On the eleventh day of the eleventh month, Americans salute the sacrifices made by our veterans.
In 1954, Congress passed a bill that President Dwight Eisenhower signed proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day.
The Veterans Day holiday brought out thousands to events in our area.
At Veterans Memorial Gardens in Little River, more than a hundred turned out to honor servicemen and women.
"The government doesn't give you freedom," said VFW Post 1804 Commander Robert Fedortion, "but your veteran will."
The day which unites all military branches united the community.
"When the ceremony starts, that's when you realize that freedom is not free," said Fedortion.
"The memories come back when you stand here paying tribute," said retired Navy Chief Jim Britt. "When you get back home, you kiss the ground because you know you've been through it."
Making it through the fight while others paid the ultimate price is why many of those retired veterans showed their support.
"To put that casket in the ground, it felt like I was putting my soul in with them," said Fedortion
"It really does change you in a lot of ways and make you realize how short life can be," said Britt. "It was catastrophic. It was unreal...Anybody who says they're not scared when they're there, they're lying to you."
"I fought for my family my god and my country," said Britt, "and I don't have any regrets for that."
The ceremony included a 21 gun salute from the Marine Corp League, a presentation of arms by the Knights of Columbus and a salute from the Horry County Rolling Thunder.
