Texas State Veteran Cemetery to honor fallen soldiers for Memorial Day

Mariah Williams
·2 min read

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)— Normally, a trip to the Texas State Veteran Cemetery on Memorial Day is met with a field of American flags next to headstones, but this year, you will only see three.

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To honor the original meaning of Memorial Day, Texas Veterans Land Board Representative Craig Wooten emphasized that focusing on the soldiers missing in action (MIA) or killed in action (KIA) will remind people of what the day is truly about.

“Memorial Day is about those that died in combat, and Veterans Day is when we are able to honor all veterans,” Wooten said. “Especially those that were killed in action. They seem to be forgotten, and it’s a way for us to remember them. Remember the sacrifice that they gave, specifically, for their lives fighting for our country.”

The Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Abilene has the lowest number of MIA and KIA compared to other locations across the state. The three veterans who will be honored on Monday are:

  • Staff Sergeant Danny Leonard Little

    • Killed in action on April 23rd, 1970, in Kon Tum Province, South Vietnam

  • Staff Sergeant Floyd Dean Caldwell

    • Killed in action on February 29th, 1972, in Vietnam

  • Commander Charles Benard Goodwin

    • Killed in action on September 8th, 1965, in the Gulf of Tonkin, North Vietnam

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A final roll call ceremony was held. Wooten said the ceremony is symbolic of the reality of hearing the news of the loss.

“It’s a ceremonial tribute to those that were MIA [or] KIA,” Wooten said. “When troops would come back from battle, they would call out their names, and those that were not there to acknowledge their presence were considered MIA KIA.”

The ceremony, sponsored by Dyess Air Force Base, will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, May 27.

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