'To those who didn't make it back'
KEITH COUSINS/Staff writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 years, 8 months AGO
<p>Jim Shepperd, past commander with the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 889, prepares to lay a wreath into the waters of Lake Coeur d’Alene to honor military personnel who died in line of duty as part of a Memorial Day ceremony Monday at McEuen Park.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - Flags representing all five of the country's military branches snapped in the wind at the McEuen Park Veterans Memorial Plaza Monday morning, where more than 50 gathered for Memorial Day ceremonies.
Members of the Coeur d'Alene Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 889 and the Marine Corps League led the brief ceremony. Gary Legard, commander of the Coeur d'Alene VFW, told attendees there was a unique reason the ceremony was beginning at the plaza.
"There are a special bunch of veterans who didn't make it back home to be buried," Legard told the crowd. "That's who we're here to pay our respects to at this time."
With thoughts in mind of those veterans whose bodies did not make it home, attendees joined the VFW chaplain in a prayer prior to the entire crowd either placing their hand on their heart or saluting while reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
VFW member Jim Shepperd, who has played a major role in the ceremony since 1952, then took a ceremonial wreath down to the lake's edge. Onlookers stood close to the railing overlooking the boat where Shepperd and several other members waited in silence.
When Shepperd dropped the wreath into the lake, a gun salute cracked the silence. Veterans stood at attention and saluted while taps was played.
Following the ceremony at McEuen, the VFW held ceremonies at the St. Thomas Cemetery on East Sherman Avenue and the Forest Cemetery near the Civil War Statue.
The Marine Corps League held a separate ceremony at the Memorial Gardens on North Government Way.
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