American Legion Davidson-Haltom Post 157 in Henderson will host a solemn commemorative ceremony on Memorial Day, beginning at 11 a.m. Monday, May 29, in the Council Chambers on the second floor of Henderson City Hall, to honor all military veterans who willingly made the Supreme Sacrifice to safeguard the United States of America. The public is encouraged to attend the approximately one-hour ceremony.
This year’s commemoration titled “Always Remember” specifically remembers the enormous cost in American war dead and wounded from the “police action” commonly known as the Korean War. The three Chester Countians known to have served and died in that faraway land will be remembered and honored, as well as police, firemen, first responders and others who have given their lives to safeguard this community.
SFC Rhodes was born on October 6, 1924. He served three years in the European Theater of Operations during World War II and fought in the Battle of the Bulge and the crossing of the Rhine River marking the first large American army unit to cross into Germany. Amazingly, after World War II ended, he returned to Chester County High School and graduated with the Class of 1947. SFC Rhodes returned to active duty with the US Army when the Korean War erupted in 1950 and was killed in action on February 17, 1951. He was awarded the Silver Star (our nation’s third highest award for gallantry). He is buried in Henderson City Cemetery.
Private Eugene Marvin Cox was killed in action during the Korean War. Little is known about Cox. Apparently living in Chester County most of his life, he may have graduated from Chester County High School in 1947 or 1948. He had two sisters at the time of his death - Mrs. Jim Hearn of Henderson and Miss Patsy Cox of Bethel Springs. Cox entered the US Army on June 12, 1951 and was deployed to Korea on November 16, 1951 with the 45th Infantry Division. He was killed in action several months later on January 24, 1952 at the age of 22. He is buried in Cave Springs Cemetery.
Corporal Ray Franklin Dunn will also be honored. Dunn died in a jeep rollover accident in Japan, apparently while he was preparing to deploy into the Korean War.
The American Legion will also be giving away poppies to all attendees. The tradition of wearing red poppies on Memorial Day was inspired by the 1915 poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrea. American war worker Moina Michael made a personal pledge in 1918 to always wear red silk poppies as an emblem of “keeping the faith with all who died,” and began a tradition that was adopted in the United States, England, France, Australia and more than 50 other countries.
After the indoor ceremony is concluded, a flag-raising ceremony will be held outside at noon, when representatives from the City of Henderson, Chester County and the Henderson Post Office will raise their respective flags from half-staff to full staff to the sound of the bugle call “To the Colors.” Traditionally, although many are unaware, flags are to be raised from half staff to full staff at noon time on Memorial Day.
After the flag ceremony a wreath dedicated to the honor of all 55 Chester Countians known to have given their lives in service to their country - and especially the three soldiers from Chester County who died during the Korean War will be placed at the Korean War memorial on the grounds of the Chester County Courthouse.
The playing of the bugle call “Taps” will conclude the Memorial Day event.
Memorial Day ceremonies began soon after the American Civil War. The day was called Decoration Day until 1971. The ceremonies grew to encompass all our nation’s wars and to honor the 3,036,685 men and women known to have given their lives or were wounded during these conflicts and to also recognize the 590,687 POWs and the 81,800 service members still listed as Missing in Action (MIA).
