OCEAN PINES, Md. -- A large crowd made its way to the Worcester County Veterans Memorial for one of the largest ceremonies on the Eastern Shore. The rain held off just long enough, and the show of support did not disappoint.
For those in attendance, today was about remembering the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
One of the first ceremonies to take place was the Posting of Colors, followed closely by the Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem. The National Anthem was sung by Stephen Decatur High School Junior Trista Harner.
While Harner was Monday's singer of choice, several people in the crowd joined in, singing along to the lyrics they all know so well. Memorial Day, always held on the last Monday in May, is special.
It's also a heavy and emotional day for many, including Sharon Hilty, a Gold Star Mother who lost her son John Hilty in 2020.
"My son, John David Randolph Hilty, Sergeant First Class, died on March 30th, 2020, in Iraq," said Hilty.
It is all still very fresh for Hilty, who said ceremonies like Monday's help a lot. They serve as a reminder that she is not alone and why she will always be honored to be John's mother.
"I am very proud, he loved the Army and he did a good job and I think he in his own way touched many, many people and for that I am grateful," said Hilty.
Morris Semiatin, a 96-year-old World War Two veteran, also made it to Ocean Pines on Monday.
"I was in the Marine Corp in the Fifth Marine Division and we served in the Pacific," said Semiatin. "My only battle I got from that was on Iwo Jima, I served and got wounded there but I came out with my arms and legs," said Semiatin.
The importance of Memorial Day for Semiatin is remembering his friends who never made it back, and being thankful for those who did.
"I lost a lot of friends on Iwo, but I thank God that the men who did show up are still around, thank God for they are still with us," said Semiatin.
Semiatin will celebrate his 97th birthday on Thursday, June 1st.
Sergeant Frank Bolen, who joined the Marine Corps at 18 years old and spent almost a year in Vietnam, read a poem at Monday's ceremony. The poem is titled All I Did Was Fight a War.
Bolen said he drew inspiration at the Memorial Day Ceremony in Ocean Pines a few years back, leading him to do something he rarely ever did, or does.
"I'm a sergeant in the Marine Corps, we don't write poems, but I did that day," said Bolen.
But while observing the ceremony just a few years ago, Bolen's focus was on the hardship of Prisoners of War and Gold Star Mothers.
"I went home that day and I sat in my room and tears started coming down my face a little bit, I got on the computer and just started typing," said Bolen.
For Bolen, it is an honor to read All I Did Was Fight a War while remembering his fallen friends.
"It's to honor the guys and girls who paid the ultimate price and never came home, on the pavers behind me I have four of my buddies with the star, that means they didn't make it, and I honor people like that," said Bolen.
The ceremony wrapped up with people getting back on their feet to God Bless the USA, performed by US Army Green Beret Randy Lee Ashcraft and a Medley of Service Anthems performed by the Delmarva Chorus.
For a ceremony that lasted only an hour, it was full of some laughs, some serious moments of reflection and some tears.