Veterans Day - Honoring All Who Served

On Thursday, November 11, 2010 from 10:30 am – 1:00 pm in Park Circle, the City of North Charleston will host its annual Veterans Day event with keynote speaker Medal of Honor recipient Major General James E. Livingston, RET USMC. We ask the public to join Mayor R. Keith Summey and City Council in this special ceremony honoring our veterans of all wars. Last year, over 400 veterans were honored.

The Department of Defense and the National Committee for Veterans Day has selected North Charleston as a Regional Site for Veterans Day 2010.  "On Veterans Day we celebrate the lives and legacy of America's 23 million living Veterans," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.  "From the National Veterans Day observance to regional celebrations nationwide, I encourage all Americans to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank our Veterans for their service."

All veterans in attendance will be recognized and will receive a commemorative medal. To take part in the ceremony, veterans are urged RSVP no later than October 29 by calling 745-1028 or via email at cdambaugh@northcharleston.org.

Prior to the ceremony, from 9:30am – 10:30am, a story swap will be held in the Felix Davis Community Center.  Veterans will have an open opportunity to share memories and stories about their service with fellow veterans.  The story swap is open to the public.  Coffee will be provided.

Our guest speaker, Major General James E. Livingston, RET USMC is a native of Towns, Georgia. He is a graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School, the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and the Air War College. His decorations include the Medal of Honor; Silver Star, Defense Superior Service Medal, Bronze Star with Valor, Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Award Star, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Combat Action Ribbon with 1 Award Star, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Unit Commendation with 2 Service Stars, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with 3 Service Stars, National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service Star, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with 2 Service Stars, Vietnam Service Medal with 6 Service Stars, Humanitarian Service Medal with 3 Service Stars, Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon with 1 Service Star, Vietnam Gallantry Cross with 2 Gilt Stars, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal and various other service and foreign decorations. He is also a qualified military parachutist.