More than 400 Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts gathered at the Houston National Cemetery on Sunday afternoon to place American flags on the curving roadways beside the graves of 58,000 veterans.
Nine-year-old Timmy Tran, a member of Pack 1331 in Klein, said Memorial Day is celebrated "to honor people who fight in the wars and to remember them." Timmy's father and grandfather are both veterans of the war in Vietnam, which he said "is in Asia, kind of near Thailand."
Aaron Sellers, 9, another member of Pack 1331, said: "We are trying to represent the soldiers who died in wars. Wars are bloody, and they are violent."
But, Aaron said, "The soldiers do it to protect our country."
The fourth-grader said the meaning of Memorial Day had been explained to him by "ancestors" who are veterans — "Grandpa" and "Uncle Cory."
Aaron's 7-year-old brother, Jacob, said their uncle is in the Marines, "but he lives in Oklahoma." (Their mother, Leslie, said Cory is stationed there as a recruiter.)
Farther down the "Avenue of Flags," an older and wiser Brenham scout delivered a short speech on the importance of this national holiday.
Kenneth Thornton, 11, a member of Troop 577 from Brenham, was well-versed — and well-rehearsed — on the national holiday.
"By hanging up the flags, we are honoring and remembering all veterans, the ones who died in wars, as well as the ones who are still alive," Kenneth said. "Which is important because the veterans went out and fought for our freedom."
The young patriot, who may have a future in politics, added, "No further comment."
Linda Barry, a spokeswoman for Veterans Affairs, said, "We had a very good turnout" at the annual event when scouts prepare the cemetery for Memorial Day ceremonies.
More than 58,000 veterans have been buried in the 419-acre cemetery since it opened in 1965 at 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive. Among those buried there are three Medal of Honor recipients and longtime U.S. Rep. Albert Thomas, a Houston Democrat who was instrumental in writing the legislation creating the cemetery.
The Brenham troop was making its third Memorial Day weekend trip to the cemetery. The troop was remembering all vets but especially the father of scouts Kevin, 13, and Kyle Dougan, 11.
Their dad, Army Chief Warrant Officer James Dougan, a Vietnam veteran, died two years ago of a heart attack at age 52 and is buried at the cemetery. Their mother, Chris, and their sister, Colleen, 10, joined the troop.
"See, my dad passed away, and we come here to honor him," Kevin Dougan said. "Memorial Day is meant to remember the people who fought in the wars and who did something for their country."
Kyle, 11, said he still misses his father "all the time."
"He was nice." [End]