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Contact: Susie Sernaker, 229 518-2846
Andersonville National Historic Site hosts Memorial Day weekend eventsEvents include live ceremony, service activities and more
ANDERSONVILLE, Ga. –Andersonville National Historic Site will commemorate Memorial Day with events that are free and open to the public, beginning on Saturday, May 27 and concluding on Tuesday, May 30. Retired US Army Col. Rob Choppa will serve as keynote speaker at the Memorial Day Observance Ceremony. The weekend’s events will close with a public funeral service for Corporal Luther Story, Korean War Medal of Honor recipient.
“Memorial Day presents an opportunity to remember the military men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country. Many have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. It is our great privilege to pay tribute to them, particularly those resting here at Andersonville National Cemetery”, said Superintendent Gia Wagner
Memorial Day service activities at the park begin on Saturday, May 27, when hundreds of scouts and other volunteers will place small American flags on more than 20,000 gravesites in Andersonville National Cemetery. The dramatic and moving display of thousands of veterans’ graves decorated with American flags, along with the Avenue of Flags placed by volunteers of Rolling Thunder Chapter Three, will create a powerful and patriotic setting for visitors.
On Sunday, May 28, the Memorial Day Observance Ceremony will be held in Andersonville National Cemetery. The U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence band will perform at 1:30 p.m. followed by the formal program at 2 p.m. The ceremony will feature keynote speaker retired US Army Col. Rob Choppa, and wreath presentations will be conducted by several military, civic and patriotic organizations.
On Monday, May 29, the public are invited to attend 2 events. The Knights of Columbus will hold a special mass in the cemetery at 11 a.m. At 2 p.m., the public is invited to attend a reinterment ceremony with full military honors for Corporal Luther Story. Corporal Story was a Korean War Medal of Honor recipient whose remains had been unidentified until recently.
“The National Park Service and Andersonville National Historic Site are honored that the family of Medal of Honor recipient Luther Story has chosen to lay him to rest at Andersonville National Cemetery,” said Superintendent Gia Wagner. “As a child, Luther grew up nearby and attended school in Plains and in Americus. We are grateful he is finally coming home after his death in combat during the Korean War nearly 73 years ago. The story of his bravery and selflessness is remarkable.”
Following Memorial Day weekend, park staff are seeking volunteers to help clean up the cemetery on Tuesday, May 30, including the careful removal of the small flags that were placed for the events. For more information, please call Caitlyn Price, volunteer coordinator, at 229- 924-0343.
www.nps.gov
About Andersonville National Historic Site. Andersonville National Historic Site is located 10 miles south of Oglethorpe, GA, and 10 miles northeast of Americus, GA, on Highway 49. The national park features the National Prisoner of War Museum, Andersonville National Cemetery and the site of the historic Civil War prison, Camp Sumter. Andersonville National Historic Site is the only national park within the National Park System to serve as a memorial to all American prisoners of war. Park grounds are open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. with the museum open from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information on the park, call 229-924-0343, visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/ande or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AndersonvilleNPS or Instagram account at @AndersonvilleNPS.
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 424 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-tohome recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube
Last updated: May 13, 2023