Submitted Photo Members of the Cassadaga American Legion Post 1280 Honor Guard gave tribute to veterans at 10 area cemeteries. Shown is the group in formation under the leadership of James Hayward at the Charlotte Center Cemetery.

CASSADAGA — Memorial Day is the one day of the year set aside a little over 150 years ago to remember those veterans who fought in this country’s Civil War. Memorial Day, which was established in Waterloo, N.Y. in 1866 as a time to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers from the Civil War, was first known as Decoration Day. On May 5, 1868, the date of May 30 was designated as the Decoration Day by General John A. Logan with his General’s Order No. 11.

On Memorial Day, members of the Cassadaga American Legion Post 1280 Honor Guard held Memorial Day ceremonies at the surrounding cemeteries in honor of those who served in the military and sacrificed their lives. There was rain in the air and the outside temperature was 61 degrees, and the Honor Guard remembered the veterans at the local cemeteries.

The Honor Guard began their day at 6 a.m. by meeting at the Legion Hall on Maple Avenue, and gathering their flags, rifles and bugle for the special ceremonies. At 6:45 a.m., 18 members of the guard boarded a rented bus, which drove them to the surrounding cemeteries.

Their first stop was at the Charlotte Center Cemetery, and the group embarked from the bus and lined up in formation to begin the ceremony. Under the leadership of James Hayward, the solemn ceremony was held. Robert Connelly was the post chaplain who led all in a prayer, and then Hayward would call for the 21-gun salute. Taps were played by Ron Boyland, and the group would board the bus for the next cemetery.

The ceremonies were held in this order: Charlotte Center Cemetery, Burnhams Hollow Cemetery, followed by Christian Cemetery at Bard and Shumla roads, the Bachelor Hill Cemetery, followed by the Evergreen Cemetery in Stockton and the Greenwood Cemetery in Stockton. The group traveled to Centralia to the Union-Oregon Cemetery and to the Red Bird Cemetery. The next stop was the Picketts Corners Cemetery along old Route 60. The group proceeded to the Memorial Park in Lily Dale for a Memorial Day ceremony conducted by past Post commander Bruce Kaus. The final stop was in Cassadaga.

The Honor Guard gathered at the Cassadaga village park at the corner of Route 60 and Maple Avenue for a service conducted by Legion 1280 Post Commander Dennis Stephens. The opening ceremony included a placement of the wreath at the flag pole, the raising of the American Flag by Kaus, a 21-gun salute and the National Anthem played by the Cassadaga Valley Central School Band. The Honor Guard led the grand parade along Maple Avenue to the Cassadaga Cemetery for the Memorial Day service.

Following the group during the morning ceremonies was Cassadaga Village Historian John Sipos, who took many photographs at the cemeteries. Sipos also served as the Cassadaga parade marshal. Let us all remember and honor those who served to preserve the country’s freedom.