Fallen Soldiers Honored at Chattanooga National Cemetery

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF) –  Deborah Kendrick, the Cemetery Director at the Chattanooga National Cemetery, says, "I look at it as an opportunity for us not to forget what they’ve done for us as a nation."

It’s a message that doesn’t get lost in the sea of red, white and blue.

Robert Fehn, a World War II Veteran, adds, "It pays honor to those who are not here."

Even though it’s an annual Memorial Day event at the Chattanooga National Cemetery, it doesn’t get less special over the years.

Attendance is up, and so are the eyes of residents who want to honor those who were forced to become men and women long before their time.

Kendrick adds, "It has grown, and it’s an opportunity for families to pay respect. I mean, when they bury their loved ones in a National cemetery, that is their final resting place, but it’s also an opportunity for us as a nation, and citizens not to forget.

Fehn says soldiers can easily be overlooked, but he’s glad that’s not happening today.

Fhen adds, "It’s just good to see people still remembering them."

Organizers tell us while it’s good to attend patriotic events filled with public leaders and pomp and circumstance, it’s also just as good to set aside time on this day for a moment of silence.