Marshall honors Madison County veterans for their sacrifice and service
MARSHALL - The town of Marshall honored Madison County's veterans in a Memorial Day observance at the First Baptist Church downtown.
Sarah Scully, who lives in Marshall with her husband Donovan and their two kids, is an Army veteran who organized the Marshall American Legion Davis-Sexton Post 317 community art project contest to help raise funds for repairs to the building.
The building, located across from the Sprinkle Shelton building behind the former post office on Bridge Street and Jerry Plemmons Way, is estimated to require roughly $260,000 in repairs after Tropical Storm Helene decimated the building. The Legion has received roughly $80,000 in donations from volunteers.
In an observance planned for the Madison County Courthouse steps but moved inside due to rain, Scully and a number of other local veterans spoke to the crowd gathered May 26.
Scully reminded attendees of the price paid by veterans for their service, citing statistics that show 7,000 American veterans have died in combat since 2001, with another 30,000 dying by suicide.
"There's many different types of death and sacrifice in serving our country," Scully said. "But I also want to talk about those who didn't serve but serve alongside us, and that's our parents, siblings, spouses and children, including the two sitting in front of me."
Scully read from one of her pieces, "The Post-9/11 War Generation," which she said she wrote as a member of the veterans writing group Brothers and Sisters Like These, a group run by the Asheville Veterans Administration that helps veterans process their trauma by writing their stories and reading them aloud.
According to Scully, the piece was written with those less-recognized loved ones in mind.
"Our children, and all children of veterans serve as honorary veterans who never volunteered for that military service, but they live it everyday through their parents - a father with PTSD from combat, a mother with PTSD from military sexual trauma," Scully said.
During her time in the military from 2003-08, Sarah Scully served in Iraq, Japan, Korea, Kuwait and Thailand.
"Our quieter legacy is that we will all serve and sacrifice together, our stories eventually fading away only to be told by our children, and our children's children," Scully said. "We all, veterans and our children, the post-911 war generation, we are all one collective voice ringing out the price paid for that sacrifice.
"On days like Memorial Day, our kids understand in ways that children of civilians could never understand: the importance of remembering the honor, selfless service and personal courage of all veterans, because they were in it too."
Joseph Shmitt, the post commander at the Davis-Sexton American Legion Post 317 in Marshall, also spoke at the observance.
Shmitt said while athletes and movie stars are typically idolized, it is veterans and first responders who are the true heroes.
"The heroes that we are today are not exclusive to any gender, race or religion. They come from all economic classes and backgrounds, and they hail from all 50 states, and some have migrated from other countries," Shmitt said.
"They are a diverse group wedded to the belief that America is a nation worth fighting for."
Shmitt pointed to the history of Memorial Day, which was first observed in 1955 when President Dwight Eisenhower, a U.S. Army veteran, signed a proclamation signifying the day of recognition.
But while Memorial Day serves as a reminder to pay tribute to our veterans, Shmitt said Americans should remember to honor every day those who have taken an oath to serve for our freedoms, and to remember that peace is the goal.
"Monday May 13, 1955, was proclaimed as a day of nationwide prayer for permanent peace," Shmitt said. "It's a prayer that every American and every decent human should share, not just on Memorial Day 2025, but the rest of the year as well."
Donovan Scully served five combat deployments to Iraq. He also was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012, where he received a Purple Heart. Scully served in the Navy from 1993-97. He was serving in the Navy Reserve when 9/11 happened, and his branch transferred to the Army, where he served from 2002-16, including 12 years as a United States Army Special Forces member, or the "Green Berets."
Donovan Scully spoke about sacrifice and service in his address to the attendees.
"For service members, sacrifice is not just an option, it's an obligation," he said. "Aspects of our sacrifices include our sense of duty to the nation, and the good of our unit over our individual comfort. It includes principles such as honor and courage, and our insatiable need to protect the innocent. It is our loyalty to our own brothers and sisters over that of our own family."
Like other veterans, Scully said Memorial Day offers him a chance to reflect on these sacrifices made by veterans, and to empathize with those families who have lost loved ones in these sacrifices.
According to Scully, the most important duty for a combat veteran is to his brothers and sisters in arms.
"Soldiers fight not for politicians in distant capitals, but for those with them to their left and their right," Scully said. "The camaraderie formed between soldiers is often profound. The survival of our fellow soldiers takes precedence above all else.
"When it gets right down to it, we've got to fight and protect our friends."
Scully said the physical and emotional sacrifices brought invaluable meaning through his service.
"My service took from me my feet, my hips, my lower spine, my shoulders, my hearing, my abilities, my dreams, my memories, my mind, my time with my family," Scully said. "Yet history is shaped by those who are willing to sacrifice and respond to the needs of their fellow man."
Shmitt read a list of names honoring the Madison County veterans who had died in the past year.
"The sacrifices made by our fallen are not just a somber reminder of our past, but a call to action for our future. We must continue to support our veterans, their families and those currently serving in our armed forces," Donovan Scully said.
Marshall Mayor Aaron Haynie called on attendees to carry forth the spirit of remembrance and promise.
"We've honored the fallen, reflected on their sacrifices, and gathered this community to say, 'Thank you,'" Haynie said.
Johnny Casey is the Madison County communities reporter for The Citizen Times and The News-Record & Sentinel. He can be reached at 828-210-6074 or jcasey@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Marshall honors Madison veterans for their service and sacrifices
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
6 minutes ago
How to protect yourself from ticks year-round
WASHINGTON -- Ticks can be active in any season and it's important to check for and remove the bloodsuckers as quickly as possible — especially after you've been outside hiking, gardening or enjoying nature. 'Humans are outside more in summer so we hear about more tick infections,' said Sam Telford, an infectious diseases expert at Tufts University. But he urges caution year-round because 'every season is tick season.' While tick populations vary a lot regionally, some Northeastern states including Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are seeing 'above average' numbers of American dog ticks this year, said Telford. And New York state is seeing a higher number of reported deer tick bites this year than last year, said Saravanan Thangamani, who studies tick-borne diseases at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Ticks, like mosquitos, need to feed on blood. But instead of a quick prick, they are slow feeders – with hooked mouth parts that attach into the skin of deer, rabbits, dogs and people. There are many different species of ticks found globally and only some spread germs that can make people sick. A main worry is blacklegged ticks, also called deer ticks, which can spread Lyme disease. Once found mainly in New England and pockets of the Midwest, the ticks are now present over a wider range. A tick bite doesn't always lead to illness. 'If you remove a tick within 24 hours of attachment, it's fairly unlikely that you will get infected,' said Telford. Ticks are usually found low to the ground, in leaf litter or grassy areas. Check your clothing for ticks and do a full-body check including under the arms and behind ears, knees and hair. 'If you're out all day long, try to do a quick check for ticks every few hours,' said Bobbi Pritt at the Mayo Clinic. 'When you go back inside, take a shower. That will wash off any unattached ticks, and you're also more likely to spot any other ticks." Use tweezers to remove the tick and grasp it as close to the skin as possible to pull from the head. If you don't have them handy, you can also use your fingernails, the edge of a credit card or any semi-sharp object. The best approach is to minimize tick exposure altogether. Bug sprays containing ingredients such as DEET can be sprayed on exposed skin to ward off ticks and mosquitos, said Telford. Wear long sleeves and pants, and you can also spray clothing with repellents containing permethrin, a chemical similar to a natural ingredient in chrysanthemums that makes ticks avoid the flowers. Don't forget to pay attention to outdoor pets. Medications can prevent fleas and ticks from attaching to a dog's skin. But it's still a good idea to check the fur after being outside. 'Wherever pets can't easily groom themselves, that's where the ticks will be – on the ears, around the muzzle area, under the collar, between the toes,' said Thangamani. Dogs and cats roaming outdoors can also bring ticks into the house. 'If pets bring ticks in, a tick can live in the house for months until it finds its next blood meal,' which could be another household member, he said. After removing the tick, keep an eye on the skin around the bite. If a rash or flu-like symptoms appear within several days or weeks, see a doctor. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend tick testing because results may not be reliable. ___
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
80 years after his death, North Dakota World War II serviceman's remains identified
Jun. 28—FARGO — Relatives of a North Dakota serviceman who died as a prisoner of war in World War II finally have the answer they've waited so long to receive. Skeletal remains of U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Irvin C. Ellingson have been identified through new DNA technology at a forensic lab in Hawaii, 80 years after his death. Lon Enerson, one of Ellingson's nephews, has led the family effort to bring his uncle's remains home. "We are overjoyed and relieved ... It's a long-overdue answered prayer," Enerson told The Forum, from his home in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Ellingson, who grew up in Dahlen, North Dakota, a tiny community east of Devils Lake, enlisted at age 22 and was 25 when he died, Enerson said. He was serving as a radar observer on a bombing mission to Tokyo on April 14, 1945, when the plane was shot down. Ellingson parachuted to safety but was captured by the Japanese army and held captive at a Japanese prison along with 61 other American service members. The prison caught fire a little over a month later, on May 26, 1945, after high winds fueled fires that were started by an American B-29 bombing raid over Tokyo. None of the American prisoners survived the fire, as they were blocked in by Japanese guards, Enerson said. The remains of more than two dozen American service members were identified in the aftermath but those of 37 others were buried as "unknowns" at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines, where they sat untouched until 2022. The remains are commingled, and the Department of Defense has a threshold for disinterment, for at least 60% of those veterans' families to provide DNA samples in order to make matches. Families pushed the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency to disinter those unidentified remains and bring them to a forensic lab in Honolulu, where the newest DNA technology is being used to identify them. Enerson said his uncle is the third serviceman from the Tokyo prison fire to be identified in this manner. The first identification came in September 2024 and the second in January of this year. Ellingson's parents and all of his siblings are deceased, so the next of kin is the oldest nephew or niece, who is Cheryl Severtson, of San Diego. Enerson is fourth on that list. Six groups of Ellingson's relatives have visited the forensic lab in Hawaii since 2022, awaiting his identification, Enerson said. Now that they have answers, some family members may return to the lab to sit privately with Ellingson's remains, which will be placed on an army blanket, he said. The family intends to bury Ellingson's remains in the Middle Forest River Cemetery in rural Dahlen, alongside his parents and other siblings. Enerson said when that day comes, he's been told Ellingson will be buried with full military honors, at government expense. "We just wish his immediate family could have known 80 years ago, but this is the next best time," Enerson said.
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Judge blocks Trump order targeting law firm tied to Fox News, Dominion settlement
A federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration from implementing an executive order targeting Susman Godfrey, the law firm that represented Dominion Voting Systems in its lawsuit with Fox News over the network's coverage of President Trump's 2020 election fraud claims. U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan said the effort violated the Constitution and threatens the independence of the bar, which she called 'a necessity for the rule of law.' The decision marks the latest blow to Trump's effort to penalize law firms for pursuing cases he opposes or hiring lawyers he alleges are adversaries. Trump's April order sought to ban Susan Godfrey attorneys from accessing government buildings, viewing documents or representing any party that has litigation involving the federal government. The president contended that the move was necessary 'to address the significant risks, egregious conduct, and conflicts of interest.' AliKhan, a Biden appointee disagreed with the justification. 'While the Order proclaims that it has been made pursuant to the 'authority vested in [Donald Trump] as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America,' Order, the court is not convinced that there is a statutory or constitutional basis for the actions taken therein,' she wrote in her ruling. 'Defendants do not point to any statutory authority that empowers the President to punish a law firm for its choice of clients, donations, or other speech, and the court is not aware of any law that would support such action,' AliKhan continued. The judge added, 'Likewise, there is no constitutional authority that supports the action taken by the Order, and it cannot be sustained based on any of 'the several constitutional provisions that grant executive power to the President.' The law firm in a statement online hailed the ruling as a 'resounding victory.' 'The Court's ruling is a resounding victory for the rule of law and the right of every American to be represented by legal counsel without fear of retaliation. We applaud the Court for declaring the administration's order unconstitutional,' the company wrote. 'Our firm is committed to the rule of law and to protecting the rights of our clients without regard to their political or other beliefs. Susman Godfrey's lawyers and staff live these values every day.' Godfrey, which helped deliver Dominion a $787 million dollar settlement, filed a suit against the president after his order was released. Other firms, including WilmerHale, Perkins Coie and Jenner & Block, were also on the Trump administration's hit list. Several of those orders have also been temporarily locked after the companies filed similar lawsuits.
