Cheatham County honors local veterans, highlights World War II servicemen

Special speakers included Cheatham County Mayor Kerry R. McCarver, 78th District Tennessee State Rep. Mary Littleton and Cheatham County Veteran Services Officer Lloyd Sharp. Cheatham County Veterans Memorial Park Treasurer Harold Hodges was the Master of Ceremonies. The Pleasant View Christian School Choir provided patriotic music.

Hodges drew special attention to The Doolittle Raiders and stated of the 80 original servicemen, only four are still living. Sharp said that Cheatham County had 27 active cases of veterans benefits for World War II veterans, though that also includes any surviving spouse benefits, so he couldn’t say for sure how many World War II veterans were still alive in Cheatham County.

Sharp stated that those who served didn’t stop on the battlefield.

“We all take pause to honor those who so greatly defended our freedoms. They say those who’ve seen war never stop seeing it. We carry the unseen wounds of the battlefield along with the memories of our fallen comrades,” Sharp said.

In closing, Sharp emphasized that part of honoring the great sacrifice veterans made is by endeavoring to be great people.

“What we do with this great gift of the service that veterans have given is today an opportunity to renew our conviction to live worthy lives, to pursue our aspirations, and to continue to serve others — we will do so in their honor and we will never forget,” Sharp said.

The service was followed by a luncheon for the veterans, held at the Cheatham County Public Library in Ashland City. The luncheon was headed by Amanda Bell and a team of volunteers who cooked and served the food and provided cleanup afterwards. Bell has organized the luncheon for the last four years.

Girl Scout Troop 173 member Savannah Williams has helped with luncheon for several years, and she said she does it to help honor those in her family who served in the military. To Williams, showing appreciation is important.

“My dad was in the Navy and my grandparents served in armed conflict, too. They spent time and part of their lives protecting us, and it’s a way for us to provide for them. It lets them know that they’re supported and actually cared about,” Williams said.

Pleasant View resident and Iraqi War veteran Dale Smith attended the luncheon and appreciated the show of support. Having come from a military family himself, Smith served by taking care of fellow servicemen in the field in Iraq, and he sees the importance of honoring those who served and suffered having now served himself.

“Having now been overseas to a conflict, I see the loss of others, and how it affects us,” Smith said.