The 62nd PVI LHF traveled to Gettysburg last November for the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at the 62nd PVI monument in the Wheatfield, the Remembrance Day Parade and Honor Guard Duty at the Illumination in the Soldiers National Cemetery. This year was as solemn and moving as always, with new recruits and familiar faces joining our ranks to honor the soldiers of the 62nd PVI. The ceremony in the Wheatfield in the morning was well attended by our company, the ladies and children, and many friends of the 62nd PVI LHF. Stories were shared, soldiers and comrades in arms that fought next to the 62nd PVI were remembered, and honor was given to the soldiers through the laying of the wheat sheaf with its black ribbon and American flag at the monument and finally with the playing of Taps.

Quickly after the ceremony, it was time to find our place in line for the Remembrance Day Parade. It was a beautiful day for a parade, and the streets were lined with many people who had come to ‘remember’. A good meal and fellowship at Friendly’s followed the parade, with a little downtime before nightfall and our duty as Honor Guard for the Illumination was to begin.

Our members of the Honor Guard, including a very young recruit, stood guard for a full 45 minutes of solemn reflection and honor over the graves of all the fallen in the cemetery. After our post as Honor Guard was concluded, our good Sergeant Rob Skeel led the Honor Guard on a special march to the graves of the soldiers from the 62nd PVI buried in the Soldiers National Cemetery to have a moment of silence in honor, respect, and remembrance of the ‘boys’ of the 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. And so concluded another very memorable and meaningful Remembrance Day in Gettysburg.

Written by Katie Wolfe, Co-Vice President, 62nd PVI LHF. Pictures contributed by Katie Wolfe, Danielle Troup, Cindy McShane, David Lentz and the Zimmerman family.