Above a field of flag-marked graves at the Alto-Reste Park Cemetery's Garden of Honor, area veterans and their families gathered Sunday to remember those who served and gave everything.
"Unfortunately, as our veteran numbers dwindle more and more, people may not realize the significance of the day," said guest speaker George Montgomery, Vietnam vet and founder and president of Fire Base Eagle.
Montgomery said the stories of those veterans who liberated tens of millions of people are at risk of disappearing.
Montgomery said of the qualities possessed by those who served their country - courage, commitment, duty, honor, integrity and sacrifice - it was sacrifice that especially stands out.
"What they sacrificed and destroyed was their lives for the sake of some others' lives," Montgomery said.
He said Americans are fortunate to have people willing to sacrifice and fight and that a new generation of men and women carry on the proud tradition of the American military with a commitment to the nation's call for freedom.
Opening the ceremony, the Blair County Veterans Honor Guard was joined by Jaffa Highlanders Robbie Vonada on drums and Robert Vonada on bagpipe as well as Jaffa Mounted Patrol member David Birchfield escorting a riderless horse. After the traditional laying of a wreath and a gun salute, retired U.S. Air Force Sgt. Les Hart played taps on the bugle before a bagpipe version of "Amazing Grace" washed over the quiet cemetery.
State Rep. Rick Geist, R-Altoona, spoke briefly and said honoring veterans was one of the greatest highlights of his position.
"I only wish we had this whole hillside filled with people to say thank you," Geist said, adding that Blair County has always had a high percentage of people serving in the military and that they deserve thanks and recognition for all they have done and all they continue to do.
As well as the honor guard and Jaffa contingent, the Mountain Cities Detachment of the Marine Corps League, Ebensburg Marine Corps Reserve Unit, Patriot Guard Riders, Blair County Alliance of Bikers Aimed Towards Education and the Christian Motorcyclists Association joined Alto-Reste and the Good Funeral Home in putting on Sunday's Memorial Day service.
"My grandfather started doing it in the '20s, when there was a parade from downtown to the cemetery," said George H. Good, community outreach director at Alto-Reste. "In 1984, I started it up again."
Good said it's harder each year getting people involved, but after Sunday's service, he already received offers from folks who want to help next year.
One change that has made organizing the service more difficult is stricter Department of Defense policies that make requesting the help of local military unit personnel more complicated, but Good said next year's service will see the return of a flyover by Johnstown-based pilots who were on maneuvers this year.
"It was very impressive," said Hollidaysburg resident Peggy Gutshall, whose late husband, Jerry, served as a radio gunner aboard a B-25 bomber in World War II. Gutshall said she and her husband attended the cemetery's Memorial Day service many years ago, and this was her first year returning.
