Cumberland County’s military community gathered for Veterans Day events in the area, including one at Fayetteville’s Freedom Memorial Park.
It was a solemn day at the Blue Star Memorial Veterans Day Ceremony in Fayetteville. Jack Pines, who served in Vietnam and the Gulf War, told ABC11 that Veterans Day events such as this one give him an opportunity to reflect.
“It’s heartfelt. I mean, it’s you know, it gets to you, really, and you think about what you’ve been through,” Pines said. “You just think about the things you’ve done, the friendships you made, the friends you’ve lost. But there’s just a lot that goes through your mind.”
The day was also meaningful for LaRue Cooke, the daughter of a World War II veteran.
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“When they first built this park, I brought my dad, who is a Pearl Harbor survivor, to the first veteran’s ceremony down here,” said Cooke. “So, it’s very special to me to be able to come and honor him.”