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Heroes Honored at Tallahassee's Greenwood Cemetery

Tom Flanigan
One of scores of veteran graves at the Greenwood Cemetery

Dozens of Tallahassee and Leon County leaders spent Memorial Day morning honoring the fallen veterans at the predominantly African-American Greenwood Cemetery on Old Bainbridge Road. The observance was organized by Second District Congressman Al Lawson.
After the volunteers placed small flags at the nearly 100 veteran grave sites, members of the historic Buffalo Soldiers performed a salute.

"Private Estef Addison and Private Pete Hawk; United States Army, World War I," intoned a Buffalo solider solemnly.

Event organizer Congressman Al Lawson even located an old aquaintance among the tombstones.

"I even found one of the grave sites of one of the guys who served in Vietnam that I went to school with. I never knew what happened. That was over 40 years ago. It's great to have these leaders out here to give honor to these fallen veterans," Lawson observed.

,Among those leaders was a veteran still very much standing, Augusta Carter who fought in the Korean War. Originally from Quincy, his friends still call him "Sarge."

"A lot of times people don't really think about the sacrifice in order for them to have the freedom they have today," he mused.

The dozens of volunteers at the old Greenwood Cemetery were trying to make sure that sacrifice won't be forgotten.

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Tom Flanigan has been with WFSU News since 2006, focusing on covering local personalities, issues, and organizations. He began his broadcast career more than 30 years before that and covered news for several radio stations in Florida, Texas, and his home state of Maryland.

Find complete bio, contact info, and more stories. here.