Thousands of stars and stripes decorated the Sky-View Park in Hometown on Monday, as a crowd gathered to bring flowers and remember the country's servicemen and women who gave their lives defending the country during times of war.

"I come every year," said retired Army captain and Hometown fire policeman Joe Shamonsky Jr."I'm impressed this many people showed up in this weather. I'm really proud so many came out to honor the fallen," he said.American Legion Isganitis-Heckman-Messerschmidt Post 973 hosted the annual ceremony in the cemetery where 3,200 flags were placed on the headstones of lost service members.A gray sky loomed over the Lafayette Avenue Mausoleum in Tamaqua as retired Air Force Col. Ron Blickley addressed those in attendance with a somber message. "Thank you for braving the weather to honor those who braved more than a few rain drops," he began."We gather together on these sacred grounds for the purpose of honoring those who have served and still do today," he said."They serve for the freedom of the United States, so we can stand together and celebrate America."According to a small history lesson given by Blickley, Memorial Day began in Boalsburg after the Civil War."Our nation began to look at that day in earnest," he said. Memorial Day was official proclaimed May 5, 1868, but first observed May 30, 1868, when flowers were laid on the graves of union solders.After World War I, it included all American casualties, and seven branches of the United States Armed Services."It began with flowers, then moved to flags," he said.A "National Moment of Remembrance" was declared on December 2000 stating that at 3 p.m. local time, all Americans take a moment to remember all who have fallen in service to our country along with flying the flag at half-staff from dawn until noon on Memorial Day.Bickley described the life of those who "simply serve" as one of sacrifice and discipline to protect the country."There is no such thing as 'simple service.' They have to answer, 'yes and no sir,' and do as they are told.""Those things we take for granted each and every day, work and grandchildren, those things are gone for them," he said."All those things are dependent on being able to defend ourselves. Our veterans facilitate that, and we should never forget that," Blickley said.He said those who attended the ceremony provided a "living bridge" between the fallen veterans and the celebration that takes place on Memorial Day."It's not just for those who have fallen, but everyone impacted by the loss felt by the entire nation. For those families and friends who have holes in their hearts that can never be filled."Blickley recalled Hometown veteran Cpl. Reese Jones of the Marine Corps who was killed in action one day before his 19th birthday during a battle in Vietnam in October 1967."He is one of over 53,000 names permanently etched on the wall in D.C.," Bickley said."Just as the flame on Kennedy's grave never goes out, nor does our resolve as Americans."