Blandford Cemetery Memorial Marker Dedication

16 Apr 2016                                               Petersburg, VA

    About 75 people, including representatives of 14 Virginia SAR chapters, gathered in Petersburg for the dedication of a memorial to the 19 Revolutionary War Patriots buried in Blandford Cemetery.  This memorial was a Virginia SAR Presidential initiative and Virginia SAR President Ed Truslow was the keynote speaker.  Other speakers included the local Delegate Lashrecse Aird, local State Senator Rosalyn Dance, and Petersburg Vice Mayor Samuel Parham.  Virginia SAR Revolutionary War Graves Chairman Mike Lyman also talked on the significance of preserving the graves of Revolutionary War Patriots.  The Richmond Chapter hosted the event, led by their president Brent Morgan, and Dennis Peterson who planned the ceremony and was master of ceremonies for the dedication.

Master of Ceremonies Dennis Peterson of the Richmond Chapter

Virginia SAR President Ed Truslow (photo by Ernie Coggins)

Revolutionary War Graves Publications Chairman Mike Lyman

Delegate Lashrecse Aird

State Senator Rosalyn Dance

Petersburg Vice Mayor Samuel Parham

     The Virginia SAR Color Guard posted the colors, and fired a musket salute to the nineteen patriots that were honored.  Taps was sounded by Donald Floyd of Bugles across America.  Virginia President Ed Truslow, Assistant Chaplain Gene Thomas, and Mike Lyman did the honors in unveiling the marker.

The Virginia SAR Color Guard presents the Colors (photo by Ernie Coggins).

The Virginia SAR Color Guard fires a musket salute

Don Floyd plays Taps

The marker is unveiled by, left to right: Gene Thomas, Mike Lyman, and Virginia SAR President Ed Truslow

     The Richmond Chapter donated a permanent, lighted, US Flag display that was prominently placed between the War of 1812 Marker and the Revolutionary War Marker.  The flag was raised by an honor guard of LCDR Robert Bridge, USN (ret), MSG George Corbett, USA (ret), and LTC Lowell Flickinger, USA (ret).

photo by Ernie Coggins

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    Wreaths were presented by Virginia SAR President Ed Truslow, 14 Virginia SAR Chapters and 7 other organizations.

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Virginia SAR Color Guard with Bugles Across America Bugler Don Floyd, left to right: Bob Vogler, Bill Schwetke, Charles Belfield, Don Floyd, Pat Kelly, George Beckett, John Hamilton, and Mike Lyman.

 


    The Revolutionary War patriot Marker and US Flag that were dedicated today join the War of 1812 Marker on the left..