May 18, 2021 at 9:10 p.m.
Hope American Legion Memorial Day Service
By From A.C. Reeves-
Hope American Legion Hope Post 229 has long remembered the services of deceased area veterans. The Post, chartered in 1934, will continue these traditions again this year for Memorial Day. In 1953, for Memorial Day, members began erecting a display of white wooden crosses, each bearing a stenciled name of an area deceased veteran. That first year 162 crosses formed that display. Those numbers grew over the years.
On November 12, 2000, Post 229 held a dedication of their current Veterans Memorial in the Legion lot at Hope Moravian Church Cemetery. This memorial consists of large black granite slabs. The number of stenciled white crosses had grown to 559, and those names were engraved on this new memorial. New names are added each year, with 16 names to be placed this year.
On May 21, Post members will gather at the Memorial site and erect a display of 79 white wooden crosses which contain no names. A small American flag is placed on each cross and this display remains until after Memorial Day.
Post 229 members, family and friends, along with a contingent of Scouts, will gather at the Post, 208 Washington Street, Hope, at 7:45 a.m. May 31. From there the multi-year pilgrimage begins in recognition deceased area veterans. A full service is performed by the Post 229 Honor Guard at each of the eight locations. At 8:30, the first service at Sharon Cemetery, at the grave of Jonathan Moore, honors this veteran of the Revolutionary War. Moore was a Body Guard for General George Washington. Moore, his wife and other family member graves are located here.
A full military service continues at the following sites in recognition of deceased veterans. The public is invited to join at any of these services. A stop on the Hawcreek bridge at the west Jackson Street entrance to Hope, is in recognition of those who lost their lives at sea.
The largest gathering, prior to COVID, often is of 100 or more, at the Veterans Memorial.
8:30 a.m. - Sharon Cemetery
8:50 a.m. - Newburn Cemetery
9:15 a.m. - Hartsville Town Square
9:40 a.m. - Hawcreek Church Cemetery
10:00 a.m. - Simmons Cemetery
10:15 a.m. - Old St Louis Cemetery
10:30 a.m. - Hawcreek Bridge
11:00 a.m. - Hope Moravian Cemetery Veteran Memorial
