Memorial Day: Honoring the fallen soldiers

Friday - June 3, 2022 by Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
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Southern Ute Veterans Association Commander, Howard Richards Sr., stands aside Ute Mountain Ute Veteran, elder and spiritual leader, Terry Knight, prior to Knight giving the invocation at the Ouray Memorial Cemetery.
Ute Mountain Ute veteran Gordon Hammond (USMC) stands at attention with the U.S. flag.
Ute Mountain Ute veterans, Jeremy Dance (Army) and Gracious Jack (Army) were part of the Color Guard, carrying flags from the Southern Ute Veterans Memorial Park to Ouray Memorial Cemetery.
Ute Mountain Ute Color Guard Vice-Commander, Willard Leight (Navy) and Gordon Hammond (USMC) stand at the bridge overlooking the Los Pinos river, where prayers and a wreath were tossed into the river, paying respects to those men and women who lost their lives at sea.
Ute Mountain Ute veterans, Jeremy Dance (Army) and Gracious Jack (Army) were part of the Color Guard at the bridge overlooking the Los Pinos River.
Father Cesar of the St. Ignatus Catholic Parish and Southern Ute Tribal Councilmember Lorelei Cloud.
Omaha elder, Russell Blackbird (KSNG) said a prayer before offering a wreath into the Los Pinos River for those men and women who lost their lives while at sea. Red Spirit sang an honor song before the procession proceeded on to the Ouray Memorial Cemetery.
Howard Richards, Southern Ute Veterans Association Commander, welcomes those in attendance at the Ouray Memorial Cemetery for the closing ceremonies of the Memorial Day services.
Ute Mountain Ute Color Guard Vice-Commander, Willard Leight and Cassandra Leight joined others in the Ouray Memorial Cemetery for the Memorial Day closing ceremonies.
The procession, led by Veterans and color guard make there way from the Southern Ute Veterans Memorial Park to Ouray Memorial Cemetery.
Father Cesar of the St. Ignatus Catholic Parish said a prayer at the Ouray Memorial Cemetery.
Southern Ute Veteran, Bruce Valdez (Army) presented a wreath at the headstone of the mass burial site of those who passed away from Yellow Fever. The headstone serves as a marker for those unmarked graves.
Ronnie C. Baker (Army) presents TAPS at the Ouray Memorial Cemetery.
Ute Mountain Ute veterans, Jeremy Dance (Army) and Gracious Jack (Army) were part of the Color Guard, carrying flags from the Southern Ute Veterans Memorial Park to Ouray Memorial Cemetery.
Southern Ute veteran, Tim Watts (Army) shakes the hand of Ute Mountain Ute veteran Jeremy Dance (Army).
Red Spirit drum group from Ft. Duchesne, sang a Flag Song and an Honor Song to begin the Memorial Day Services in the Southern Ute Veterans Memorial Park.
Ute Mountain Ute veteran Gordon Hammond (USMC) raises and lowers the MIA/POW flag to half-mast.
Ute Mountain Ute veteran Gracious Jacket (Army) salutes the flags as there were raised to half-mast.
Rod Grove salutes after posting the flags at half-mast.
members of Red Spirit drum group from Ft. Duchesne, sang a Flag Song and an Honor Song to begin the Memorial Day Services in the Southern Ute Veterans Memorial Park.
Marlena Valdez sang the National Anthem.
Veterans, Tim Watts (Army) and Pete Vigil (Army) presented the wreath on the Vietnam Memorial in the Southern Ute Veterans Memorial Park.
Southern Ute Veteran, Howard Richards Sr. (Army) welcomed those in attendance at the Southern Ute Veterans Association Memorial Day Services, prior to an invocation from Southern Ute Veteran, Russell Box Sr. (Air Force) to begin the ceremonies.
Southern Ute Vietnam combat veteran Rod Grove and Southern Ute Tribal Council Vice-chair hold the shawl presented to the widow, Marlene Baker of Southern Ute Veteran, Randy Baker Sr.
Marlene Baker was presented with a blanket from the Southern Ute Veterans Association bearing the name of fellow Southern Ute Vietnam veteran Randy J. Baker (Army) who passed away last year.
Madilenia Chavarillo spoke on behalf of her mother, Marlene Baker who was presented with a blanket from the Southern Ute Veterans Association bearing the name of fellow Southern Ute Vietnam veteran Randy J. Baker (Army) who passed away last year.
The Southern Ute Veterans Association spoke of how the younger generations of Southern Ute veterans will need to "step-up" to make sure the Association carries on in the coming years.
Bill Morris (USMC) who played TAPS at previous yearʼs Memorial Day ceremonies was presented with a blanket, in a gesture of appreciation from the Southern Ute Veterans Association.
Father Cesar of the St. Ignatus Catholic Parish was presented a blanket, in a gesture of appreciation from the Southern Ute Veterans Association.
The procession, led by Veterans and color guard make there way from the Southern Ute Veterans Memorial Park to Ouray Memorial Cemetery.
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum
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The annual Southern Ute Veterans Association Memorial Day Services continued on the Southern Ute reservation after a two-year hiatus, although during the COVID-19 pandemic the association held scaled-down versions of the ceremonies, while still honoring those veterans who have passed on. The ceremony was moved to 8 a.m. this year, keeping with the previous year’s schedule. The ceremony began at the Southern Ute Veterans Memorial Park with a procession to the Los Pinos Bridge and continued to the Ouray Memorial Cemetery for closing ceremonies.

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