109 Year Old Talks About WWI Memorial

In today's Parade magazine, 109-year-old Frank Buckles talks about the need to create a National World War I Memorial on the Mall in Washington, D.C.

Buckles, who lied about his age to enter the U.S. Army in 1917, is the last living American veteran of WWI, known as Doughboys. He was 16 years old when he went to war in France.

"I know that I am a representative of all those who have gone before me. Those veterans, especially those who made the supreme sacrifice, should be remembered," said Buckles in the May 30, 2010, edition of Parade.

Actually, according to the magazine, there already is a memorial for fallen soldiers of WWI from the District of Columbia as well as the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Mo., site of the National WWI Museum.

Read Richard Rubin's article about Frank Buckles and his efforts for a national WWI memorial.

Frank Woodruff Buckles (born February 1, 1901) is, at age 109, the last living American veteran of World War I and the oldest verified military veteran in the world.^[1] He currently lives at Gap View Farm, near Charles Town, West Virginia and is the Honorary Chairman of the World War I Memorial Foundation. During World War II, Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese as a civilian.

Giving Away Buddy Poppies

PASCAGOULA -- Today, outside of Wayne Lee's there was a group of young girls and their sponsor giving away Buddy Poppies.

Although the woman who was passing out the souvenirs did not ask for a donation, residents dropped in a dollar for the effort and the memorial it represents to veterans across South Mississippi and the country.

It hit me that $1 bills were about all there were in the donation box. They seemed inadequate. It just didn't seem enough for these times. You can hardly buy a brand-name soda with a dollar, especially if you add tax. And our soldiers certainly deserve all the help they can get for their service and lives.

Anyway, the woman and children gladly shoved the souvenirs into people's hands, as if having the poppies was better than any money that could be gained from their endeavor. Their sign said something about remembering vets.

This is the weekend for remembering. Officially, Memorial Day will be May 31, always the last Monday in May. Numerous programs and services will be held today and the next three days, which makes for a four-day weekend.

Enjoy.

Say hi to a soldier -- former, present, future.

Pascagoula Offers Memorial Day Fun

By JENNIFER FLANAGAN

Public Relations Coordinator

PASCAGOULA -- Get in the mood for summer at Pascagoula’s new beach and Beach Park over this Memorial Day weekend. Following tradition, Pascagoula’s “Sounds by the Sea” outdoor concert will be held at Beach Park at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 30. In preparation for this event the park will not open until 2 p.m. that Sunday allowing for the set-up of the concert stage and other activities.

For added convenience the new concession facility at the park will be open during the “Sounds by the Sea” concert. D’Vine Soul Food will be serving everything from hot dogs to pork and rib lunches from the new facility located on the west end of the park from noon to 9 p.m. Regular concession hours will be Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

In order to insure a safe and fun experience within Beach Park visitors are asked to follow these rules and regulations: no pets allowed, no alcoholic beverage or glass containers, no profanity or disruptive behavior, and please put trash in receptacles.

City officials have not forgotten about our furry friends this Memorial Day weekend. Owners and their dogs can play on the beach between Hague and Pascagoula streets. However, dogs must be kept under control at all times and owners must pick-up after their animals.

For additional fun, the beach pier will remain open from 7 a.m. until dusk daily.

For those interested in a beach bonfire you must obtain a fire permit through the Pascagoula Fire Department and be prepared to display the permit throughout the weekend. Contact Pascagoula’s Central Fire Station at 228-762-1901 for more information.

Parking for the beach is located at The Point on the west end of Beach Boulevard or at Beach Park. No parking is allowed along either side of Beach Boulevard. Violators will be towed at the expense of the vehicle owner.

Memorial Day weekend always brings music, fun and fireworks to Pascagoula. To insure a fun and safe experience all visitors and residents are encouraged to following the rules and regulation set forth for the City’s public spaces.

Park ordinance for the City of Pascagoula reads:

1. No person shall cut, break, trample, injure or take any plants, flowers, shrubbery, trees or vegetation or remove any benches, seats or other appurtenances of such parks or enclosures.

2. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle upon a publicly owned beach except as necessary in its maintenance and care by a person authorized to do so.

3. It shall be unlawful to sell, drink or possess any alcoholic beverage on a municipal park, playground, ballfield, recreational area, or any public beach including those leased by private parties.

4. Glass beverage containers are banned from municipal parks, playgrounds, ballfields, or other recreation areas and public beaches.

5. It shall be unlawful for any dog to be in or upon any public park, beach or other public recreational areas (except the north portion of IG Levy Memorial Park & on the beach betweenHague Street and Pascagoula Street.)

Dog ordinance for the City of Pascagoula reads:

(a) It shall be unlawful for any owner of any animal, whether under control or not, to allow it to be in or upon any public park, beach, or other public recreational area within the City, except as otherwise provided in this section.

(b) Dogs may be allowed on the north portion of I.G. Levy Park under the following conditions:

(1) A dog shall be under the immediate control of a responsible person.

(2) Any feces produced by a dog while on such park shall be immediately collected and removed in a sanitary manner by the person having it under control.

(3) No dog shall be permitted upon the pavilion located on the park.

(4) No dog shall attack any other dog or human.

(5) No dog involved in a violation of this subsection pertaining to I.G. Levy Park shall again be permitted on such park.

(c) Dogs may be allowed on the public beach only in the area between Pascagoula Streetand Hague Street under the following conditions:

(1) A dog shall be under the immediate control of a responsible person.

(2) Any feces produced by a dog while on such beach shall be immediately collected and removed in a sanitary manner by the person having it under control.

(3) No dog shall attack any other dog or human.

(4) No dog shall be allowed to run free in the designated beach area.

(5) No dog involved in a violation of this subsection pertaining to the Pascagoula beach shall again be permitted on such beach.

(d) Owner as used herein means any person owning, keeping, harboring, or in possession of an animal.