Greece honors hometown heroes on Memorial Day

GREECE, N.Y. – Many people see Memorial Day as a kick off to summer, a day for good shopping sales or a day to go get on the water with family and friends.

But Memorial Day is a day to remember and honor the U.S. service members who died while serving our country.

Every May, the town of Greece holds a memorial day parade and remembrance ceremony to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

“We feel the importance that those that served in the military are the ultimate American heroes and we want to make sure we honor them and teach future generations the importance of making those sacrifices,” Greece Town Supervisor Bill Reilich said.

The town also honors its hometown heroes that thankfully, made it home.

“Each year we add names to the wall, the Gary Beikirch wall out front and it has the name of all those who have served in the military that reside in the town of Greece and we have hundreds, if not thousands of names on that wall,” Reilich said.

Lt. Col. Doug Herrmann was added to that wall today.

“Gary Beikirch was the one that inspired me to join. So to have my name added to the Gary Beikirch Memorial Wall is extra special for my family and I,” Herrmann said.

Herrmann has been in the Army for 23 years and has seen too many friends not return home to their families.

“It’s very, very important to us to recognize, remember, the sacrifice of not only our friends, our brother and sisters in arms that have paid the ultimate sacrifice, but their families,” Herrmann said.