Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 Memorial Day Ceremony will not be held. Those who died to defend freedom in our country will be in our thoughts and prayers.
Category: Memorial Day
Memorial Day Ceremony, May 27, 2019
On Monday, May 27, at 11 o’clock a.m., the annual Memorial Day ceremony will be held at the Great Falls Freedom Memorial to honor those who gave “the last full measure of devotion” in service of freedom. The event will feature patriotic songs, a color guard and raising of the flags by Boy Scout Troop 55, a wreath laying, and a bell-ringing and name-reading for natives of Great Falls killed in battle.
The Freedom Memorial is located behind the Great Falls Library at 9830 Georgetown Pike. The ceremony is open to all. Parking is available in the library parking lot. In case of rain, the ceremony may move to the library meeting room. Limited seating and shelter will be provided. Attendees are encouraged but not required to bring portable chairs.
Updates to the schedule, if any, will be posted here.
Memorial Day Ceremony, May 28, 2018
On Monday, May 28, at 11 o’clock a.m., the annual Memorial Day ceremony was held at the Great Falls Freedom Memorial to honor those who gave “the last full measure of devotion” in service of freedom. Longtime Vienna resident and World War II “civilian veteran” Rita C. Stead delivered the keynote address on the meaning of Memorial Day. The event also included patriotic songs, a raising of the flags by Boy Scout Troop 55, a wreath laying, and a bell-ringing and name-reading for natives of Great Falls killed in battle.
The Great Falls Connection published an article about the event, which can be seen by clicking the image below.
A flyer for the event can be found here.
The Freedom Memorial is located behind the Great Falls Library at 9830 Georgetown Pike. The ceremonies are open to all. Parking is available in the library parking lot. In case of rain, ceremonies will move to the library meeting room. Limited seating and shelter will be provided. Attendees are encouraged but not required to bring portable chairs.
Memorial Day Ceremony 2017
On Monday, May 29, at 11:00 am, the annual Memorial Day ceremony was held at the Great Falls Freedom Memorial to honor those who gave “last full measure of devotion” in service of freedom, including at least 25 citizens of Great Falls. The keynote speaker was longtime Great Falls resident Robert D. Vickers, Jr., former CIA National Intelligence Officer, Vietnam Veteran, and present chairman of the Fairfax County Tree Commission, who discussed his tour of duty in Vietnam and its aftermath. The event also included patriotic songs, a raising of the flags by Boy Scout Troop 55, a Marine Corps color guard and taps bugler, a wreath laying, and a reading of the honor roll and bell-ringing for each of the 25 known Great Falls natives who have fallen in defense of our country. Red poppies were distributed to the audience to betoken gratitude to all whom Memorial Day serves to honor.
Share and view pictures and videos of the event here.
The Great Falls Connection carried a story about the event, which you can read by clicking on the image below.
Great Falls Connection reporter Fallon Forbush created a moving video about the event:
A video of the entire event appears below.
Memorial Day Ceremony 2016
On Monday, May 30th, at 11:00 AM, the annual Memorial Day ceremony was held at the Great Falls Freedom Memorial. The event included a taps bugler, patriotic songs, remarks by retired Air Force Brigadier General Richard Stephen Ritchie (one of five American aces during the Vietnam War), a reading of the names and bell-ringing for each of the 26 residents of Great Falls who have fallen in service to our country, a wreath-laying by local dignitaries, and a raising of the flags by Boy Scout Troop 55.
The Great Falls Connection carried a story about the event. View and share photos and videos of the event here.