Pine Belt communities to honor fallen heroes on Memorial Day

PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) - Several Pine Belt communities are preparing to honor our nation’s fallen heroes on Memorial Day.

The City of Hattiesburg will host its annual holiday ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday at Veterans Memorial Park.

It will focus on three fallen soldiers (Joshua I. Bunch, Anthony Blount and Anthony O. Magee) from the Hub City area who were killed in action in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In Laurel, the Veterans Memorial Museum also will also an annual Memorial Day ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday.

The ceremony will be held in the museum’s new pavilion and after the event, visitors can view a new promotional film about the museum.

“Our goal at the museum is to honor all veterans, past, present and future, and part of that is to recognize the people who’ve paid the ultimate price and that’s what Memorial Day is all about, also,” said Larry Callahan, Laurel Veterans Memorial Museum president/CEO.

Memorial Day ceremonies also are planned for Monday at Legion Square in Columbia and at the Mississippi State Veterans Home in Collins.

“(The three fallen servicemen) we’re going to highlight and let the world know a little bit more about these three young men who served their country, all volunteered, all in the Army, and made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Ted Tibbett, Hattiesburg Veterans Committee chairman.

The Memorial Day ceremonies in Columbia and Collins will also begin at 10 a.m.

Want more WDAM 7 news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Copyright 2023 WDAM. All rights reserved.