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Daily Oklahoman, The
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
November 8, 2005
A veteran honors those
who served
 Carl
Thompson settled in Choctaw after he served in the U.S.
Air Force during World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He's certainly
a veteran, so he gets the first word about Veterans Day, which
occurs later this week.
He feels we should "make a great point of Veterans Day."
He wrote:
"Eleventh day of the 11th month at 11 a.m. in 1918, Gen.
Pershing accepted the surrender of Germany, ending WWI, the
Armistice that was supposed to be the end of a war that was a
war to end all wars. The Armistice Day was short-lived, but in
the hearts of Americans, it has lived on to become a celebration
of veterans to include not only those who had their lives taken
from them, but to honor all deceased veterans of our armed
forces.
"Friday, Nov. 11, will see yet another outpouring of recognition
and patriotism as we observe Veterans Day.
"A prime example may be the small cemetery at Choctaw, where you
drive down an avenue of 40 large flags with veterans' names
embroidered on each header, observe 150 flags identifying
service personnel's graves dating back to the Civil War, or
appreciate the field of flags honoring our recent losses in Iraq
and Afghanistan. It's well worth the trip.
"Veterans Day honors those Americans who died for their country
throughout history. We are reminded of the words written by
Robert Service, as he reflected on the memory of veterans taken
from us.
"'We are the dead, short days ago we lived, felt dawn, saw
sunset glow, loved and were loved, but now we lie ....
"Many of those who have died lost opportunity to be our greatest
citizens. We should remember them.
It would be better, if, someday, we stopped having war
veterans because we stopped having wars.
November 6, 2001 Thompson, who served in World War II,
Korea and Vietnam during his 30-year stint in the Air Force.
So Saturday afternoon, Thompson and a group of volunteers
plan to begin placing flags on the graves of all who fought for
their country and are buried at the cemetery.
"We're trying to decorate the whole cemetery," the retired
airman said.
Last spring, after a bit of research, Thompson learned there
were 109 graves of veterans at the small cemetery on the east
side of Choctaw Road, about a quarter-mile south of NE 23.
The 80-year-old retiree resolved to help the cemetery do a
better job of honoring those who served their country on
Memorial Day and on Veterans Day.
With help from some other interested people and "old soldiers,"
Thompson saw to it that each veteran's grave was adorned with a
12- by-18-inch American flag for Memorial Day.
The volunteers also conducted a patriotic observance at the
cemetery and made plans to buy bronze commemorative grave
markers for veterans buried there, starting with the Civil War
graves.
Four of the veterans' graves date from the Civil War and 18 from
Word War I, Thompson noted.
"Some of the original sandstone markers on the Civil War graves
have deteriorated to such a degree that they really need to be
replaced," he said.
Over the next year or so, the Choctaw volunteers hope to place
bronze commemorative markers on the graves of veterans who
served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Gulf Wars, he said.
The group also is interested in knowing the names of every
veteran buried at Elmwood Cemetery "so we haven't missed one,
and also whether any Gold Star mothers are interred there," said
Thompson. Starting with World War I, the federal government
began presenting Gold Stars to mothers who lost a son in war.
Thompson said the Choctaw group eventually would like to see a
memorial commemorating all the wars where U.S. troops fought
built at Elmwood Cemetery.
Thompson - personal
A member of Mid-America Chapter of Kiwanis, Thompson
transferred from the Harrah Kiwanis Club.
May 26, 2003
— The nearly complete veterans' portion of Elmwood Cemetery
will be decorated for the first time today during an informal
Memorial Day gathering.
Officials had hoped to complete the $60,000 cemetery addition by
Memorial Day, but the recent tornadoes delayed the project. The
cemetery did not sustain storm damage, but crews were
unavailable because they were clearing debris in other areas.
Local veterans and family members had planned to spend parts of
the weekend and today decorating Elmwood Cemetery with flowers
and patriotic items.
"We'll have it looking good," local veteran Carl
Thompson said.
Construction began in the fall on the 640-plot section at the
cemetery's north end. City and county crews partnered with
masonry students from the Eastern Oklahoma County Technology
Center to build the section. Work was funded through private
donations.
Workers cleared an old home from the property, extended the
cemetery road through the new section and built a plaza where
families can hold graveside services or reflect in memory of
deceased military personnel.
The plaza is surrounded by an American flag, a Prisoners of War
and Missing in Action flag, and banners from the five branches
of the armed forces.
Thompson, who helped coordinate the project, said electricity
needs to be established in the plaza area and minor masonry work
has yet to be completed.
"We wanted to have it finished by now, but the weather turned
against us," he said.
Today, an "avenue of flags" will lead from the front cemetery
entrance to the plaza. More than 20 burial flags, donated by
veterans' families, will be displayed, each with a veteran's
name embroidered on its white edge. The personalized flags only
will fly during special occasions, such as Memorial Day and
Veterans Day.
"We asked families if they wanted to donate the flags issued to
them by the government at their loved one's service," Thompson
said. "We're dedicating the avenue to their memory."
Numerous small American flags also will be displayed in a grid
formation on the field area of the new veterans' section.
"This special field of flags will be displayed in support for
troops in Afghanistan and Iraq," he said.
Thompson said about 110 veterans, including several from the
Civil War, are buried in Elmwood Cemetery. About eight have been
buried in the new section.
Thompson said the veterans' section was created after local
citizens expressed a desire to honor military personnel.
photo courtesy Marti Graham, January 2009
Sources: good faith fair use of sources stated above
Compiled, transcribed and submitted by Marti Graham, Oklahoma County, OKGenWeb Coordinator,
February 2009. Information
posted for educational purposes for viewers and researchers. The contributor is not
related to nor researching any of the above.
I believe in random acts of kindness and I believe in sharing genealogy. If you have copies of
photos, obituaries, wills, biographies, or stories relating to any of these families or other Oklahoma County families, would you consider sending them my way for publication at this site?
I always welcome comments and corrections.
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