The public is invited to attend the 3rd Wake Forest Memorial Flag-Raising Ceremony on Monday, April 6, at 11 a.m. The service will be held in Centennial Plaza, in front of the Wake Forest Town Hall on Brooks Street to honor Roger “Marvin” Hockaday who served his nation in the U.S. Army during World War I.
Members of Hockaday’s family have been invited to participate in the ceremony which will include patriotic songs, special remarks, a memorial wreath laying and the ceremonial flag-raising by members of the Wake Forest High School JROTC. After raising the American flag, the JROTC will raise the U.S. Army service flag in recognition of the military branch in which Hockaday served. Both flags will fly in Centennial Plaza throughout April.
Photographs and other remembrances of Hockaday will be displayed in Centennial Plaza during the ceremony, then in the town hall lobby through the end of April.
The April 6 ceremony will begin with the retirement of Benny Jackson’s colors, which will be presented to the Jackson family by Wake Forest Mayor Vivian Jones. Jackson was honored during the 2nd Wake Forest Memorial Flag-Raising Ceremony on Nov. 3.
Presented by local veterans’ organizations to honor the sacrifices of deceased Wake Forest veterans and their families, memorial flag-raising ceremonies are held monthly from April through November at 11 a.m. in Centennial Plaza
A committee comprised of representatives from American Legion Post 187, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 187, VFW Post 8466, the Wake Forest Purple Heart Foundation, Marine Corps League 1257, the Wake Forest High School JROTC and the Town of Wake Forest is soliciting the names of deceased Wake Forest veterans who may be honored during future flag-raising ceremonies. To be eligible for consideration, the deceased veteran must meet one of the following criteria: 1) joined active duty in Wake Forest; 2) died in Wake Forest; or 3) was a member of a Wake Forest veterans’ organization.
For more information, contact Dennis Mecum at 919-327-7887 or cdrvfwpost8466@yahoo.com.
