By Myra Miller
Lifestyle Editor
A Memorial Day service was held at 5 p.m. Monday at the corner of Park Avenue and 2nd Street in Eunice.
The annual event was sponsored by the Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of the Foreign Wars, Doucet-Aucoin Post 8971 and the American Legion Post 129 Turner-Mornhinveg Moore.
An opening prayer for all deceased soldiers was led by Donald Estillette, chaplain of the VFW Post 8971.
The Boy Scouts Troop 425 held a flag-raising ceremony. Randy Leger is the troop’s scoutmaster.
The ceremonial “Taps” was played by Perry Lopez of the Kinder 215 Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans.
Present during the program and representing the Kinder 215 Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans were Terry Courville, Raymond Richard, Jerry Nevils, Richard Morgan, Ray Hargrave and Perry Lopez. Courville read a tribute to a fallen soldier who fought during war and died for “us.”
The Kinder veterans then placed symbolic gear of a fallen soldier, the combat boots, a soldier’s helmet, the combat rifle and dog tags.
Paying tribute on Memorial Day was Jack Burson, alderman-at-large. Burson welcomed the attendees and reminded all, “These men and women represent our country. We need to give praise, honor and glory to them. They paid the ultimate sacrifice for you and me, and their families paid a sacrifice for us too. And for those men and women who are now serving we entend our prayers.”
Lort Veillon of Ladies Auxiliary post, Don Reber and Roland Miller took turns ringing the bell for each veteran, as Post Commander Roger Veillon from VFW Post 8971, read the names of the fallen:
World War I: R. Turner;
World War II: E. Amy, E. Andrepont, L.E. Aucoin, C.P. Aymond, A. Bollich, S. Bollich, H. Bundick, Jr., N. Doucet, A. Dupre, J.M. Fontenot, H. J. Frey, J.W. Frey, G.A. Gary, F. Guillory, W. Kessler, B. J. LeJeune, S. Manuel, C.C. Matt, E. Matt, K. McGee, J.L. Miller, C.W. Mornhinveg, and R. Reese.
Korean War: A. J. Anderson, J. Moore;
Vietnam War: J. D. Feucht, A. Monday, D.W. Sistrunk, C.R. Williams, A. Duplechain, J. Williams.
Ex-Pow’s of Eunice named were James J. Bollich, Marion Courville, Curley J. Daigle, Dennis A. Doucet, James Leroy Fruge, Harold A. Gourney, Hubert McManus, John Bruce Miller and Orval L. Simpson.
Some of the commanders represented during the Memorial Day service included David Crader of the American Legion Post 129, Roger Veillon of the VFW Post 8971, and Kenny Manuel of the DAV Chapter 9.
Miss US Armed Forces Meghan Miller was in attendance for the ceremony.