Roswell Historical Society To Host Wreaths Across America Ceremony

ROSWELL, GA -- On Saturday, citizens will honor deceased veterans by placing holiday wreaths on their graves in an event hosted by the Roswell Historical Society Cemetery Committee.

The organization led a fundraising effort to purchase 240 wreaths to be placed by volunteers on veterans graves in the Old Roswell, Lebanon Baptist, Mt. Oliver Baptist, and Pleasant Hill cemeteries.

Roswell volunteers will be joining with thousands of other Wreaths Across America volunteers who will simultaneously place wreaths on veterans' graves in communities all across the U.S.

After the wreaths have been placed by volunteers and family members of our Roswell veterans, the public is invited to attend a ceremony starting at noon at Old Roswell Cemetery on Woodstock Road.

Highlighting this year's event will be a flyover of the cemetery by a vintage World War II bomber. If you are anywhere near the downtown Roswell area around 12:30, look up for a rare opportunity to see an SBD-5 “Dauntless,” one of only two flyable SBD-5s in the United States today.

Dauntless was the first American combat plane to shoot down a Japanese Zero. One June 4, 1942, during the Battle of Midway, the Dauntless sank four major Japanese carriers and helped to stop the country's expansion in the Pacific.

Featured speakers for this year's Wreaths Across America ceremony will be Major General George B. Harrison and State Representative Dr. Betty Price. Gen. Harrison began his distinguished military career as a 1962 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. He has commanded a test squadron and a tactical training wing, and served as chief of the joint operations division, J-3, Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

He also commanded the U.S. Air Force Air Warfare Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. He went on to command the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center headquartered at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. There he oversaw more than 900 permanent civilian and military personnel. Gen, Harrison is also a command pilot, having flown more than 4,900 hours in a variety of tactical aircraft. More than 500 of those hours were flown in combat over Southeast and Southwest Asia.

Rep. Price is well known in the Roswell area having served on the City Council before being elected to serve the north Fulton area in the Georgia State House of Representatives. In October Betty and her husband Congressman Tom Price hosted a well attended Wreaths Across America fundraiser at their home.

The Roswell High School Junior ROTC will serve as the color guard, and the Roswell High School Chorus will sing the National Anthem. Roger Spitz from Bugles Across America will conclude the ceremony with the playing of “Taps.”

Old Roswell Cemetery is at 100 Woodstock Street.

Image via Shutterstock