Veterans Day 2020 – Post Dedication
It was Veterans Day.
On Wednesday, November 11th, 2020, at about 11:00 hours, post members and families departed their homes for a very special mission. They came from far and wide. They merged from Southern Durham, Northern Orange County, Alamance County, Chatham County, and Chapel Hill and Carrboro to a pinpoint on Google Maps. It was 1714 Legion Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina…our retiring post home. Our home for 63 years.
Their mission had been painstakingly planned and coordinated. They formed a escort caravan to formally relocate our Post Colors, our National Ensign. The flagpole now lay bare, no longer to fly over the home of Chapel Hill Post No. 6.
About 25 cars lined up in a light drizzle to follow an Orange County Sheriff’s car carrying two honor guards. Veterans Everett “Bud” Hampton, United States Marine Corps, World War II and Korea; and Frank D. Horner, United States Navy, Korea; were departing Legion Road for the last time.
The caravan winded its way past the Sheraton Hotel and onward to Franklin Street. Frank Horner’s mind drifted off to thoughts of Dewey Maine Horner and the many men and women who did this once before. Frank is part of four-generations of Horner’s at Post 6. Dewey Horner was on the building committee that moved our Rosemary Street post to Legion Rd 63 years ago. He has often shared tales of weddings and other events in the “old log cabin” that was our first home so many years ago.
The caravan included members who served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam and so many conflicts that never seemed to end. They drove up Franklin Street to Rosemary Street to pass by our first post home site and onward through Carrboro…. Sirens blared, horns tooted, veterans waved and the rain came down to “rain on our parade.”
Post Commander Bill Munsee shared his thoughts this way, “It is appropriate that today is not a perfect day. It wasn’t a perfect day in Normandy or Iwo Jima; it wasn’t a perfect day for the Tet Offensive; It wasn’t a perfect day when we battled for the Kuwait International Airport. However, just because it is not a perfect day, that doesn’t mean we won’t accomplish our mission. And today’s mission is to raise this beautiful American Flag over this picturesque building that we have been working on for over 5 years. Today we can truly say…Mission Accomplished.” And that was exactly what happened.
As the caravan arrived at 3700 NC Hwy 54 W, Chapel Hill, the rain clouds lightened up and the sun’s rays kicked their way through. The winds calmed and the rain stopped. It was a genuine “Wow!” moment. The lead car pulled up in front of the new Post Home and the flag was escorted out in readiness for the ceremony. It was passed on to a place of honor inside the post in retirement and a new flag was passed to the Post Commander for hoisting. I’ll let you share in our special, no, very special, moment with the video that follows. There was not a dry eye anywhere. No rain, just sun, as we all collectively remembered our families, our military service, those who came before us, and our Chapel Hill history. Our flag was now proudly flying for the very first time at our new Chapel Hill Post No. 6 Home.
As we say in the U.S. Navy, BRAVO ZULU! Well Done!
Video by Lauralee Heavlin Long
