The high price paid by Henryetta servicemen and their families was poignantly presented Monday morning at the annual Henryetta Memorial Day ceremonies.
Held at Westlawn Cemetery, the observance was under a leaden sky heavy with rain that held off long enough for the fallen service members could be honored.
"The theme is always about honor, duty, country," said keynote speaker Bill Goodner. "We need to take a moment to reflect what has been given so freedom can ring across this land."
He said people tend to forget about the sacrifices and the personal loss felt by families when the numbers of wartime casualties are given.
"We need to speak to the sacrifice the citizens of our community made." One of those sacrifices was brought out when Goodner read from the actual telegram Maurece Watteau received in 1945 about they death of their son, PFC Reneau N. Watteau. He succumbed from head injuries.
"Similar telegrams and letters were received across the nation. This is the terrible price Americans have had to pay to preserve our freedom, our liberty, our way of life."
Goodner said an effort is underway to add Watteau's name, along with Freddy Wallace, another World War II casualty and Tony Potter and Tony Randolph who died in the Mideast wars to that plaque.
"There are many surnames of people still icing in the area. Your presence is a tribute to the families and the men we honor," he added.
Pointing out the personal sacrifice, Goodner read off the list of names on that plaque at the doughboy monument.
"They lost their homes and dreams of today and all their tomorrows," he added.
Sheila Williams, a former Naval hospital Corpsman who served in Desert Storm, told the audience, "it is a wonderful gift to gather to remember those brave men and women."
She was speaking on the 90th birthday of her father-in-law, Tim Williams, who was an army veteran from World War II and who died earlier this week. "He had the opportunity to come home and work hard to achieve the American dream. So many families cannot say the said. They did not return and they are the reason we are here."
Williams said the saying, you don't get something for nothing, rings true with the veterans. "Freedom is not free. It is a gift, a treasure that comes with a heft price tag. Our debt to these valiant men and women cannot be repaid.
VFW Post commander Vernon Long paid tribute to retired Dewar educator Mickey Howk. "For 15 years, he has been conducting the Veterans Day program at Dewar."
