Plummer American Legion Celebrates Memorial Day 2020

Plummer American Legion hosted Memorial Day 2020 with some new twists because of the Covid19 pandemic.  The location was changed from the park as in past years to Main Street.  The program was presented in the open space to the east of the Legion Club.  Audience members sat on benches, chairs or vehicles on the other side of the street, each family social distancing from others.  The program began with a welcome by Commander Roy Holmes followed by the presentation of colors by the honor guard. Following an invocation by Chaplain Les Hofstad, Commander Holmes and Past Commander Clarence Gagner placed the wreaths as a tribute to the fallen comrades of all our wars.  After the playing of the national anthem, Commander Holmes introduced Past Commander Gagner to make the introduction of the guest speaker, Second Lieutenant Kaylee Eskeli. Lt. Eskeli is a Plummer native, graduate of Lincoln High School, Thief River Falls, and an April graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, graduating with honors.  In June she will report to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona for training as a jet fighter pilot. 

Lt. Eskeli’s message was about telling the stories of those who have gone before, honoring their memory and sacrifice by passing on their stories.  She said that Memorial Day gives us the opportunity to celebrate and honor those who have fallen, to thank those who have insured the freedom, comfort and blessings we have. It gives us the opportunity to reflect on the courage of our loved ones, to go to our local cemeteries and pick up the fallen over veteran signs and to put on a red poppy in remembrance, and to read and hear the stories of men and women we’ve lost in the line of duty.

Lt. Eskeli was proud to commission into the military as a future pilot. She found inspiration and gratitude to pilots who’ve paved the way for her generation. She felt honored to train, study and play in the same halls as graduates who made the ultimate sacrifice.  At the Academy she had the opportunity to hear stories of past students and she told several of those stories.  She also experienced the tragedy of having a physical training instructor, a 2018 AF graduate, Travis Wilke, and his instructor pilot Lt. Colonel John Kincaid die in a flight training accident.  Their names will be read on Memorial Day for the first time this year.

Following Lt. Eskeli’s address, Past Commander Gagner read the names of fallen comrades, followed by the benediction from Chaplain Hofstad. The program concluded with the rifle volley in memory of the fallen, the playing of Taps, and retiring of colors.

This year there was no ceremony of the wreath at the river and no lunch.  The Post is planning a flag burning ceremony on June 14.

The entire program may be viewed on YouTube at this link: https://youtu.be/8v-UpQlEURs