Veterans from all over the Carbon County area gathered at Josiah White Park in downtown Jim Thorpe Wednesday to remember all veterans, living and dead, at the Veterans Day service held by county officials.

The event was organized and coordinated by Henry Desrosiers, director of Veterans Affairs for Carbon County, who spoke to the crowd along with Carbon County Commissioners William O'Gurek, Charles Getz, Wayne Nothstein, and Brigadier General Retired Michael Bimler, PA Army National Guard.Angela Nardini helped open and close the remembrance by singing the national anthem and God Bless America."On this day we remember and honor the more than 1.1 million soldiers who died while in military service," Derosiers said."We must never forget them or the 24 million other veterans who passed away since their service."The beauty of Veterans Day is that we take the time to remember and thank those who have defended us or stood ready to do so, while they are still with us, and more than 23 million veterans are still here," he added."There is no mystery as to our success of American liberty. It is because in every generation from the Revolutionary War until this very day, brave Americans have stepped forth and served honorably in the Armed Forces of the United States."In concluding , Derosiers noted that "The reason we are here today is to remind everyone what price was paid to have what we have today, freedom is not free."Commissioners O'Gurek, Getz, and Nothstein, spoke of their honor and appreciation to all who have served and all who continue to serve to defend our American liberty and freedom.Desrosiers then introduced the keynote speaker, Brigadier General Bimler, a native of Jim Thorpe."Today is a very special day for all Americans," Bimler noted. "We are here to celebrate and to honor the living and the dead. We are here to commemorate the service of all who came before us to serve and in that service, gave testimony to their loyalty to their country, to their ideals, to their own great courage."He continued, "Generations from our quiet borough have watched their sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, family members and friends answer the call of duty in service to their country from the very spot on which we stand."Every one of those deserve the thanks and admiration of our entire country. They put their lives on hold to defend the values and traditions that they held so dear."After the general's address, Desrosiers thanked everyone who had attended the service and made it possible.