Guadalupe pays tribute to Veterans Day

They gathered at the Veterans Memorial Flagpole at the Guadalupe Cemetery to remember and pay tribute to men and women serving the in the U.S. Armed Forces and to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the country.

The raising of a large American flag at the flagpole and the playing of the national anthem began the ceremony Monday morning.

“This is to honor the veterans who have fallen and given their all for us so we could have the freedom to do what we want to do, worship where we want to worship, go where we want to go without being told that you can’t go there”, said Marcellino Reynante with Guadalupe American Legion Post 371.

American Legion Post 371 hosted the ceremony that attracted a large crowd of young and old alike and from all walks of life to pay tribute and remember those currently serving in uniform and veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice.

“Where there’s a war, who is going to come and save us, when there is a war who is going to give us the price to fight?”, said young Juan Rodriguez who also spoke at the ceremony, “no one, so donate to the Army and thank those who are serving and who have served our great country.”

Those currently serving in the armed forces want the community to remember the sacrifice men and women in uniform, and their families, are making every day.

“I’d like the community to think about the veterans, their sacrifice, but especially their families who sacrifice every day for the men and women who are overseas”, said U.S. Air Force Colonel Raymond Clydesdale, “their families, their children who take every day and strive to make ends meet and to do things that normally you would want to do as a family, they make those things happen every day, so I would want the local community to wrap their arms around the families of deployed service members.”

New Guadalupe Police Chief Michael Cash, himself a veteran, spoke at the ceremony which was also attended by Guadalupe city firefighters.