No formal service at Salisbury National Cemetery doesn’t mean the sacrifices were forgotten

Many visited cemetery to pay respects

SALISBURY, N.C. (WBTV) - One of the largest and most stirring annual Memorial Day ceremonies takes place at the National Cemetery on the grounds of the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Salisbury.

Today, due to COVID-19, there was no formal ceremony, but that doesn’t mean those who made the ultimate sacrifice were forgotten.

Charles Poulton, a veteran of the US Army, drove from Moravian Falls to visit the National Cemetery. He walked quietly among the markers, paying his personal tribute.

“All ceremonies have been canceled. I need to be somewhere, and this is the closest VA cemetery to Wilkesboro," Poulton said. “I’ve been here for about two hours, just walking around reading the stones and thanking thse men and women who gave their lives for our freedom so you and I can be standing here talking to each other right now in the greatest country in the world.”

There were others who came out as well, even though no formal service was held. Family members, friends, not minding the rain, not neglecting to remember the fallen.

Charles said maybe the restrictions in place this year will make us realize some of the things we shouldn’t take for granted.

“Oh, absolutely," Poulton said. "Every year we go to the cemeteries, we have our ceremonies, we honor the dead, we put the flags out, we think about freedom and this year we can’t do any of that…boy it will be nice to be back and do that maybe there will be more people in the cemeteries next year to honor our fallen warriors.”