SALISBURY, Md. - Veterans, military families and community members gathered outside the Wicomico County Youth & Civic Center on Wednesday to honor those who served in the United States Armed Forces and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The annual Veterans Day ceremony took place at the Wicomico County War Memorial, where 191 names are engraved in remembrance of local service members who lost their lives serving the country.
The ceremony brought together veterans from different generations, local organizations and students from Wicomico High School's Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. Behind the annual tradition is a volunteer committee responsible for organizing the service and helping maintain the memorial throughout the year.
For retired Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Bill Taylor, who helps organize the ceremony, the event carries both personal and historical significance.
Taylor served 22 years in the Army before becoming a JROTC instructor at Wicomico High School. He said his involvement with the ceremony began through Major General Tony Sarbanes, who helped establish the tradition of bringing local organizations and students together to honor veterans.
"It does your heart good to look out and to see your community supporting the veterans. And it makes you proud of your service and your country," Taylor said.
Taylor also has a personal connection to the memorial. His grandfather is among the 191 service members whose names are displayed on its walls.
He said preserving those names is essential to ensuring future generations understand the sacrifices made by those who came before them.
"We're thankful we got to remember," Taylor said. "And, you know, it's good to move forward. But we have to go back and always remember and honor."
The ceremony also featured a performance of the national anthem by Ronny Cheezum, a veteran of the Maryland Army National Guard.
Cheezum said he has been singing the national anthem at the memorial since the annual ceremony began. For him, performing in front of fellow veterans and their families is a responsibility he considers an honor.
"It's really a great, great honor for me to be able to do this. I've been doing this ever since they started this service here at the Memorial site," Cheezum said.
The day also holds personal meaning for Cheezum, whose father and two brothers served in the military and have since died. He said the ceremony provides an opportunity to remember their service alongside that of countless others.
"It means the world. I'm telling you, it really does to to know that people still recognize all the veterans and they still have the services every year to do that," Cheezum said.
Among those helping with Wednesday's ceremony were students from Wicomico High School's JROTC program.
Cadet Amere Trower said participating in the event was an opportunity to recognize the sacrifices of those who served while helping preserve the tradition for future generations.
"It's really important because we need to keep reminding people about the sacrifices that some people made for this country," Trower said.
Taylor said the ceremony also serves as a reminder that honoring military service can bring people together regardless of their political differences.
"People are coming out and it doesn't matter what their party affiliation is, where they come from. They're just here to support our veterans," Taylor said.
As another Veterans Day comes to a close, Taylor hopes the memorial and the annual ceremony will continue reminding future generations of the sacrifices made in service to the country.
For the volunteers who organize the gathering, the goal remains the same each year: ensuring the names engraved on the memorial, and the stories behind them, are never forgotten.
