Smyrna Honors Veterans Nov. 11

Veterans Day DecA21013 039American military veterans will be honored at Smyrna’s Veterans Day Ceremony on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m.

The ceremony will be held across from City Hall at the Twentieth Century Veterans Memorial on the corner of Bank and King Streets.

The Ceremony is free and open to the public. Seating will start after 10 a.m. Handicap parking will be provided behind City Hall

Guest speaker will be Colonel Paul R. Longgrear, US Army Retired. Col. Longgrear was one of 14 American survivors of the North Vietnamese attack on Lang Vei in February 1968.
During two tours in Vietnam Col. Longgrear earned the Silver Star, Bronze Stars for Valor and three Purple Hearts. He is the focus of the recent award-winning documentary “The Man Left Behind,” and has even been honored by the creation of a commemorative action figure.

The 116th Army Band, Georgia Army National Guard, will provide music throughout the program. Pre- and Post-ceremony music will honor WW I as we are soon approaching the 100th Anniversary. The Armed Forces Medley is always a crowd favorite. Belmont Hills Elementary Choir will give a Music Salute to Veterans and Tara Simon will solo special Patriotic Music. Belmont Hills Elementary School Choir will sing tributes.

The American Legion Auxiliary will sponsor its Poppy Donation Drive the weekend before the ceremony and the day of the ceremony.

In case of inclement weather, we will meet in the Smyrna Community Center.

The event is sponsored by The City of Smyrna, the Smyrna Veterans Committee, the Veterans Memorial Association of Smyrna, American Legion Post 160, and the Smyrna Rotary Club.

From the October 2014 issue of The Bright Side, Cobb County Georgia’s Newspaper covering Smyrna, Vinings, Mableton and Austell, GA.