By JEFFREY POWELL
A gentle breeze un-furled a new American flag over the Gulf Cemetery in Santa Rosa Beach on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. The new flag had been raised for the first time that morning by American Legion Post 264 member and longtime area resident Vernon Bishop. The following ceremony was attended by a small but hardy group which consisted of veterans, Gulf Cemetery Association (GCA) members, Santa Rosa Green Thumb Garden Club members and the general public. Wednesday’s event was the first public observance of the holiday in the cemetery but plans are to have the tradition become an annual affair.
“I am proud of this cemetery and proud to be here today,” said Bishop, a World War II veteran. “The cemetery looks today as good as it ever has thanks to the efforts of the Gulf Cemetery Association and the Green Thumb Garden Club.”
A small garden below the flag pole had earlier been beautified by the Green Thumb Garden Cub in preparation of the event. Among the items planted for the ceremony were red knockout roses, white flowering little gem magnolia and blue plumbago.
As part of the event, a list of the names of 90 veterans buried in the cemetery was read.
“I knew at least two-thirds of those veterans,” said the 86- year-old Bishop. “I have been helping bury people here for a long time.”
The ceremony concluded with the haunting sounds of Taps being played for the group.
“These men and women risked everything for our country’s freedom,” said GCA member Marge Crawford. “It is easy to take liberty for granted when we have never had it taken away from us.”