With visits to nine area cemeteries May 24 and three more to be visited Memorial Day morning, the Legionaires, Sons of the American Legion and Legion Riders honored this nation's fallen heroes who gave their all to save freedom for the rest of us.

This was the 95th year American Legion Post 16, Slatington, has been making its Memorial Day weekend trek.

Master of Ceremonies for the Memorial Day program was Dennis Ziegler.

"Our veterans served during many of our country's most difficult eras," he said. "Help us to continue in honoring the values they have bestowed upon our great nation: loyalty, respect, brotherhood, duty, service, honor and trust."

The Legion Riders escorted the vehicles transporting the participants and those who understand the importance of the program from cemetery to cemetery, where all the veterans' graves are recognized with flags.

"This never gets old," Cory Held of New Tripoli said. "I have a friend who called and told me 'have a safe ride.' He knew where I'd be."

Scott Schaeffer and Jess Troxell played "Taps" at the end of each honoring ceremony.

Ziegler repeats his message at each stop: "A thousand battles of land and sea and air echo the glory of their valiant deeds. Under the quiet sod or beneath the murmuring waves their bodies sleep in peace.

"But in the destinies of men, their souls go marching on. Because of them our lives are free. Because of them our nation lives."

He ended his talk with a request to the assemblage:

"All who stand with us today, will you not consecrate yourselves with us to emulate their sacred service, that those who rest in heroes graves may not have died in vain."

The rifle squad gave a 21-gun salute and "Taps" was played.

"Day is done, gone the sun from the lake, from the hills from the sky," Ziegler said. "All is well, safely rest, God is nigh."