The James B. Crump VFW Post 2423, American Legion Post 458, and the Town of Indian Trail are partnering to host a Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30, at 11 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial Garden (315 Matthews Indian Trail Road).
The ceremony will open with a Benediction and then a welcome from Indian Trail Mayor David Cohn, followed by the Presentation of Colors by the VFW.
Bud Stauffer, commander of the James B. Crump VFW, and John Gray, commander of the American Legion, will give their remarks ahead of the event’s keynote speaker, Lt. Col. Sam Johnson, USMCR.
Johnson is the executive vice president of The Independence Fund, which helps support and improve the lives of catastrophically wounded, injured or ill veterans. He has had a distinguished military career as a Marine, serving several tours of duty overseas and holding many officer positions.
Johnson also co-founded the Keystone Wounded Warriors, an Eastern Pennsylvania non-profit organization that honors and empowers injured service members with connections to Pennsylvania. He left active duty in 2015 and joined the Select Marine Corps Reserves as the operations officer and is now the executive officer for 3d Battalion, 14th Marines. His personal decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, and the Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
The ceremony will close with a three-round volley and the Retirement of Colors by the VFW.
“The Town of Indian Trail is proud to partner with the VFW and American Legion to host this Memorial Day Ceremony,” said Cohn. “And I would like to give a special thanks to Lt. Col. Sam Johnson for being a part of our event. We are grateful to the brave men and women who have selflessly served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our freedoms. Please join us to honor our fallen heroes and remember their sacrifices.”
The event will be held in person. It will also be livestreamed via the Town’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/IndianTrail) for those unable to attend.