ABOVE: A salute is held during the Memorial Day program on Monday morning at the Martin County Veterans Memorial in Fairmont.

FAIRMONT– Doug Landsteiner, Martin County’s Veteran Service Officer, was the guest speaker at this year’s Memorial Day program at the Martin County Veterans Memorial in Fairmont. Landsteiner spoke about the Memorial Day holiday and also shared some of his own story.

For almost 24 years Landsteiner has been had been Martin County’s Veteran Service Officer.

“Serving the veterans of the county has been an honor. It feels more like a vocation, rather than a job,” he said.

He shared that Memorial Day is a U.S. federal holiday observed annually on the last Monday of May.

“For many of us and our families, it’s a day to honor all of our veterans. This holiday has its roots in the post-Civil War era when communities began placing flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers,” Landsteiner said.

Then in 1868, General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, formally established Memorial Day as a holiday, thought it was first known as Decoration Day.

“After World War I, Memorial Day devolved, to honor all those that died in military service, not just the Civil War,” Landsteiner said.

He said that, officially, the holiday is meant to honor and remember men and women who have died while serving in the U.S. military.

“Many of us honor deceased veterans on both of our veterans holidays and that’s okay, but the two holidays are different. The Memorial Day holiday is a solemn occasion to remember and honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the military. It’s a time to reflect on their lives and the sacrifices they made for our country,” Landsteiner said.

Veteran’s Day, on the other hand, he said is a day to thank all veterans for their service to the nation and a time to show appreciation for their commitment and dedication regardless of if they are living or deceased.

A veteran himself, Landsteiner shared some about his 20 years in the Navy.

“My first four years in the Navy was a rollercoaster ride. I started out as a seaman in the Navy and then they changed me to an airman and then they changed me back to a seaman,” Landsteiner explained.

For the other 16 years, he was in the ‘spook’ community– doing intelligence and cryptology. He said many of the duty stations were isolated and that everyone in the spook community had top secret special intelligence clearance.

“If we talked about our duties… loose lips sink ships, so the saying goes,” Landsteiner said.

Because of that, Landsteiner said he could really on talk about his first four years in the Navy. He recounted some of the various missions he and his crewmen went on in those years.

“Over 4,000 submariners have died on duty since 1900… during World War II 52 submarines were lost and 3,500 crewmen. World War II submariners were responsible for destroying 1,314 enemy war ships,” Landsteiner said.

He said on Memorial Day he often thinks of submariners for the aforementioned reasons and specifically the crew of the USS Thresher SSN-593 and the USS Scorpion SSN-589.

“Both submariners were lost at sea with all hands. The USS Thresher went down with 129 crewmen on April 10, 1963, less than two years after its commission,” Landsteiner said.

He said the Scorpion also went down with about 99 crewmen on May 22, 1968, less than eight years after its commission. Both ships remain on at the bottom of the ocean.

“It gives me pause on Memorial Day,” Landsteiner said.

He asked those present to remember the National Moment of Remembrance Act, which was passed in 2000, that encourages everyone to pause for silence at 3 p.m. each and every Memorial Day.

The program began with a flag raising at Veterans Park by the Sons of the American Legion (SAL) and then a parade, featuring the American Legion Post 36, VFW Post 1222, Girl Scouts and Fairmont High School Marching band led to the Martin County Veterans Memorial where members of the public heard Landsteiner’s message.