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Cadet Airman Basic Olivia Fowler of the Maine Wing’s 75th Composite Squadron holds the U.S. flag during a wreath exchange ceremony on the Ferry Point Bridge on the U.S.-Canadian border. The HART (Honoring Allies and Remembering Together) ceremony Dec. 5 was part of national Wreaths Across America observances planned through Dec. 12.
Photo by Capt. Raymond Hanson, Maine Wing
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Maj. Gen. Amy S. Courter, CAP national commander, addresses a delegation of Americans and Canadians on the Ferry Point Bridge. Looking on is Capt. Blaine R. Harris, deputy commanding officer of the Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron of New Brunswick.
Photo by Capt. Susan Hall, Maine Wing
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Cadet Airman 1st Class Abigail Brooks (left) and Cadet Airman 1st Class Kirby Plummer (center), two of the Maine Wing’s 75th Composite Squadron, prepare to pass on a wreath to Warrant Officer 1st Class Douglas Baker of the Royal Air Cadets of Canada on the Ferry Point Bridge. Baker planned to place the wreath at the Canadian war memorial in nearby St. Stephen. Looking on are representatives of America’s Gold Star Mothers, who are wearing white, and other members of the Maine Wing. One of the Gold Star Mothers, Kathryn T. Cross (third from left) read a poem during the ceremony.
Photo by Capt. Warren King, Maine Wing
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An unidentified American Gold Star Mother hugs Canadian Cadet Warrant Officer 1st Class Douglas Baker after the wreath-exchange ceremony. Gold Star Mothers, who have lost children to war, were an important part of the bridge event, which marked this season’s official start to the annual Wreaths Across America observances.
Photo by Capt. Warren King, Maine Wing
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Maj. Wayne Merritt, project manager for Wreaths Across America and commander of the Maine Wing’s 75th Composite Squadron, checks out the snowy weather as trucks are loaded at Worcester Wreath Co. in Harrington, Maine, for the annual trip to Arlington National Cemetery. This year, the trucks are carrying 16,000 wreaths to Arlington, where they are scheduled to arrive the morning of Dec. 12 in time for a national moment of silence and wreath-laying event at Arlington. More than 425 other ceremonies will be held simultaneously at national and state cemeteries and memorials in the U.S. and abroad.
Photo by Susan Robertson, CAP National Headquarters
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Cadet 2nd Lt. Brandon St. Louisof the Maine Wing's 75th Composite Squadron works with fellow volunteers at Worcester Wreath Co. during preparation of 16,000 wreaths for their trip to
Photo by Susan Robertson, CAP National Headquarters
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The Wreath Across America convoy leaves Harrington for Arlington National Cemetery. More than 20 stops were scheduled along the way, making the 750-mile, six-day journey one of the nation’s longest annual veteran celebrations.
Photo by Susan Robertson, CAP National Headquarters
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Charles Stanhope, president of the Maine State Society, speaks during a wreath-laying ceremony Dec. 7 at the U.S. Capitol. Held at noon on the steps of Capitol, the ceremony – organized by the Maine State Society – was part of national Wreaths Across America observances planned through Dec. 12. With Stanhope are William Wappner, president of the National Funeral Association, who gave the main speech at the Capitol event, and U.S. Air Force Col. Mark Weston, who also spoke.
Photo by Lt. Col. Loucendy Ball, Idaho Wing
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Cadet Majs. Esther Rea (left) and Samuel McQuaid, both honor guardsmen from the Maryland Wing’s Hagerstown Composite Squadron, salute after a wreath is placed on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in memory of the 25 million Americans who have served in the U.S. armed forces. The ceremony was part of similar Wreaths Across America observances at state capitols throughout the country.
Photo by Lt. Col. Loucendy Ball, Idaho Wing
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Two women from France – Brigitte Acoea (left) and Eweline Marek, both employees of the Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris – were among the many tourists visiting the U.S. Capitol on Monday while the Civil Air Patrol Honor Guard was standing guard after a Wreaths Across America wreath-laying event. With them are two CAP honor guardsmen from the Maryland Wing’s Hagerstown Composite Squadron -- Cadet Maj. Samuel McQuaid (left) and Cadet Senior Airman Ryan Cloutier.
Photo by Lt. Col. Loucendy Ball, Idaho Wing
Steve Cox
Public Affairs Manager
Kristi Carr
Staff Writer
National Headquarters
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS -- While Wreaths Across America observations were being held at state capitols across the nation Tuesday, special attention was given — and received — at the west steps of the U.S. Capitol, overlooking the Washington Mall.
There a wreath was placed and guarded for four hours by the Civil Air Patrol’s Middle East Region Honor Guard, under the command of Lt. Col. Patricia Gaylin, the region’s cadet activities officer.
U.S. Air Force Reserve Col. Mark Weston traveled specifically from the Pentagon to the Capitol to help place the wreath there.
The pomp and circumstance drew a crowd as many Capitol employees came to pay their respects to the message the wreath signified: Remember the sacrifice of veterans. Lt. Col. Jett Mayhew of CAP National Headquarters, who helped plan the event, said many could be overheard sharing their stories, which usually started, “My grandfather (or my father) served….”
Many tourists — including several from countries such as Spain, Italy, France and Japan — also appeared, hoping to capture this slice of American life with their cameras.
The ceremony at the Capitol was one of several national Wreaths Across America observances held over the past few days, beginning with a new event — the HART (Honoring Allies and Remembering Together) ceremony at the U.S.-Canadian border Sunday.
The HART observance honored the service and sacrifice of military veterans from the U.S. and Canada. A centerpiece of the ceremony was a wreath exchange on Ferry Point Bridge, which spans the St. Croix River and connects Calais, Maine, with St. Stephen, New Brunswick.
“Our mission is to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and teach our children the value of freedom,” said Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America. Worcester and her husband, Morrill, are the owners of Worcester Wreath Co. in Harrington, Maine, and the founders of Wreaths Across America.
The HART ceremony was organized to recognize all veterans, including young men and women from Canada who are serving or served in the U.S. military. Participants included America’s Gold Star Mothers, Civil Air Patrol, Cadets Canada of the Department of National Defense and dignitaries representing both nations.
After a parade, CAP cadets escorted the Gold Star Mothers to the center of the bridge, where they were met by the Air Cadets of Canada Band, which performed both countries’ national anthems. Following a round of speeches, the Gold Star Mothers presented a wreath to the Canadian cadets to be placed nearby at the war memorial in St. Stephen.
After Gold Star Mother Kathryn T. Cross read a poem, a moment of silence was held to remember and honor those who served.
“It was a great way to recognize and remember all young men and women from Canada who are serving or served in the U.S. military and to teach our younger generation about the sacrifices these individuals make for our freedom,” said Col. Dan Leclair, commander of the Maine Wing , which is actively involved with Wreaths Across America. “It was an afternoon all of us will remember.”
The silence was soon broken by taps, played by a member of the Air Cadets of Canada band.
The ceremony, the first of what is hoped to be an annual observance, opened a full week of activity for Wreaths Across America, which provides remembrance wreaths for wreath-laying ceremonies at more than 400 veterans cemeteries and memorials nationwide and 24 other national cemeteries abroad. In all, more than 150,000 wreaths will be placed this year.
Wreaths Across America began in 2006 as an offshoot of the Arlington National Cemetery wreath project, which began in 1992 with the annual placement of wreaths donated by Worcester Wreath Co.
Karen Worcester recalled the project’s genesis when, as a boy, her husband first saw the rows upon rows of white markers at Arlington. “How very important this is to bring together a new generation of young people so they will visit and honor the veterans’ final resting place,” she said.
This year’s national Wreaths Across America observance at Arlington is set for Dec. 12 and will feature 16,000 wreaths donated by Worcester Wreath., Wal-Mart, the USO and other corporate sponsors. The wreaths are being transported in seven tractor-trailers on a 750-mile journey from Harrington, Maine, after a sendoff ceremony Monday and will arrive at Arlington about 7:15 a.m. Dec. 12, in time for the national Wreaths Across America ceremony and moment of remembrance.
The route to Arlington is one the longest annual veterans’ celebrations as patriotic Americans, veterans groups and other local organizations show their support for the project with parades and ceremonies at more than 20 stops along the way. Motorcyclists from the Patriot Guard Riders, an organization of more than 65,000 whose primary mission is to attend the funerals of fallen heroes nationwide, is accompanying the trucks to Arlington.
The national Wreaths Across America ceremony and moment of remembrance are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. EST at the McClellan Arch, near the cemetery entrance. At the same time, other Wreaths Across America observances will be held simultaneously at veterans’ cemeteries and memorials throughout the U.S.
Follow the progress of the wreaths from Maine to Arlington with live feeds from Twitter. Visit the Wreaths Across America Web site for more information about Wreaths Across America and participating locations.
Col. Dan Leclair, Maine Wing commander; Capt. Grace Stapf, professional development officer of the Maryland Wing’s Mount Airy Composite Squadron; and 1st Lt. Mary Story, Maine Wing public affairs officer, all contributed to this story.
