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This Website is Dedicated to Alvin Alexander Cheyne January 10, 1921 - June 17, 2005 |
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By STEVE KADEL
H&N Staff Writer
November 10, 2006
Feathered dancers moved to a steady drum beat as the Klamath Tribes
dedicated a memorial Thursday in Chiloquin to their military service
veterans.
About 100 people gathered at the
Tribes' administration building for the event. After flags were raised,
a bust sculpted by Tribes member Jim Jackson was unveiled at one end of
a stone walkway.
The bronze bust depicts a soldier's head with beret and two feathers.
Jackson said he used a picture of his son in an Army beret for the
inspiration, but he intended the piece to represent every branch of the
military.
The ceremony included an address
by Allen Foreman, Klamath Tribes chairman and a veteran who served in
Vietnam from 1965-68.
“Today we honor those men and women whose personal sacrifices have
preserved our nation through the toughest of times,” Foreman said.
“It's difficult to imagine what our life would be like if we did not
have among us those who were willing to fight to protect our
freedoms.” “From the Modoc War through today we have been blessed by
generations of brave men and women who have unhesitatingly sacrificed -
even their lives - so their fellow tribal members and all Americans
might continue to enjoy the fruits of liberty.”
Foreman said one of the most moving experiences of his life was visiting
Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. He described thousands
of crosses extending to the horizon, saying it brought home how many
have given their lives for freedom.
The threat of international terrorism seeks to bring about the fall of
America, Foreman said.
He urged those attending the ceremony to do what they can to honor
American troops, whether it's sending a letter or supporting the
families soldiers have left behind.
The dedication ceremony marked completion of phase one of the memorial. Phase two, scheduled for completion a year from now, will be a wall listing the name of each Klamath Tribes veteran.
“By
keeping faith with them, we help ensure that the sacrifices of every
American veteran who ever served his or her country will not have been
made in vain,” Foreman said.
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Source: http://www.heraldandnews.com/articles/2006/11/10/