On Monday, hundreds of communities across this county will be holding services to honor all veterans who have died. In 1868 Decoration Day was established as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Mt. Vernon Cemetery, Juda, has followed this tradition since 1918, when four lots near the center of the grounds were set aside as a soldiers' memorial plot. In recent years, an avenue of flags has been erected, with the flags flying being memorial flags from deceased veterans.
The program at Juda will begin at 10 a.m. with the Juda Fire and Rescue Department raising the flag in the central pole, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Juda Boy Scouts. The Juda School band and chorus will provide musical selections during the service. Rev. Thomas Miller will give the main address, which will be followed by the roll of honor naming deceased veterans from all wars who were from the Juda area, read by John Walters. Since the Civil War, there have been over 80 veterans buried in the Juda cemetery, and more than 90 veterans from the area who are buried elsewhere.
For over 20 years, a special feature of the program has been to give tribute to an area veteran. This year the late Rev. Herman Siedschlag will be featured. Rev. Siedschlag was in the army during World War II, and stationed in the Philippines and Luzon for over four years. A niece, Betty Siedschlag, will speak about his life.
The program will close with a salute by the VFW drill team and Taps being sounded, with the benediction by Rev. Miller.
In case of inclement weather, the program will be held at the Juda School.
The program at Juda will begin at 10 a.m. with the Juda Fire and Rescue Department raising the flag in the central pole, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Juda Boy Scouts. The Juda School band and chorus will provide musical selections during the service. Rev. Thomas Miller will give the main address, which will be followed by the roll of honor naming deceased veterans from all wars who were from the Juda area, read by John Walters. Since the Civil War, there have been over 80 veterans buried in the Juda cemetery, and more than 90 veterans from the area who are buried elsewhere.
For over 20 years, a special feature of the program has been to give tribute to an area veteran. This year the late Rev. Herman Siedschlag will be featured. Rev. Siedschlag was in the army during World War II, and stationed in the Philippines and Luzon for over four years. A niece, Betty Siedschlag, will speak about his life.
The program will close with a salute by the VFW drill team and Taps being sounded, with the benediction by Rev. Miller.
In case of inclement weather, the program will be held at the Juda School.
