Kerr County Invites All To Memorial Day Program

Kerr County elected officials invite the public to a May 29 Memorial Day program honoring those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to this country while in service in the United States Armed Forces.

The 10 a.m. observance will be at the War Memorial on the Kerr County Courthouse grounds, 700 Main Street.

U.S. Army Reserve Major General Robert L. Walter, Jr. (ret.) will provide the keynote address, while Jeff Harris, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, will step in as master of ceremonies.

The mid-morning tribute will also feature a wreath procession and laying at the war memorial, a traditional military salute and speakers who will commemorate and honor the memory of United States military men and women who gave their lives so that Americans can enjoy the freedoms we do today.

A highlight of the event will be Kerr County elected officials and the Kerr County Veterans Service Office presenting wreaths at the memorial. Other local organizations are invited to join by presenting their own wreaths in remembrance of our nation’s fallen heroes. Those who would like to present a wreath during the observance are asked to register just prior to the ceremony’s start and to bring a wire stand so that their wreath is freestanding at the memorial.

The program will start with the Kerrville Composite Squadron TX-442 of the Civil Air Patrol posting the colors. The Rev. David E. Payne will lead the crowd in the invocation (and, later, the benediction), while Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly will offer welcoming remarks.

U.S. Marine Corps veteran Ryan Halley will punctuate the solemnness of the occasion by reading the names from the War Memorial – names of local residents who died in service to this country during various conflicts.

Texas Department of Public Safety Piper Sergeant Eric Morgan will perform “Amazing Grace”, and three gunshot volleys will be executed by the Hill Country Honor Guard. U.S. Air Force Lt. General George Eychner (ret.) will play “Taps” on the bugle.

Limited seating will be available at the event, which is expected to last for about one hour. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own seating if desired.

In case of inclement weather on the day of the program, the Kerr County Memorial Day observance will be moved indoors to the Hill Country Youth Event Center Happy State Bank Expo Hall, 3785 TX-27 in Kerrville.

For more information about the event, contact Kerr County Veterans Service Officer Jennifer Sanchez at 830-792-2203 or Gary Noller, of the Kerr County Veterans Service Advisory Committee, at 830-377-8115.

Memorial Day, less commonly known as Decoration Day, is a federal holiday observed each year on the last Monday in May. It has been observed nationwide since 1868. The aim of Memorial Day is to remember and honor all men and women who died while in military service to the United States. In contrast, Veterans Day, a federal holiday marked in November, honors all U.S. military veterans – dead or alive, although it is large intended as an opportunity to thank living veterans for their service.

A third holiday for veterans, National Armed Forces Day, might be not as widely known, but it is held each year on the third Saturday in May. This year, May 20, 2023, will be the special day for people to thank active duty service men and women in America’s six branches of the United States military: the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard. The holiday was first conceived by President Harry S. Truman and it was established in 1949.

To view the entire program for the 2023 Kerr County Memorial Day Observance, click HERE.

To see how the Kerr County Veterans Service Office can help military veterans and their families, visit HERE.