Grandpa, grandson lay wreath to fallen during city's Veterans Day ceremony

Harrison Thorp 8:36 a.m. ONLY IN THE VOICE


Grandpa, grandson lay wreath to fallen during city's Veterans Day ceremony

Vietnam veteran Bob Johnson salutes after he and his grandson, Zade Barstow, lay a wreath in honor of fallen Army veterans during the city's Veterans Day observance on Friday. . (Rochester Voice photos)

ROCHESTER - Among those laying wreaths during Rochester's Veterans Day observance on Friday was Rochester Army veteran Bob Johnson, who with the aid of his grandson proudly laid a wreath at the veterans memorial to remember the Army fallen in defense of our nation.
Johnson, who was on a walker, served in Vietnam and said he was proud to be able to participate in the ceremony, in which all six of the nation's armed forces are honored for their service and sacrifice.

Rochester Veterans Council President Dennis Sellers reads a proclamation by President Biden during Rochester's observance of Veterans Day at the Common on Friday morning.


As he shuffled by in his walker preparing to assemble for the observance a fellow veteran shouted out to, "How you doing, Bob?"
"Good so far," he quipped with a wink.
Johnson was proudly assisted by his grandson, Zade Barstow, who laid the wreath as his grandfather looked on. The two of them then effected a perfectly synchronized salute.

Wreaths were also laid for the nation's other service branches: Air Force, Marine Corp, Navy, Coast Guard and Space Force. Another wreath was placed for POW/MIAs.
Friday's observance saw

Tom Jones of Rochester, a Sons of the Legion member at the Rochester American Legion, plays Taps on Friday during Rochester's Veterans Day observance on the Common.

an unseasonably warm November day, and there were dozens of parents and children in the Common's playground, where often a playground xylophone punctuated a presidential Veterans Day proclamation read by Rochester Veterans Council President Dennis Sellers.
In his proclamation, President Biden thanked veterans for their service.
"We owe them an incredible debt that can never be fully repaid," the proclamation read.
The opening prayer was read by Father Thomas Duston, the wing chaplain at Pease Air National Guard Base.