Civil Air Patrol members to help Wreaths Across America ceremonies honor veterans

  • Published
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFNS) --  Civil Air Patrol officials here will partner with Wreaths Across America officials to honor veteran memorials and grave sites Dec. 12 nationwide.
 
Wreaths Across America, a nonprofit organization that recognizes the courage and sacrifices of U.S. veterans, pays tributes to many of the 25 million men and women who have served in the U.S. armed forces and guarded and preserved America's freedom throughout history.

Memorials and grave sites, including Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia will be adorned with remembrance wreaths provided by the Maine's Worcester Wreath Co.

"Our mission is to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and teach our children the value of freedom," said Karen Worcester, the Wreaths Across America executive director. "Thousands of CAP members participated last year and helped us to do just that, and this year's Wreaths Across America promises to take this worthwhile endeavor to even greater heights."

"Laying the wreaths is an honor to our veterans, a service to our communities and a learning experience for our members," said Maj. Gen. Amy S. Courter, the CAP national commander.

Since its inception in 2006, Wreaths Across America has experienced tremendous growth -- from 240 ceremonies at national and state cemeteries in its first year to the 400 expected in all 50 states and 25 cemeteries and memorials abroad in 2009. CAP units will lead almost half of the Wreaths Across America observances this year and will participate with other color and honor guards at many additional locations. CAP cadets and officers will lay wreaths at Arlington as well.

The founders of Wreaths Across America, Mrs. Worcester and her husband, Morrill Worcester, owners of Worcester Wreath Co., are donating 17,000 wreaths for this year's Arlington ceremonies. The wreaths will be transported on a 750-mile journey from Harrington, Maine, after a sendoff ceremony Dec. 6, and will arrive at Arlington Dec. 12. The route is one of the longest annual veterans' celebrations as patriotic Americans, veterans groups and other local organizations like CAP show their support for the project with parades and ceremonies at more than 20 stops along the way.

Over the past 10 years, Maine's 75th and 76th wing composite squadrons have been actively involved in Worcester Wreath Co.'s convoys to Arlington, supplying senior officers and cadets to help load and unload the donated wreaths as well as helping lay them on the gravestones at Arlington. In addition, 600 to 700 motorcyclists from the Patriot Guard Riders -- an organization of more than 122,000 whose primary mission is to attend the funerals of fallen heroes nationwide -- accompany the trucks to Washington, D.C.

Before the convoy begins, Wreaths Across America and its partners will acknowledge other countries involved in this year's observances with a parade and wreath-laying ceremony Dec. 12 on the International Bridge, which links the U.S. and Canada. Royal Canadian Air Cadets with escort America's Gold Star Mother and Civil Air Patrol cadets from America will escort Canada's Silver Cross Mother to the center of the bridge, situated over the St. Croix River between Calais, Maine, and St. Stephen, New Brunswick. The Gold Star Mother will present a Worcester wreath to the Silver Cross Mother for placement at the Centatoph Memorial Monument in St. Stephen.

"This year's ceremonies honor the memory of the Maine Wing's Maj. Dennis W. Murray, who passed away in September and whose devotion to the Wreaths Across America program is his legacy," General Courter said.

Wreaths Across America began in 2006 as an offshoot of the Arlington National Cemetery wreath project, which was started in 1992 with the annual placement of wreaths donated by Worcester Wreath Co. Today, it is a monumental initiative, with partners like Civil Air Patrol, the Patriot Guard Riders, the Maine State Society of Washington, D.C., and other veterans' groups participating, not to mention the tens of thousands of private citizens who sponsor wreaths for the wreath-laying ceremonies.

The wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington are scheduled to commence at 8 a.m. EST Dec. 12 at the CAP Memorial, culminating with a national Wreaths Across America ceremony and moment of remembrance at 9 a.m. attended by the Worcesters and other dignitaries from CAP, the Patriot Guard Riders, the Maine State Society, the Gold Star Mothers, the American Legion and other veterans' groups. At that time, Wreaths Across America participants nationwide will adorn veterans' graves with remembrance wreaths concurrently with the Arlington celebration.

Other wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington on Dec. 12 are planned at the Shuttle Memorial at 11 a.m. and at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at noon. The Arlington observances will conclude at 1 p.m. with the CAP honor guard and General Courter laying a wreath at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial. Afterward, General Courter will host a distinguished visitors' reception in the memorial's Hall of Honor.

For more information, visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.