DOVER, Del. - The ringing of bells, the sound of bagpipes and the singing of the national anthem echoed through Kent County Levy Court on Monday as veterans, families and community members gathered to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
The annual Memorial Day ceremony in Dover served as a tribute to fallen service members while also offering veterans an opportunity to reflect on their experiences and connect with others who understand the lasting impact of war.
Among the featured speakers was Vietnam combat nurse Rhona Prescott, who served in the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1968 during some of the war's deadliest years. Prescott cared for wounded troops arriving directly from medical evacuation helicopters and worked at military hospitals throughout Vietnam.
Decades later, she said events like Monday's ceremony continue to provide healing for those who served.
"It's actually healing for me as well as for them, I hope, because we share all those memories," Prescott said. "And it's so nice in America that we can memorialize our heroes."
Prescott also reflected on the challenges many Vietnam veterans faced after returning home.
"When we came back, it was hostile territory. It was like going from the combat zone to a combat zone," she said. "It took a while before people even acknowledged there was a horrible war there."
She added that many military nurses and support personnel who contributed to the war effort often went unrecognized.
"Many other nurses came up to me today that served near Vietnam in the same role I had, but they're never acknowledged," Prescott said. "This is a way of acknowledging all the people and also the people who stayed in the states that sent us our supplies. It took the village of the world to keep us doing what we did."
For Vietnam veteran Bert Bryant Young, Memorial Day remains deeply personal.
Young recalled one of his responsibilities during the war involved handling the remains of fallen service members being sent home from Vietnam.
"I worked on the job in Vietnam where I saw all the caskets come through," Young said. "And that was very hard because they were my fellow comrades that didn't come home alive."
He said ceremonies like Monday's ensure those sacrifices are never forgotten.
"It means a lot that we remember those who didn't come home," Young said.
Throughout the ceremony, attendees paused for moments of reflection as bells tolled in honor of the dead and veterans stood together to pay their respects.
For many in attendance, the gathering was not only about remembering the fallen but also about recognizing the service and sacrifices of those who returned home carrying memories of war.
As Memorial Day observances continue across the nation, veterans at the Dover ceremony said the simple act of remembering remains one of the most meaningful ways Americans can honor those who gave their lives in service to their country.