You are invited to the 2009 City of Smyrna Memorial Day Ceremony – 10:00 a.m. at the Cobb County 20th Century Veterans Memorial. (Ceremony begins promptly at 10:00 a.m. in the heart of Smyrna, Georgia)
The Smyrna ceremony is organized by members of the community and it is those members of the community who officiate. They wish for you to join them on this day to honor and appreciate sacrifices and our commitment to peace through strength and sacrifice.
The 2009 Memorial Day Ceremony sequence is as follows:
- Flyover
- Presentation of Colors
- National Anthem
- Invocation
- Welcome & Remarks
- Veteran Remarks
- Honors
- Armed Services Medley
- Benediction
Each year, a new design for the commemorative lapel pin is approved by the Memorial Day Ceremony Committee and the lapel pins are given to attendees of the event.
Seating is generally unassigned (beyond the two to three rows) but is limited and is expected to start as early as 9:00 a.m. and end at 10:00 a.m.. The ceremony will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m.
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The annual Smyrna community ceremony began in 2003. The 2004 ceremony organizing committee created a program with a special sequence launch of honoring – in sequence – the experience of those involved in six wars/conflicts, beginning with WWI. The 2004 ceremony focused on the WWII experience. 2005 highlighted the Korean War and the 2006 ceremony emphasis was on the Vietnam War experience.  The 2007 ceremony concentrates on the last 25 years. The 2008 and 2009 ceremonies have included experience from WWII to present.
The first program included a section titled “History and Remembrance,” which narrated history surrounding the development and conclusion of each of six wars (WWI through the “War on Terrorism”) and the costs in dollars and human lives. A copy of this narrated recording was donated to the Smyrna Public Library.
If you want your children to know why we do what we do on Memorial Day, this is the ceremony that you should attend.