Andersonville National Historic Site to host Memorial Day events
Special Photo: Andersonville
Special Photo: Andersonville
From Staff Reports
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ANDERSONVILLE – Andersonville National Historic Site will commemorate Memorial Day with events that are free and open to the public, beginning on Saturday and concluding on May 28. Georgia Veterans of Foreign Wars State Commander Patsey Schreiber, U.S. Navy (retired), will serve as keynote speaker at the Memorial Day Observance Ceremony.
Memorial Day service activities at the park begin on Saturday when hundreds of scouts and other volunteers place small American flags on more than 20,000 gravesites in Andersonville National Cemetery. The dramatic and moving display of thousands of veterans’ graves decorated with American flags, along with the Avenue of Flags placed by volunteers of Rolling Thunder Chapter 3, create a powerful and patriotic setting for visitors.
On Sunday, the Memorial Day Observance Ceremony will be held in Andersonville National Cemetery. The U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence band will perform beginning at 1:30 p.m., and the formal program will begin at 2 p.m.
The ceremony will feature the keynote address by Schreiber, and wreath presentations will be conducted by several military, civic, and patriotic organizations. In 2023, Schreiber was elected as the first female State Commander for the VFW department for the state of Georgia. She served as Commander of VFW Post 8385 Kings Bay Georgia for two years, earning All-State and All-American commander both years. She also has served as Department of Georgia, District Seven Commander, earning both All-State and All-American District Commander.
On Monday, the Knights of Columbus will hold a special mass in the cemetery at 11 a.m. The public is invited to attend.
“Memorial Day presents an opportunity to remember the military men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country,” Superintendent Gia Wagner said. “Many have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. It is our great privilege to pay tribute to them, particularly those resting here at Andersonville National Cemetery.”
Park staff is seeking volunteers to help clean up the cemetery on May 28, including the careful removal of all of the small flags that were placed for the event. Call volunteer coordinator Caitlyn Price for more information at (229) 924-0343.
Andersonville National Historic Site is located 10 miles south of Oglethorpe and 10 miles northeast of Americus on Highway 49. The national park features the National Prisoner of War Museum, Andersonville National Cemetery, and the site of the historic Civil War prison, Camp Sumter. Andersonville National Historic Site is the only national park within the National Park System to serve as a memorial to all American prisoners of war.
Park grounds are open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. with the museum open from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information on the park, call (229) 924-0343, visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/ande or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AndersonvilleNPS or Instagram at @AndersonvilleNPS.
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