The city of Perryville recognized and honored the men and women who sacrificed their lives while serving in the U.S. military during a brief parade and ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. on Memorial Day. Monday’s events featured a parade that included the city’s Veterans Service Organizations —VFW Post 4282, American Legion Post 133, and AMVETS Post 94.
This year’s program was organized by AMVETS and took place at the Perry County Courthouse following the parade.
The ceremony began with members of the Perryville and St. Vincent High School bands playing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” followed by a prayer delivered by Fr. Larry Asma, C.M.:
“Today, oh master of the universe, we commemorate the valiant men and women who accepted death because of their love of country and love of neighbor. By dying, they made immortal their patriotism. Today, with solemn pride, we remember the heroism of all the United States military personnel who paid the ultimate price for the freedoms we enjoy. Incline your ear, O Lord, our prayer, in which we humbly entreat you a verse before them. “Having passed from the company of arms to the company of heaven, may they find a place of joyful refreshment, blessed rest, and resplendent life. May they who have given up their life’s breath draw the breath of new life among the saints. As we begin this short ceremony of remembrance and respect for the heroes who have lived before us, let us resolve to act with a similar living virtue to protect the liberty and justice of one more hour. May we with them glory in the gift of the resurrection to come. We pray this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
After the prayer, Perryville Mayor Larry Riney delivered some opening remarks. “Good morning, and thank you for taking the time to be here on this Memorial Day weekend,” he said. “I hope your Memorial Day is filled with meaning and reflection. As a nation, we are deeply grateful to our military personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice, allowing all Americans to enjoy the many freedoms that make us the greatest country on this God-given earth. Please join me in remembering and honoring the fallen soldiers who are no longer with us this weekend, and thank you all for attending with us today.”
The commanders and presidents of the participating Veterans Service Organizations each shared a few words about the significance of Memorial Day, which was followed by this year’s keynote speaker, Rae Lynn Munoz, the executive director of Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial.
“Good morning. Thank you, honored guests, fellow veterans, Gold Star families, and the Perryville community. It is truly an honor to stand before you today in this sacred act of remembrance — a time to pause, reflect, and express eternal gratitude for the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. Today is not about me. It’s not about any one of us here. It is about them. It is about the more than 58,000 names etched into granite on America’s wall at Missouri’s National Memorial, where each letter represents a life lived, a promise kept, and a sacrifice made. It’s about remembering with reverence and humility the price of our freedom. My time in the United States Marine Corps laid the foundation for everything I do — the discipline, the sense of duty, and the commitment to serve that I learned changed and shaped every ounce of who I am.
“From the barracks of 29 Palms to the challenges of civilian life, I’ve come to understand that God has placed me exactly where I’m meant to be, surrounded by people, missions, and opportunities that deepen my purpose. Now, as the executive director at the national memorial, I have the humble privilege every day of preserving one man’s promise — a promise to never forget. The memorial campus has become a gathering place for all service eras, all branches, all demographics, and all military stories. Memorial Day is about legacy. It’s about Corporal Jason Dunham, who threw himself on a grenade in Iraq to save his fellow service members. It is about Specialist Vanessa Guillen, whose service was cut short, but whose voice ignited a movement. It is about the World War II veteran whose flag is folded and resting on the mantel of their family home. It is about the young men and women of Perry County who answered the call and never returned home.
“We often hear people say, ‘Happy Memorial Day,’ without realizing the deep weight this day carries. And while there is no malice in those words, let us strive to change the narrative. Let us teach our children that it is not a day of celebration, but a day of solemn honor — a day to visit gravesites, a day to visit the national memorial, to say the names aloud of those who are gone, to comfort widows and children, and ensure that their loved one’s sacrifice is never forgotten. To the families who bear the weight of loss, we see you, we honor you, and we carry the burden with you. Your loved ones live on through remembrance, by telling their stories, and through the continued defense of the values we fought to protect.
“I challenge you: What can you do today to honor them? You can serve in the U.S. military. You can mentor a child. You can volunteer at the national memorial. You can donate to organizations that aid and support the veteran community by simply showing up today to ceremonies like this one—to listen, to learn, and to remember, because remembrance is a form of action. To my fellow veterans, thank you. Our service is bonded, not just by the time in uniform but by the duty we carry long after the last salute.
“To the next generation — my own children, Andy, Edison, Ben, and Gus, to the band, to every child here and beyond — know your history, honor their legacy, and take up the torch of remembrance. In closing, I share these words from President Ronald Reagan: ‘Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on.’ Let us honor the fallen, not with flowers and flags, but with our lives, our voices, and our actions. Thank you, God. And may God continue to bless the memory of the Americans who have fallen. Thank you.”
