Veterans’ cemeteries ready for Memorial Day visitors
Army veteran and Memphis National Cemetery employee Howard Hurst places American flags near the gravesites of fallen service members on May 22, 2020, in preparation for Memorial Day. There will be no public events at the cemetery off Jackson Avenue this year. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
U.S. Navy veteran Michael Sinnock places American flags near the gravesites of fallen service members at the Memphis National Cemetery May 22, 2020, in preparation for Memorial Day. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
U.S. Navy vet Michael Sinnock places American flags near the gravesites of fallen service members at the Memphis National Cemetery May 22, 2020, in preparation for Memorial Day. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
Air Force veteran Jesse Rowand walks the ground of the Memphis National Cemetery near Jackson Avenue on May 22, 2020, planting flags in preparation for Memorial Day. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
In preparation for the influx of visitors, many of the 153-year-old cemetery's mostly veteran staff spent May 22, 2020 planting small American flags and getting the gravesites ready for Memorial Day. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
Wilbert Coleman, 87, a veteran of the Korean conflict visits West Tennessee State Vetrans Cemetery on Monday, May 18, 2020. Flags were placed on every grave, but the cemetery will not hold a Memorial Day ceremony. "This cemetery opened in 1992 which was 28 years ago and this will be the first year there will be no planned event to honor those who gave so much." said James Lindsey, Director of the cemetery. (Karen Pulfer Focht/Special to the Daily Memphian)
Wilbert Coleman, 87, a veteran of the Korean conflict visits West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery on Monday, May 18, 2020. (Karen Pulfer Focht/Special to the Daily Memphian)
Shamus Donley visits the grave of his friend Gerald Ruden, Monday, May 18, 2020 at West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery on Forest Hill-Irene Road. Mr. Ruden died in January at age 92, and Donley suspects undiagnosed COVID-19 is what killed his best friend. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ Special to the Daily Memphian)
A veteran of the Korean conflict, Wilbert Coleman, 87, visits West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery on Monday, May 18, 2020. (Karen Pulfer Focht/Special to the Daily Memphian)
Every grave had a flag placed on at the West Tennessee State Veterans Cemeteryon Forest Hill-Irene Road, but there will be no Memorial Day ceremony this year due to concerns over COVID-19. (Karen Pulfer Focht/Special To The Daily Memphian)
Memorial Day Weekend is normally one of the busiest times of the year at the 153-year-old Memphis National Cemetery off Jackson Avenue, and 28-year-old West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery on Forest Hill-Irene Road. But like most aspects of current American life, the COVID-19 pandemic made other plans.
Topics
Memorial Day Veterans Memphis National Cemetery Sultana West Tennessee State Veterans CemeteryPatrick Lantrip
Patrick Lantrip is an award-winning writer, photographer and videographer based in Memphis, Tennessee. When not exploring the outdoors, Patrick enjoys spending time with his daughter, Anna.
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