Heavy rainfall from Hurricane Nicole may have cancelled the annual Veterans Day parade in downtown Franklin, but it didn’t put a damper on the celebration.
The community gathered at the Franklin High School Fine Arts Center last Friday to honor local service members. At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, County Commissioner Gary Shields welcomed attendees to the program as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion Post 108 color guard presented the colors. Leighton Benedict from Troop 202 led the Pledge of Allegiance, the White Sisters performed the national anthem, and American Legion Chaplain Bud Haire held a moment of prayer. A special seat was reserved for one Maconian who, had the parade taken place, would have been the first ever Veterans Day parade grand marshal. He wasn’t cruising in a Model-T as originally planned, but 98-year-old WWII veteran Ray Welch received the same celebrity treatment.
Welch was honored by local dignitaries for his service all those years ago. Retired Navy Captain Bobby Kuppers recounted the life and legacy of Welch and his service to our country in one of its greatest times of need. Born in Burningtown in 1924, Welch came of age during the Great Depression. In 1938, Welch was working at a sawmill in Georgia when he was only 14 or 15. He lied about his age so he could apply for a social security card to join the Civilian Conservation Corps like his older brother had done. He worked near Otto with the CCC clearing brush, earning about $30, most of which went back home to his family.
Eventually, Welch’s work with the CCC led him to the West Coast. He took a train from Otto to Georgia, and from there he made it to Washington state where he went to trade school for welding and began working at a shipyard in Oregon. While working at the shipyard, he helped build the very ship he would be stationed on less than three years later. In 1944, he joined the Navy where he was stationed in the North Pacific Sea on the USS Carl Schurz as a gunman. In 1946, Welch was honorably discharged. After his military service, Welch sought out work in the automobile industry in Detroit, Michigan. He stayed there for 35 years before returning to Macon County a few years ago.
“I don’t know if I speak for all of you, but for me, I’m sure glad he did,” said Kuppers.
On behalf of the Town of Franklin, Mayor Jack Horton presented Welch with a plaque of honor recognizing him as the first grand marshal of the parade. The Battle of Sugartown Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution awarded Welch with a certificate of appreciation for his service, presented by Victoria Baker. State Rep. Karl Gillespie and State Sen. Kevin Corbin presented a plaque from the Macon County Board of Commissioners and will later present the North Carolina flag which was flown over the state capitol on behalf of the North Carolina General Assembly. Representatives from the Vietnam Veterans of America, American Legion Post 108 and Veterans of Foreign Wars presented an award to Welch for his service and dedication to our country, expressing “there is a debt we owe you which we will never be able to repay.”
Welch’s grandson spoke on his behalf, thanking the community for their support, and honored the long line of veterans in his family, including Welch’s father, who served in WWI, and his brother, who served in every campaign in the European theatre during WWII.
A call to action
The morning’s guest speaker was introduced and recognized for his extensive military service. Retired lieutenant colonel (LTC) Coley D. Tyler was a former U.S. Army officer and member of the Second Battalion, Seventh Cavalry Regiment (2-7 CAV). He was the battalion fire support officer during the Second Battle of Fallujah. LTC Tyler served in many capacities during his service, including artillery officer in the First Cavalry Division, physical education instructor at the United States Military Academy West Point, space operations officer in Korea, and space integration officer to the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, Georgia. He is also the author of “Ghosts of Fallujah.” LTC Tyler retired from the Army in 2020, and now lives in Franklin with his family and is the coach of the FHS wrestling team.
Tyler spoke about the history of Veterans Day, from its inception as Armistice Day following WWI to the present, and the importance of answering the call to protect our country:
“In 2022, I say Veterans Day is much more than what is officially on the books. It is not only a celebration, but a call to action. To do whatever we can to bridge the divide between us and the population we’ve protected. To not be forgotten. To be understood. To be relatable. To have an impact on the direction of their lives. This is no small task, but we’ve withstood the sword of our enemies, and we continue to stand tall in this challenge as we’ve always done. To me, this is Veterans Day.”
The lineup of speakers also included Commissioner Shields, Callie Roper, president of FHS Interact club, Mayor Horton, Rep. Gillespie and Sen. Corbin. The ceremony continued with the playing of the service medley where members of each branch stood to be recognized during their respective song. In attendance were local veterans of all five branches of the armed forces. The White Sisters also performed “God Bless America” and “Fallen but Not Forgotten.” A special arrangement of “Proud to be an American” performed by service members was shown. The VFW and American Legion Honor Guard closed the ceremony with a wreath laying, rifle salute and the playing of “Taps” outside the building.
Anissa Holland
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