By Mark Reynolds
Dennis Bragg volunteers his time helping in whatever capacity he can at the Lloyd Cemetery. The cemetery was established in 1861 on a 34-acre parcel and today it is the final resting place for 7,500 who are interred there, of which about 640 are Veterans.
This year Bragg has chosen to honor Lt. William March Smyser, who was born on February 18, 1919 and was lost over Germany on December 19, 1943. He was co-pilot of a Liberator B-24 as part of the 15th Air Force.
According to Wikipedia, the Liberator B-24 was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. The B-24 was used extensively in World War II where it served in every branch of the American armed forces, as well as several Allied air forces and navies, seeing use in every theater of operation. Along with the B-17, the B-24 was the mainstay of the US strategic bombing campaign in the Western European theater.
Bragg said he choose Lt. Smyser because the plaque on his grave told a little about him and suspects that even though his remains may not have been recovered, his family placed a headstone in the cemetery in his honor.
Bragg said Memorial Day is a time to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country. He cited a few of the lyrics to the song, ‘All Gave Some, Some Gave All’
‘Love your Country
Live with Pride
Don’t forget those who died
America, Can’t you see that
All Gave Some and Some Gave All
And Some stood through for the Red, White and Blue’
The phrase “All Gave Some, Some Gave All” is attributed to Korean War Veteran and Purple Heart recipient, Howard William Osterkamp, who served in the Korean Conflict from 1951-1953, during which he experienced heavy combat with his unit, C Company, 5th Regimental Combat Team.