Veterans Give Poppies To Honor Fallen On Memorial Day

Veteran groups are honoring our fallen heroes by giving away poppy flowers.

The flowers are a reference to the trenches in the poppy fields of Belgium Flanders during World War I and have become a symbol of remembrance of soldiers who have died in active duty.

“It means everything to me to remember the fallen heroes who gave their lives for the freedom we enjoy today,” says World War II veteran Roy Wright.

On Monday, Wright joined other members of the American Legion Post #12 in Bethany to hand out replicas of the flowers to shoppers at the Walmart at NW Expressway and Council Rd.

Wright survived the Battle of Philippine Sea onboard the USS Enterprise.

On Memorial Day, he took the time, under the hot sun, to visit with many shoppers.

“We are the survivors, the heroes are the one that don’t,” says Wright.

Wright met a fellow a WWII veteran who also served in the South Pacific.

“Both 91, both in the Navy, both have mustaches,” jokes Wright.

Barbara Perry-McNeill saw Wright wearing his USS Enterprise hat the burst into tears.

“I miss him so much,” says Perry-McNeill of her father who died a few years ago. He was also WWII veteran.

“It touches my heart, because we have very few of them left. They were that golden age. There will never be any other men like them.” says Perry-McNeill.