By Gabrielle Terrett

The Vicksburg Post

Members of the Tyner Ford American Legion Post 213 recognized veterans at the Vicksburg Convalescent Home Sunday afternoon.

Commander Michelle Stewart, Chaplain Dorwin Shields and Adjutant Arnold Taylor, all veterans, took it upon themselves to visit veterans in the home and celebrate the holiday with them.

“So myself, my adjutant and my chaplain came out to honor our veterans. Yesterday was Veterans Day and they didn’t get the opportunity to participate in any of the events that the city hosted,” said Stewart.

“So we thought it would be fitting as American Legion Veterans that we come and honor our veterans.”

As the group entered the doors of the convalescent home it was discovered that many of the veterans were bedridden, which only allowed the group to make the visit more personal. The organization proceeded to visit each veteran in the respective bedroom and perform a short ceremony.

The members awarded each of the veterans with a laminated certificate of honor, a lapel pin and gave each a prayer and words of encouragement before seeking out the next veteran.

“My job as chaplain is to be chaplain for all veterans. I’m a post chaplain of Tyner Ford Post 213 but for all veterans I’m still a chaplain and I wanted to share, in prayer, and let them know that God is still with them even in this nursing room and that they are not forgotten by a grateful nation,” said Shields.

“Every one of the veterans are very appreciative that we remembered them. As the commander said, it is our job as veterans to remember our own. When other people don’t we will remember them.”

Though the group recognized a small handful of veterans, the group’s positive impact could be noticed when each veteran’s face lit up as it was announced they would be honored. Each veteran sat up and listened to the presentation and held questions and statements until afterwards.

Often thanking the organization for its efforts to recognize veterans in the Convalescent Home.

“What brought me out here today is to recognize our comrades that are in the Convalescent Home and to thank them for their service in the military. Be it Army, Navy, Marine, Coast Guard, regardless of which branch they served,” said Taylor.

The group recognized six Vietnam Veterans Sunday and each one was appreciative of Tyner Ford Post 213 efforts to recognize each individual.

“They’re just very appreciative for us praying with them and just being with them and recognizing them for their service,” said Shields.

The men were Samuel Barr, Stephen Assenheimer, Charles Gore, Thomas Hatcher, Arthur Henderson and Robert Sims all of which were a part of a different military branch. However, the majority were Vietnam veterans.

“Veterans Day is very important. There are really two days that we honor veterans. Veterans Day is for all living veterans and Memorial Day is for all deceased veterans. There was a lot of fanfare for recent veterans. Like Desert Storm, Desert Shield, World War II but Vietnam Veterans didn’t get that,” said Stewart.

“So I think it’s fitting for us to let all of the veterans know that their service is appreciated. We’re behind when it comes to our Vietnam Veterans and it’s not enough that we can do to show them that we honor them so this is just a small thing that we wanted to do to let all of our veterans know that we appreciate their service.”

Though the visit was to honor the veterans in the home, the trio of visiting veterans learned a lesson.

“I believe it is our mission and duty from our commander that we start trying to find out veterans in various convalescent homes within the city. This time we had six veterans. We didn’t have a chance to get to all of the homes in the other several homes in Vicksburg but we will diligently, by our commander, find out who are the veterans there and we are going to visit not just veterans, we’re going to visit the residents as well. I have a comrade, I learned today, that comes out on a regular basis and visits people in homes,” said Taylor.

“We’re just telling them to have hope and ensuring that that hope never dies,” said Taylor.