Veterans honored with Field of Flags ceremony at Fort William Henry

Nearly 8,000 American flags, representing veterans and active military members, filled the western lawn of the Fort William Henry Hotel this Veterans Day. Fort William Henry President Sam Luciano and Warren County Supervisor Claudia Braymer spoke at an 11 a.m. ceremony, which included a three-volley musket salute by the Fort’s Patriot Guard.

Luciano opened the ceremony saying, “We remember forever the veterans in our hearts and in our prayers. We can only gather today as a community and as a nation because of their efforts, because of the sacrifices they made for our freedoms.” He noted that this year, the flags were raised off the ground, and large boards at the head of the display listed service members in alphabetical order by branch and era of service, making it easier for people to find the names of their loved ones.   

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Braymer spoke to the importance of pausing to remember those who served and passing this value down to our children. She recognized service members from the Colonial Wars to those in active service today. “From our ancestors’ earliest days fighting to defend Fort William Henry, to our early American veterans in the Battle of Fort Ticonderoga and the Battle of Saratoga, and to our veterans who fought in places like Europe, Vietnam, and Afghanistan and to those who served in the fight against COVID on U.S. Navy ships Mercy and Comfort, thank you.”

Braymer stressed the importance of supporting veterans, “We also need to remember that our veterans often come home with wounds that can’t be seen and that they have struggles that civilians may not understand. While in the past, more families had members who were part of the military, and there was more chance for shared experiences and shared healing, we don’t have that as organically as we used to, and we need to work a little harder to support our veterans.”   

For the past several years, the Fort William Henry Museum has collected names of service members from visitors to the Fort and attached the names to the small flags that fill the Field of Flags on the Fort lawn. Registration has begun for the 2022 Field of Flags. Anyone wishing to add a service member’s name to the field may do so by visiting the museum or calling (518)964-6647. The Fort William Henry Museum will be open Saturdays through December (closed Christmas Day) and Thursday through Sunday beginning Jan. 6, 2022.

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