Sikeston marks Memorial Day

SIKESTON -- Memorial Day, said Kenneth Rowland, is a day for the nation and its citizens to remember those who lost their lives in service to the country.

On Monday, Sikeston did just that. The rain moved out of the area in time as a large crowd gathered in Veterans Park for the 27th annual Memorial Day Service.

Rowland, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a retired Army officer, was the guest speaker for the event. According to Rowland, a million Americans have died in the defense of their country and another million and half, wounded.

"With all this service and loss, we as Americans can be proud of the people we are. As we have fought not to conquer others but to defend ourselves," he said. "We have never enslaved any that we have fought. We possess no empires. On the contrary, millions of people today and millions yet unborn are free because of the Americans who fought and who died."

For the full story, see Wednesday's e-edition.