It’s a day of reflection, a day of remembrance, a day of sorrow for some. Americans know this day as Veterans Day. The Air Force ROTC at Mississippi State held a candlelight vigil to show respect for Veterans Day.
The candlelight vigil was focused on the Korean War and the soldiers who gave their lives from Mississippi.
This year’s theme revolved around the Korean War. The Air Force ROTC sponsored this year’s event to memorialize those who are prisoners of war or missing in action from Mississippi.
“This is a yearly event that we try to hold on Veterans Day,” James Massey, junior, said. ” We have cadets sign up for a time to stand guard over the candles for 24 hours.”
Massey said that the candles that are lighted at the vigil symbolize that we as Americans are leaving the light on for those are prisoners of war and missing in action.
“It is very symbolic to show patriotism for those who are still unaccounted for,” Massey said.
“The 24 hour vigil was tough this year because of all the severe weather that was pushing through the area on Sunday night,” Massey said. “We were trying to go from 6 p.m. Sunday till 6 p.m. Monday.
“We had a lot of people who were stuck either in the dorms or Columbus who were unable to come stand guard.” “However, some people braved the elements to get here.”
Each cadet who signs up for a time slot to stand guard over the candles for a certain amount of time.
“All the time slots were different for standing guard, however most cadets stood guard for around an hour,” Massey said.
When each cadet was standing guard, a list of veterans was given to them to recite during their guard time.
“We had close to 412 names that were on the list, so each cadet had a lot of reading to do,” Massey said.
At 6 p.m. Monday, a speech was given an officer with the Air Force that described the Korean War and history of Veterans day.
At the end of his speech, asked the last remaining guard to extinguish the candles as a mark of the end of the day.
“As we extinguish these flames, marking the end of this day, I ask all of you to reflect upon the sacrifices all American servicemen have made for the sake of our freedoms,” the speech read.
“The ceremony made me have a sense of accomplishment,” he said.
Veterans Day, formerly Armistice Day, is a holiday that is observed annually in the United States in honor of all those, living and dead, who served with the U.S. armed forces in wartime.
Armistice Day, forerunner of Veterans Day was proclaimed in 1919 to commemorate the end of World War I. On Nov. 11, 1918, at 11 a.m., World War I officially came to an end.
On the first anniversary of the truce, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation including fallen Allied soldiers.