On Saturday, May 17, and Sunday, May 18, the graves of veterans in four Peekskill cemeteries will be adorned with the red, white, and blue of the American flag. This commemorative event takes place as Memorial Day approaches a week from now and pays tribute to those who gave their lives in defense of the nation.
On Saturday, May 17, at 9 am, American Legion Post 274 — the Captain Oliver C. Chase Jr. Post — will lead the flag placement at Hillside Cemetery, Old St. Peter’s, and Assumption Cemetery. The following day, Sunday, May 18, at the same hour, the action will be repeated at the First Hebrew Cemetery.
Though it is not a formal ceremony, it is a day filled with emotion, patriotism, and volunteer work, where the names of 3,400 veterans will be remembered with respect and gratitude. Volunteers will walk among the headstones with the list in hand, read each name aloud, and place the national symbol with honor at the foot of the grave.
Participants in this event are generally students from local schools, retired veterans, neighbors, and community leaders. Some join the mission on both days. Those interested in taking part do not need to register in advance; they simply need to arrive early and wear appropriate footwear for walking on grass. The colors will be provided by American Legion Post 274.
This act, which has been carried out for decades, makes Peekskill a city that bows with respect to its own history. The Memorial Day commemoration concludes with the laying of wreaths before monuments honoring soldiers from the Union wars, the world wars, Korea, Vietnam, and the War on Terrorism.
The American Legion Post 274 also carries out similar activities throughout the year and provides ongoing maintenance to veterans’ graves, many of which have been neglected. For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page.
