By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – To honor all of our country’s military service members past and present, the city of Safford held the annual Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony in Downtown Safford on Monday.
The event started at 10 a.m. with a parade down Main Street from Third Avenue to the Graham County Courthouse, where the program was later held. Grand Marshal Madeline Verhoest, an Army surgical technician from WWII who will turn 104 on Saturday, Nov. 16, rode near the front of the parade in a sporty red convertible. Roughly 25 different parade entries made their way down Main Street, with several local businesses and government agencies peppered in between other parade entries, including the Gila Valley Color Guard.
After the parade, the Veterans’ Day ceremony took place in front of the courthouse, where memorial wreaths were laid at the base of the boulders commemorating those who served.
The event featured a National Anthem sung by Maggie Brown and Isabella Schnebly, and Graham County Supervisor Paul David offered the event’s invocation prayer and benediction.
Maigan Ferrin read her winning essay in the inaugural Field of Honor Essay Contest about her great-grandfather, H. Lyle Grant, who escaped from being a prisoner of war in World War II. Maigan is following in her literary family’s history as Lyle penned “The Principles of Americanism and Our Many Freedoms” in 1971 which has been reprinted in the Gila Herald.
Safford Assistant Manager Eric Bejarano was the featured speaker. Bejarano comes from a military family with his father, Manuel A. Bejarano, serving in the Air Force for 26 years, including a tour in Vietnam, and earning the rank of Master Sergeant. Eric himself served in the Marine Corps for six years and earned the rank of Sergeant.
Eric spoke about learning the values of duty, honor, and respect from a young age and that his experience in the Marine Corps taught him about “sacrifice, selflessness, and the true cost of the freedoms we enjoy today.”
Veterans Day was originally recognized as Armistice Day to commemorate the ending of World War I. It was changed in 1954 to Veterans Day to honor all veterans who have served our country regardless of branch or conflict.”
“Today it is about giving thanks and recognizing that the liberties we sometimes take for granted have been safeguarded by the sacrifices of those standing with us today – those who have worn the uniform. This day is not just about remembering our history, it’s about honoring the living legacy of our veterans. They stood ready to defend our nation, often far from home in conditions that tested their resolve and their spirit. Veterans Day is a reminder of their courage, their sacrifice, and their unwavering dedication, and the fact that each veteran has signed a blank check to defend our freedoms of up to giving their life for us.”
American Legion Swift-Murphy Post 32 Commander Eric Taylor also spoke at the event and gave a history starting with Armistice Day and acknowledged the sacrifices of so many.
Taylor compared the veterans of 2024 to those in the Royal Air Force’s defense of Britain during WWII when English Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivered his famous never so much owed by so many to so few speech in 1940.
“The same could be said of American veterans in 2024,” Taylor said. “In 1980, about 18% of U.S. adults were veterans. Today it’s approximately 5%. Active duty service members comprise less than one-half of 1% of the U.S. population. Yet when Hurricanes Helene and Milton wreaked havoc on the southeastern United States, thousands of active duty, reserve, and National Guard service members mobilized to provide life-saving relief and recovery operations.”
“An estimated 43,000 U.S. troops and a dozen warships are currently deployed in the Middle East. Marine Corps detachments provide security at U.S. embassies worldwide. Members of the Coast Guard perform an average of 42 search and rescue missions daily and facilitate the movement of $15.6 billion of goods and commodities through our maritime transportation system every day. All Americans benefit from the service of this small and distinguished group of volunteers, who currently comprise the United States Armed Forces.”
Eric Bejarano finished his speech by encouraging those in the audience to continue to honor our nation’s veterans.
“As we commemorate Veterans Day here in Safford, I encourage each of us to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy and remember that they were hard won by those who have served,” he said. “Let’s commit to doing more than just celebrating our veterans today. Let’s honor them in our actions every day, support them in their transitions back to civilian life, listen to their stories, (and) recognize their unique skills that they bring to our community.”
After the presentation, Eric Bejarano cut a cake celebrating the Marine Corps’ 249th birthday which was on Sunday using a ceremonial Marine sword. In tradition, the oldest Marine present was given the first bite of cake – and he in turn presented the cake to the youngest Marine present to signify the passing of experience and knowledge from the more seasoned to the more fresh. The oldest Marine present, Frederick Sainz, 86, and the youngest, Keith Vigus, 28, took part in the cake ceremony.
Click here to see the Gila Herald’s photo album of the Safford Veterans’ Day Parade 2024.
