The area’s fallen dead are not forgotten, and many Miss-Lou residents gathered at the Natchez Convention Center Monday to memorialize them.

There was also a Memorial Day parade that morning.

The memorial ceremony, emceed by the Rev. James Calhoun, began with an invocation by the Rev. Willie Anderson of Jerusalem Baptist Church No. 2.

“We thank you (God) for this country,” he said. “It’s not perfect, but we know you have your hand on it.”

Anderson also prayed for an end to war.

“Let us learn to sit at the table of peace and talk with our adversaries before we take up arms,” he said.

Natchez National Cemetery spokesperson Rhonda Hayes greeted the crowd by reminding them Memorial Day is a time set aside to pay tribute to servicemen and women who died in battle.

“It is because of these men and women we enjoy the freedoms we do today,” she said.

Representatives of the cities of Natchez and Vidalia, as well Adams County, all read official proclamations regarding the day.

Mayor Philip West declared May 28 to be a day of prayer and permanent peace, and encouraged all present to pray for U.S. troops and their families.

“These (fallen) heroes protected and inspired all citizens,” he said.

Vidalia city councilman Troy McCoy encouraged all Miss-Lou citizens to remember the day.

Adams County Board of Supervisors President Darryl Grennell proclaimed May 28 to be Memorial Day for Adams County, and expressed deep appreciation to all Adams County Veterans.

The veterans who died did so to promise us freedom, he said.

“We have promises to keep to soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.

Senior Reserve Officer Training Corp Instructor at Natchez High School Col. John Curran was the main speaker at the event.

No matter where one stands on the Iraq war, it is curious in that it is being fought by an all-volunteer force and virtually nothing has been asked of those who do not have family members in the service, he said.

“War has always made women widows and children orphans,” he said.

Soldiers don’t go to war for glory or honor or fame, he said. They go because elected officials ask them to place themselves in harm’s way.

Veterans who come home after fighting can never really recreate their experiences with stories, Curran said.

“Painful details are suppressed and context is lost,” he said.

Now, the real meaning of Memorial Day is lost to most Americans, Curran said.

“It is not just another federal holiday to benchmark the ends of summer,” he said.

Veterans deserve recognition, but Memorial Day is the day to honor the dead in war, Curran said.

He encouraged the audience to take time to walk through the Natchez National Cemetery.

“Not all (who are buried there) fell in battle, but nonetheless served honorably,” he said.

Wreaths were presented to representatives to represent different groups who served. Those included a wreath for the unknown soldier in the Natchez National Cemetery, the Vietnam Veterans Group, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9573, the American Legion Post 228, the American Legion Post 4, the Women’s Relief Corp, prisoners of war and wreaths in memory of Corp. Alanzo Brown Sr. and Corp. Lee Brown.

The ceremony included several musical performances, a history of America’s wars by Clarence Randall of American Legion Post 590 and ended with the playing of taps by Snetville Polk III.