‘A time to remember:’ Henderson ceremony memorializes fallen soldiers — PHOTOS

Five hundred American flags cast their shadows Monday over Henderson’s Cornerstone Park, where more than 100 people gathered to mark Memorial Day.

Veterans, elected officials and community members attended the Field of Honor ceremony, hosted by the city of Henderson, the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 730 and the Veterans Action Foundation. The field of tall flags are set up as an annual display to honor the holiday.

Daniel Carranza, 39, wore a somber black jacket and walked through the flags before the ceremony began.

“It’s not a very happy day, but it’s a day that I think is very important,” said Carranza, who is a veteran of the U.S. Marines. “A lot of veterans seem to suppress their feelings and emotions, and I think this is a good day to open the door.”

‘A time to remember’

A Vietnam Veteran baseball hat marked 81-year-old Donald Foster as a former member of the Army. He attended the ceremony with his family, and said he enjoyed being around other veterans.

“It’s a time to remember and thank God,” Foster said, his voice thick with emotion.

Several elected officials addressed the crowd Monday morning, including Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto. She told attendees about William Harrell Nellis, whose name graces Nellis Air Force Base.

Nellis was exempt from the draft during World War II , said Cortez Masto, but he still took flying lessons to voluntarily join the Enlisted Reserve Corps. He became a lieutenant before he was shot down by German forces, and the Las Vegas Air Force Base was renamed in his honor in 1950.

“Every man and woman we are honoring today heard that call and put everything on the line to heed it,” Cortez Masto said. “Today and every day, may we continue to be inspired by the service members we have loved and lost, those who had the option to be selfish but chose to be selfless.”

Following the ceremony, Cortez Masto said it’s important to remember that Memorial Day is a somber day of remembrance dedicated to honoring fallen soldiers.

But, she said, it’s also a time to honor veterans and ensure the country is “taking care of them.” “We have to make sure that as a federal government we’re living up to our obligations to them,” Cortez Masto said.

‘Beloved tradition’

Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero told the crowd that the Field of Honor ceremony has become a “beloved tradition” in Henderson, where almost 25,000 veterans live.

“Today we show solemn gratitude to any families of the fallen who join us,” Romero said. “Our hearts go out to you for your overwhelming losses which you incurred in service to us.”

Philip Webb, 52, stood silently throughout the ceremony in a bright red uniform hat indicating he was a member of the Marine Corps. Webb is a veteran of the Persian Gulf War and said he comes from a family of veterans, including his daughter who is actively serving in the military.

While his family members have all been lucky to make it home, Webb said he has lost some of his friends, including other veterans who died by suicide after returning from service.

As a funeral director in Henderson, Webb said he has overseen hundreds of funerals for veterans and their families.

“Not every person that was lost in all these events died on the battlefield, some died when they came home,” Webb said. “It’s important that we continue to remember them and keep that tradition alive.”

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240.