Memorial Day events in the Miami Valley

Thousands marked Memorial Day at ceremonies across the Miami Valley on Monday.

At the Dayton National Cemetery, Edgar Moorman wore a star-spangled red, white and blue vest and sat in a wheelchair and held an American flag to honor all of his fellow soldiers who didn’t come home.

The 98-year-old World War II and Army veteran who fought in the South Pacific was grateful for the hundreds who turned out Memorial Day at the Dayton National Cemetery for a ceremony Monday to remember fallen service members.

“It’s of great significance,” he said. “It’s good that they speak of the actual thing about honoring those that gave their lives instead of the cookouts that are going on. I’m just glad that I was able to reach age 98.”

Fallen service members honored at Dayton National Cemetery Douglas Ledbetter, Dayton National Cemetery director, talks about Memorial Day 2017. A ceremony to honor the fallen took place Monday. Video produced by Barrie Barber.

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Five of Moorman’s 12 children joined him under a white tent on a hill surrounded by thousands of more than 48,000 white gravestones, each with an American flag planted next to it.

“It’s the true meaning of Memorial Day,” said Patrick Moorman, 53, of Miamisburg and the youngest child of the World War II veteran. “My dad appreciates representing his generation to those that aren’t around.”

Springfield Memorial Day parade Scenes from the annual parade on May 29th, 2017

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The Dayton National Cemetery will mark 150 years this year since the first Civil War veteran was buried on the grounds on Sept. 11, 1867, said Dennis J. Adkins, a Montgomery County judge who is active in support activities at the historic burial ground.

The nation has lost more than 1 million in conflict over since the Revolutionary War.

In Springfield, more than 2,500 people participated in what organizers have touted as one of the largest Memorial Day parades in the country.

Lisa Fain has been going to the Springfield parade since she was a kid. Now her daughter is marching with her high school band.

“It's just a really good feeling to see your community come together and clap and be happy. We need more of it,” Fain said.

Springfield residents said the parade is so popular because the support for the military in the community is so strong.

"People appreciate the people that have served, took time to serve this country," Springfield resident Doug Barletto said.

In Middletown, the annual Memorial Day parade drew big crowds through the Butler County city’s downtown and south of the city as the parade marched to ceremonies at the Woodside Cemetery & Arboretum.

Middletown Memorial Day Parade Thousands turned out for the Middletown Memorial Day Parade.

A parachutists brought a giant American flag down from the skies during the cemetery services, which included speeches, songs and a special honor for the parade grand marshal, who served in three wars – World War II, Korean and Vietnam.

Middletown resident Cecil Daily, who entered military service in 1943 and retired in 1970, was honored as the parade’s grand marshal and presented a key to the city during ceremonies after the parade.

The parade included military veterans, police, firefighters, local city officials, business and community leaders as well as the Marching Middies band from Middletown High School and band members from Fenwick High School.

“We’ve come to this parade now for several years. It’s a great parade and they do a really good job with a lot of veterans’ groups,” said Ohio National Guard officer Chad Harris, whose little girl was propped up on his shoulders for a better view of the parade.

Memorial Day 2017 at Dayton National Cemetery Air Force Col. John D. McKaye was the keynote speaker at the Memorial Day ceremony at the Dayton National Cemetery.

In Miami County, members of the veteran's services organizations used Memorial Day as the back drop to dedicate a new Veteran's Cremorial at Riverside Cemetery in Troy.

A group of veterans saw the need, and members of the community helped raise $20,000 for what they referred to as a cremorial. A cremorial is a place where families can have the ashes inurned of their military loved ones.

On Monday, there were ashes of two individuals inurned during the dedication ceremony in the veterans section at Riverside Cemetery.

Hundreds of people showed up in Centerville at the Veteran’s Memorial at Stubbs Park.

"We are here today to pay respects to the veteran's who have served in our wars and to also help the city of Centerville with the pledge of allegiance and flag ceremonies," said Tony Rardon of Centerville and Boy Scouts den leader who brought scouts to help with the ceremony.

Col. Bradley McDonald of the 88th Air Wing and Installation commander at Wright Patterson Air Force Base also attended the ceremony.

"It is very important that we celebrate Memorial Day everyday. That we remember those that are supporting and defending our country," he said.

In Xenia Twp., veterans’ graves in two cemeteries were being restored as part of a multi-year project to clean and rehabilitate the sites, said Alan Stock, Xenia Twp. Administrator.

The township set aside some of its funds to put toward the project, and they also received a $5,000 grant from the Daughters of the American Revolution, Stock said.

Ron Nocella of American Grave Groomers has been working on restoring some of the gravestones at Stevenson Cemetery on Jones Road.

"We used our biological solution on it. “We cleaned it about six or seven times with soft bristle brushes," Nocella said as he clean a veterans grave site.

The township has spent between $8,000 and $9,000 on restoration over the last two years and anticpates spending about $10,000 this year, Stock said.

"We want to be highly respectful," the township administrator said.

In addition to Stevenson Cemetery, the township is having work done in Friends Cemetery on U.S. 68.

Grave restorations and ceremonies aside, Army Pfc. Mitchell Kirtley wanted to surprise his family in a different way when he returned home from active duty in Afghanistan.

The Dayton Dragons helped Mitchell Kirtley as he made his return to Dayton to surprise his family as the family was reunited Monday afternoon at Fifth Third Field prior to the Dragons game with the West Michigan Whitecaps.

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