For many, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer. A time for family, barbecues, and outdoor fun. But at its heart, Memorial Day is a solemn day of remembrance. It is a time to pause, reflect, and honor the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country so that we may live in freedom.

Each year, I am filled with pride to see my Meridian neighbors place American flags in their yards or along our streets in honor of these brave men and women. This simple gesture of unity and gratitude shows our shared commitment to remembering those who gave all.

While there are several Memorial Day events around the valley, in Meridian, we remember these fallen heroes at the Rock of Honor. Located in Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park, the names of 63 individuals from our community are given a lasting tribute for their sacrifice while in service to our country. Their names are etched into stone, and more importantly, into the memory of a grateful city.

The Rock of Honor itself is a legacy that reminds us of the importance of never forgetting those who came before us. The inscription on the memorial are the words of World War II Navy veteran, and Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 4000 in Meridian, John H. Burns, who was the driving force to create the memorial. The inscription reads:

“We Celebrate Their Valor. We Shall Not Forget Them. Their Sacrifice Is the Foundation Upon Which We Build Our Strength.”

On this day, residents can participate in a patriotic ceremony hosted by the Meridian American Legion in Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, May 26, 2025, or take part in the National Moment of Remembrance at 3:00 p.m., whether you’re at home, with loved ones, or attending a ceremony. You can take a quiet moment to reflect on the cost of the freedoms we enjoy and the lives given in their defense.

Below are the names of those inscribed on the Rock of Honor. Let’s be grateful for the freedom and safety for which they paid the ultimate price. May God bless the fallen, their families, and all those who serve. And may we, as a community, always strive to honor their legacy by building a future worthy of their sacrifice.

Names of those remembered on the Rock of Honor:

Corporal David Marks, Army Korea

Private William Summer, Army Korea

Leland   Strawn, WW II

Private Gilbert McCorkle, Army WW II

Private First-Class Jerry Williams, Army WW II

Master Sergeant Clifford Stone, USAF WW II

Sergeant Wesley Franklin, Army WW II

2nd Lieutenant Homer Baker, Army Air Corps WW II

Gunners Mate 3rd Class Morris Stewart, Navy WW II

Private First-Class Eugene Wood, Marine Corps WW II

Staff Sergeant Arvel Maples, Army WW II

Sergeant Robert Gray, Army WW II

Staff Sergeant William Erwin, Army Air Corps WW II

Specialist 4th Class Randy Bronson, Army Vietnam

Morrison Kundson Orlie Pfost, Civilian WW II

Sergeant Clinton Rippee, USAF Vietnam

Technical Sergeant Harold Marks, Army Air Corps WW II

Private First-Class Harmon Hamming, Army WW II

Private First-Class James Barker, Marine Corps WW II

Chief Petty Officer Robert Bentley, Navy WW II

Private First-Class Donald Cooper, Army WW II

Fireman 3rd Class Lynn Creech, Navy Reserves WW II

Engine man 2nd Class Robert Chesnut, Navy Vietnam

Sergeant Jermey King, Army Iraq

Sergeant Michael Norris, Army, Iraq

Sergeant Herbert Link, Army WW II

Private First-Class James Ward, Army WW II

Specialist 4th Class Floyd Savell, Army WW II

Corporal Lee Davis, Army WW I

2nd Lieutenant Roy Duerock, Army Air Corps WW II

Sergeant Wallace Atkinson, Army WW I

BTC John Gillapsy, Navy Vietnam

Private Edward Link, Army WW II

Private First Class Alvin Hashbarger, Army WW II

Private First-Class Elmer Ireland, Army WW II

1st Lieutenant Charles Cairns, Army Air Corps WW II

Private First-Class Carl Vincent, Army WW II

Private First-Class Richard Vincent, Army WW II

Private First-Class Pete Morse, Marine Corps WW II

Petty Officer Gilbert Vieselmeyer, Navy Vietnam

Private First-Class Ernest Towne, Army WW II

Private First-Class James Nelson, Army WW II

Private Samuel Louderbaugh, Army WW I

Seaman Apprentice Owen Starr, Navy Vietnam

Private First-Class Jack Wood, Marine Corps WW II

Corporal James Monroe, Army Korea

Fireman 2nd Class Walter Brenner, Navy WW II

1st Lieutenant Eugene Fowler, Army National Guard WW II

Homer Lyon, Army WW I

Donald Zinn, Navy Korea

Max Montieth, Army National Guard WW II

Civilian Wake Island John Cleland Morrison Knudson WW II

Private First Class, Willes Lamm Army WW II

Specialist First Class Thomas Murach, Army, Afghanistan 

Civilian Wake Island Forrest Packard Morrison Knudson WW II

Fireman Dale Wiley, Navy Reserves Korea

Private First-Class Calvin Skeen Army Korea

Private Lloyd Hutcheson, Army WW I

Private James Barker, Marine Corps WW II

2nd Lieutenant Charles Harnish Army     WW II

Ralph Linn, Army WW I

Airman 2nd Class David Lewis, USAF Vietnam

Private First-Class Fred Smart, Marine Corps Vietna