Elgin Memorial Day Tribute Honors 75th Anniversary of D-Day

ELGIN, IL – The Elgin Patriotic Memorial Association along with the city of Elgin has been planning for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday. In addition to several events planned for Memorial Day, the city is also encouraging residents to visit local cemeteries during the Memorial Day period. At Bluff City Cemetery,945 Bluff City Boulevard, over 600 flags honoring local veterans line the streets as part of the award-winning “Avenue of Flags.”

In addition, there are more than 3000 smaller flags flying over veterans graves placed by local volunteers as part of the “Adopt a Cemetery” program.

Here is a look at the schedule of events for May 27 in Elgin:

• 8:45 a.m.: Mount Hope Cemetery, 1001 Villa Street in Elgin – There will be a Catholic Mass along with a combined color guard, rifle salute, and the playing of Taps.
• 9:15 a.m.: Lakewood Memorial Park, 30W730 U.S. 20 in Elgin –A service will be held to honor those buried at Lakewood Memorial Park. The ceremony will take place in the cemetery’s Garden of Honor and will include a combined color guard. The observance will conclude with a rifle salute and the playing of Taps.
• 9:45 a.m.: Elgin Veterans Memorial Park, 274 N. Grove Ave. in Elgin – Organized by the Elgin Navy Club and the Elgin Marine Corps League, this program will feature the Elgin Master Chorale and is especially designed to pay tribute to veterans interred at sea. Following a presentation by Elgin Navy Club members, the service will conclude with the strewing of flowers into the Fox River, rifle salute, and the playing of Taps.
• 11 a.m.: Bluff City Cemetery, 945 Bluff City Boulevard in Elgin –This year’s program will pay tribute to the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The keynote speaker will be local historian George Rowe. The program will also include the Elgin Master Chorale and Northwest Baptist Bible Academy. Local students will continue the long held tradition of reading Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and General John Logan’s Orders which established Memorial Day. A poem specific to the day will be composed and read by the city's new Poet Lauerate Chasity Gunn. The most solemn moment of the morning will be the laying of organizational wreaths at the Grand Army of the Republic memorial – an observance similar to the laying of wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Washington D.C. Activities will include a roll call of deceased veterans, a rifle salute, and the playing of Taps. Following the program, Civil War historian Ken Gough will be on hand to answer questions about Civil War era graves in the cemetery. A free shuttle bus will be available to pick up riders at the main gate and east gate before and after the service for transportation to and from the ceremony area. Because of limited seating, attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair.

In the case of inclement weather, an announcement will be made no later than 8:30 a.m. on Memorial Day that the Elgin Veterans Memorial Park and Bluff City Cemetery programs will be held at their normal times at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. This information will be posted on www.cityofelgin.org.

More via the Elgin's Patriotic Memorial Association website