Cemetery Director at the West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery Rodney Shaw joined KWAM’s “Wake Up Memphis” with Todd Starnes and Ben Deeter to preview their upcoming Memorial Day event.
Memphis and its surrounding counties make up the largest veteran population in the state. In addition, West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery is the largest state veterans cemetery in Tennessee and is the third largest one nationally.
Download the KWAM app for the latest news, traffic and weather in the Mid-South.Over 28,000 American flags will be placed at the gravesites. Shaw, a veteran himself, shared how it feels for first-time visitors and how impactful it’s been for him as well.
“When you go there for the first time, it’s overwhelming, you’re like wow, you think about something other than yourself,” Shaw said.
The group is hosting a special Memorial Day ceremony at 11 A.M. on Monday, May 29, to commemorate those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. It will feature local live music and a 21-gun salute by the Germantown Police Honor Guard. They’re still looking for volunteers to help put away the American flags on June 3. You can find more information here.
Listen to the full segment below: