember them, who will?”

The Commander of the American Legion Post 159 told KBTX that they have many members in each military branch that they got to honor during the Armed Forces Medley and even got to honor their Coast Guard member who was in attendance.