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14 veterans memorialA special appearance by the United States Army’s Golden Knights parachute team highlights this year’s observance of Heroes Homecoming in Hope Mills.

Scheduled on Monday, Nov. 11, the Hope Mills observance will be held at and in the vicinity of the Hope Mills Town Hall complex on Rockfish Road.

Jim Morris, secretary for the Veterans Affairs Committee of the town of Hope Mills, said the ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. at the bell tower near Town Hall.

The end of World War I will be remembered there with a ringing of the bell.

From there, events will move to the Veterans Memorial Park nearby, where various members of the Veterans Affairs Committee will mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion at Normandy on June 6, 1944, by reading the names of North Carolina residents who took part in the landings in France.

Morris said committee members will take turns reading the names.

Small American flags will be planted around the memorial park as part of the ceremony.

Following the ceremonies at the 11 a.m. hour, there will be a break until 3 p.m. when the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10630 holds its annual Veterans Day ceremony.

Weather permitting, the Golden Knights will jump in at the Brower Park baseball field across the street from the Town Hall Complex.

They will bring with them a wreath that will be used during the VFW ceremony.

Morris said the jump will recall major airborne operations of World War II, including the jumps at Normandy and later in the war in Operation Market Garden.

Morris said that now more than ever, it is important for Americans to pause on Veterans Day and appreciate the sacrifices the military has made on behalf of the average citizen during this country’s long history.

“We are involved in some of the longest wars America has ever been involved in,’’ he said, noting the extended conflict in Afghanistan as part of the war on global terror.

Morris noted that since the 9/11 terror attacks on the United States, there have been some tremendous sacrifices by America’s active duty military.

“Some of these guys have done seven, eight, nine year-long rotations,’’ he said. “They are just flat worn out, their families are worn out, the caregivers that take care of them are worn out.’’

Morris said with the rise of suicides by some in the military, the psychological effects of all those years of strain are becoming evident.

“I believe it’s important to thank them and have a separate day of remembrance when we just look at all the blood, sweat and tears they’ve given for our country,’’ he said.

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