May 27, 2011

Memorial Day historical gallery

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day. The holiday grew out of the tradition of decorating the graves of the Civil War dead. In Cape Girardeau, early observances included musical programs and patriotic speeches conducted in the shade of the Courthouse Park. Those in attendance would then parade to Old Lorimier Cemetery, where veterans' graves would be cleaned and decorated with flowers and flags.

Southeast Missourian archive

Old Glory waved from the flag pole at Freedom Corner in the 1950s. The service boards held up by the four brick pillars contained the names of all men and women in military service during World War II. (Missourian archives photo by G.D. "Frony" Fronabarger)

Army Air Corps cadets were assembled at Harris Field. During World War II, the field trained 2,500 pilots. (Missourian archive photo by G.D. "Frony" Fronabarger)

Harris Field trained Army Air Corps pilots during World War II. After the war, the base was acquired by the city of Cape Girardeau as a municipal airport. (Photo courtesy of Cliff Rudesill)

Following a funeral Mass at St. Vincent's Catholic Church on Oct. 25, 1947, the coffin containing the body of Pfc. Paul A. Sullivan was carried by National Guardsmen from the church. Sullivan died in China during World War II. He was one of the first two Cape Girardeau County war dead to be returned here for burial. (Missourian archive photo by G.D. "Frony" Fronabarger)

The final meeting of the Cape Girardeau post, veterans of Spanish-American War, was held in March 1955. Only the man standing in front of the flag at the far right has been identified. He is Charles Berry. (Missourian archive photo by G.D. "Frony" Fronabarger)

In this undated and unidentified photo, a crowd of people toured a Naval vessel docked at the Cape Girardeau riverfront. (Missourian archive photo by G.D. "Frony" Fronabarger)

Published Thursday, May 31, 1956 A Memorial Day service conducted on Wednesday in Cape Girardeau. The Rev. Joseph P. Dyra, pastor of St. Vincent's Catholic Church, is shown speaking at the morning service held near the Frisco Depot, paying tribute to the various war dead of the community. At the left are members of the Municipal Band, and at right are members of the Naval Reserve. Other units also participated. A second Memorial service was conducted at Memorial Park, in the afternoon, when the Pvt. Richard Wilson memorial was formally dedicated. (Missourian archives photo by G.D. "Frony" Fronabarger)

Published Thursday, May 31, 1962 Service and veterans groups from the community joined in the annual Memorial Day ceremonies held Wednesday at Cape Rock under direction of the Knights of Columbus and other organizations. John Bradshaw, attorney, was speaker and several hundred persons attended. This shows a portion of the various participating units. (Missourian archives)

These men, assembled in Cape Girardeau on Nov. 11, 1964, for the annual Veterans Day parade and ceremonies, flew America's battle flags in four of the nation's wars, covering a span of 66 years. From left are George Goodson, World War II; Glen Priest, Korean War; Herman Bock, World War I, and Charles Berry and P.N. Keller, Spanish-American War. (Missourian photo)

Published Sept. 21, 1988 Marjorie Gregory, widow of Lt. Col. Robert Gregory, accepts the flag which draped her husband's casket from Senior Master Sgt. Richard Hill, a cousin of her husband, at a graveside service held at Memorial Park Wednesday. Gregory was among 17 servicemen whose bodies were returned to the United States from Hanoi, Vietnam on March 2. The Cape Girardeau native had been missing since Dec. 2, 1966. (Missourian photo by Fred Lynch)

Frederick Rueseler standing at the family plot in Old Lorimier Cemetery. He appears to be wearing a G.A.R. uniform. Possibly taken Decoration Day. (Photo courtesy of Fred Schneider and Loretta Dodd)

On Memorial Day, 1911, Missouri Gov. H.S. Hadley spoke at the dedication of the Civil War memorial fountain in Courthouse Park. The memorial Ñ a gift to the city from the Women's Relief Corps Ñ honored the Union war dead. In later years, after the fountain was restored, it was re-dedicated to all men and women who have fought to preserve the United States. (Missourian archives)

Members of Company L, Sixth Missouri Infantry, assembled in the 200 block of Broadway in 1917. The call to federal service came Aug. 5, 1917, and men from throughout the district poured into Cape Girardeau. They stayed in hotels and rooming houses, waiting to report to camp at Nevada, Mo. Eventually the unit fought in France, at the Argonne Forest, which broke the back of the German military. On May 9, 1919, four trains of 14 cars each pulled into Cape Girardeau, bringing back the men of the Sixth Regiment, by then renamed the 140th Infantry Regiment. (Missourian archives)

On June 21, 1917, the entire Schuchert Band enlisted in the Army, and it became the official band of the Sixth Missouri Regiment, a Southeast Missouri unit. Lined up before The Daily Republican newspaper building in the 200 block of Broadway, band members were ready for military service. Partial identification of the musicians include, from left, Leslie Patton, ?,?, Toby Foster, Thomas L. Danks, ?, Albert Bentley, ? "Moss" Foster, Walter Kempe, Bill Wilson, ?, Art Harrison, ?, ?, Elmore Kassel, Chester Kassel, ?, Oscar Kaiser, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, and Dr. C.E. Schuchert, director. (Missourian archives)

A military service board, listing the names of all those serving in the military in World War I, was constructed on lower Broadway. It was dedicated Nov. 11, 1918, and was torn down July 23, 1921. (Missourian archives)

Submarine Chaser 2, the vanguard of a small naval fleet, steamed into Cape Girardeau harbor at 3:30 p.m. on June 19, 1919. The Submarine K-5, the destroyer Isabel and two more submarine chasers arrived a few hours later. They had come from St. Louis on a recruiting tour and provided the public with a view of the vessels employed by the Navy during World War I. Thousands crowded the riverfront to view the ships, and hundreds toured the vessels. The submarine was captured from the Germans at the start of the war. (Missourian archives)

Published July 6, 1942 This was one of four big guns at the Fourth picnic. It is a 105-mm. howitzer type cannon capable of firing a 44-pound shell eight miles. Girardeans are gathered around the big gun brought here from Fort Leonard Wood for the event. The weapons on display also included anti-tank guns, small anti-aircraft guns, trench mortars, machine guns and rifles. (Missourian archives photo by G.D. "Frony" Fronabarger)

Personnel from the Navy V-12 program at the Teachers College assembled in front of Academic Hall, probably in December 1943. The program was established at the college in mid-1943. Upon completion of their studies, graduates were commissioned ensigns in the Navy. The program continued through the end of the war. (Missourian archive photo by G.D. "Frony" Fronabarger)

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Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day. The holiday grew out of the tradition of decorating the graves of the Civil War dead. In Cape Girardeau, early observances included musical programs and patriotic speeches conducted in the shade of the Courthouse Park. Those in attendance would then parade to Old Lorimier Cemetery, where veterans' graves would be cleaned and decorated with flowers and flags.

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