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Alpharetta service honors the fallen By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Dozens of guests and city officials gathered at City Hall on a cloudy Monday morning to recognize deceased servicemembers at the annual Alpharetta Memorial Day Tribute May 29. Retired U.S. Army Ranger Grant McGarry served as the 2023 keynote speaker. A Roswell native, McGarry saw five deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq, and he authored the memoir “A Night in the Pech Valley.” McGarry said he was inspired to join the military after watching footage of the Sept. 11 attacks in high school and former NFL player Pat Tillman’s decision to abandon his career and enlist. “In our country’s first fight for our freedom, there was a man by the name of Nathan Hale,” McGarry said. “Prior to being hung, he said, ‘I regret that I have but one life to give for my country.’ I believe it is that statement that has woven the fabric of our American soldiers, sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen.” McGarry also co-founded the veteran services nonprofit The Darby Project after his return to the United States in 2012, and he is the youngest living inductee to the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame. The tribute featured performances
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Retired U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. E. Joseph Sanders salutes the flag during the presentation of colors at the May 29 Roswell Remembers Memorial Day ceremony behind Roswell City Hall.
SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA
Retired U.S. Army Ranger Grant McGarry delivers the keynote address at the Alpharetta Memorial Day Tribute May 29 at City Hall. A Roswell native, McGarry wrote the memoir “A Night in the Pech Valley” and is the youngest living inductee in the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame. by the Alpharetta City Band, a presentation of colors by the Johns Creek Veterans Association and Medal of Honor citations for Donald Ray Johnston and Hilliard Almond Wilbanks, who were posthumously awarded the honor for their exceptional service in the Vietnam War. “It’s also important that we remember those that were left behind,” Mayor Jim Gilvin said. “Because there’s more than a million people who have given their life in the service of this
nation, so we can come together here today, and the freedoms we enjoy.” Hosted each year by the city and the Rotary Club of Alpharetta, the event launched in 2015 to offer residents an alternative to traveling to other cities to commemorate the holiday.
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Roswell ceremony draws thousands for Memorial Day By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com ROSWELL, Ga. — Thousands of people donned red, white and blue and gathered behind Roswell City Hall for the 24th annual Memorial Day Ceremony May 29, hosted by the city and the Rotary Club of Roswell. The shady green space was transformed for the Memorial Day event with a massive American flag, 3,000 folding chairs, a stage and food trucks. The hour -long ceremony opened with a presentation of colors by
See CEREMONY, Page 24