Wreaths Across America 2019

About This Project

This gallery displays photos from Wichita’s 3rd annual Wreaths Across America event that began with an opening ceremony in Wichita Veterans Memorial Park.

The ceremony included an Air Force Color Guard, remarks made by Kansas 4 th District Congressman Ron Estes, Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell and Lori Graham from Wreaths Across America. Individual wreaths were presented at the Park’s flag pavillion in honor of each of the 6 branches of the US armed forces (Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and the Coast Guard and one in honor of those prisoners of war and missing in action:

• Captain Matthew Ayres with the Kansas Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion laid the remembrance wreath in memory of those who served and are serving in the United States Army,
• Gunnery Sergent Joseph Crouch with the United States Marine Corps laid the remembrance wreath in memory of those who served and are serving in the United States Marine Corps,
• Michael Graham, a United States Navy veteran, laid the remembrance wreath in memory of those who served and are serving in the United States Navy,
• Colonel Richard Tanner,n Commander of the 22nd Air Wing laid the remembrance wreath in memory of those who served and are serving in the United States Air force,
• Troy Houtman, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Wichita, Kansas laid the remembrance wreath in memory of those who served and are
  serving in the United States Coast Guard, and
• Kenny White, Commander, Thomas Hopkins American Legion Post 4,  who served in the Army during the Vietnam War, laid the remembrance wreath in honor of the 82,000 United States Servicemen from all branches of the service whose last known status was either Prisoners of War or
  Missing in Action.

Additionally, while trumpeter John Noonan played “Taps,” Boy Scouts with Troop 736 laid a remembrance wreath at each war memorial in memory of those who served in those wars.