{"id":17992,"date":"2014-05-26T08:00:37","date_gmt":"2014-05-26T13:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.discoverclarksville.com\/articles\/?p=17992"},"modified":"2014-05-26T01:53:07","modified_gmt":"2014-05-26T06:53:07","slug":"vietnam-veterans-of-america-chapter-396-holds-annual-memorial-day-candle-light-vigil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.discoverclarksville.com\/articles\/2014\/05\/26\/vietnam-veterans-of-america-chapter-396-holds-annual-memorial-day-candle-light-vigil\/","title":{"rendered":"Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 396 holds annual Memorial Day Candle Light Vigil"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Clarksville, TN<\/strong> – It is a solemn occasion when a nation gathers together to honor its soldiers, those who lived to come home, but even more importantly those who did not. The body of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Lawrence Woods was buried in Arlington National Cemetery on March 21st of this year. There are 27 remaining missing POW\/MIA\u2019s from the State of Tennessee. Each one was honored in a ceremony held in front of the William O. Beach Civic Center at Veterans Plaza in Clarksville Tennessee on Sunday evening.<\/p>\n

he Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 396 holds this Memorial Day Vigil each year to remember the men and women who were left behind in Vietnam when American forces left that country in 1975.<\/p>\n

\"State<\/a>

State Senator Mark Green delivering the keynote address at the 2014 Vietnam Veterans of America Candle Light Vigil<\/p><\/div>\n

The Local vigil was first held in 1989 the same year that Chapter 396 was chartered. They consider it an honored duty to call the roll each year so that these lost bothers and sisters are not forgotten. The first reading contained 43 names on the roster, since then 16 remains have been returned or located. This was their 24th year performing this solemn duty.<\/p>\n

The colors were posted as an honor guard of Montgomery Central High School JROTC. Then a single chair representing all of the POW\/MIA\u2019s nationwide was placed in a position of honor before the audience. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited, and a moment of silence was held. Then Rev. Scott Witt delivered the invocation.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Montgomery Central JROTC Color Guard posts the colors<\/p><\/div>\n

The guest speaker for this year was Tennessee State Senator Mark Green. Also on hand were Montgomery County Mayor Carolyn Bowers; Montgomery County Commissioner Ron Sokel; Clarksville City Mayor Kim McMillan; Tennessee State Representative Joe Pitts, Former State Senators Rosalind Kurita, and Tim Barnes; Clarksville City Councilwoman Kaye Jones; Councilman Bill Summers; and several Gold Star Wives.<\/p>\n

“We have with us, members of a very special group some of the Gold Star Wives setting in the audience. We are very appreciative of them and their losses, and we appreciate the message that they carry forward,” said Emcee Gary Ezell.<\/p>\n

First Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillian addressed the audience.<\/p>\n