MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — Flags line the graves at Stones River National Cemetery this Memorial Day weekend, as visitors pause to honor the thousands of soldiers buried there — and to mark a milestone year for the nation they served.
Cub Scout CJ Cordova was among those placing flags at the Murfreesboro cemetery.
"Putting them up on graves," CJ said.
He said the gesture carries a simple but powerful purpose.
"To support the soldiers," CJ said.
His mother, Dana Cordova, said the tradition carries weight beyond the holiday itself.
"It hasn't always been this way. We haven't always had the freedoms that we have today. And it takes people sacrificing, giving their all, and sometimes giving everything to be able to enjoy these freedoms that we have," Dana Cordova said.
This year's remembrance holds added significance. The United States will mark its semiquincentennial — 250 years since its founding — on July 4, and Stones River National Cemetery Superintendent Ben Hayes said that milestone makes Memorial Day feel especially meaningful.
"It's particularly important this year as we recognize the 250th anniversary of the founding of our country," Hayes said.
To mark the occasion, park rangers are sharing 250 stories of the veterans laid to rest at the cemetery.
"So it is a time to reflect and to consider the sacrifices that all of these veterans made for us," Hayes said.
Built by the 111th United States Colored Infantry, the cemetery holds more than 6,000 Civil War soldiers. Others buried there served in later conflicts, including Vietnam.
Sisters Linda Jenkins and Diane Todd have a personal connection to the grounds. Their brother, Larry Don Earls, is buried there. He was killed in Vietnam on January 2, 1967.
"Our brother is buried here. He was killed in Vietnam on January the 2nd, 1967," Jenkins and Todd said.
Earls is among the 250 veterans whose stories are being highlighted this year. Hayes said Earls earned one of the military's most distinguished honors.
"In the case of Lieutenant Earls, he was awarded this Silver Star for heroism and battle," Hayes said.
Jenkins and Todd described the act of valor that earned their brother that recognition.
"There was a hand grenade they threw into his unit, and he picked it up and threw it back," Jenkins and Todd said.
For the sisters, seeing a flag placed beside his gravestone is a reminder that he has not been forgotten.
"It means a lot because it, you know, represents what their duty they served," Jenkins and Todd said.
Hayes said the cemetery stands as a living record of American history.
"So we have so many generations laid to rest here, and it's really part of our American history etched in stone right around us," Hayes said.
Memorial Day events at Stones River National Cemetery
A Memorial Day ceremony will take place Sunday, May 24, at 1:30 p.m. at the national cemetery rostrum. Parking will be available near the visitor center, but seating is limited. Visitors may wish to bring their own seating and shade.
On Monday, May 25, park staff will be on duty from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Park rangers will offer guided walks of the national cemetery at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., beginning at the visitor center flagpole.
Parking within the cemetery on May 25 is reserved for those with accessibility needs. All other visitors should park at the visitor center and use the designated lit crosswalk to cross Old Nashville Highway.
Visitors are asked not to place coins on headstones, as the practice can damage the historic stones and create safety hazards during mowing. The only decorations permitted at gravesites, aside from flags placed Saturday, are fresh-cut flowers.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@NewsChannel5.com
As we honor those who have served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice, it is also heartening to see the military right a wrong. Chris Davis brings us the moving story of a Purple Heart ceremony two decades in the making. It's worth a watch.
A heartfelt thanks to all who bravely serve.
- Carrie Sharp
