Bedford residents pay respects at annual Memorial Day services (Photos)

The cities of Bedford, Bedford Heights, Oakwood Village and Walton Hills continued their long tradition of honoring military members who have lost their lives while on duty during the annual Memorial Day parade and services, Monday. The sky was sunny, and the air had a slight cool breeze as a contingent of military veterans and city representatives made its way down Center Road to Broadway, and then down to Bedford Public Square for the first part of the holiday ceremonies.

Mark Sellards | The Bedford Tribune Lt. Bert W. Zahn, U.S. Air Force, welcomes attendees to the Memorial Day ceremonies on Bedford Public Square.

Mark Sellards | The Bedford Tribune Members of the V.F.W. French Bartlett Post #1082 and others salute the flag during the flag-raising ceremonies.

Mark Sellards | The Bedford Tribune Attendees watch the proceedings during the ceremony on Bedford Public Square.

Lt. Bert W. Zahn, U.S. Air Force, served as the master of ceremonies welcoming to the event those attending. The Bedford High School Marching Band played “The Star Spangled Banner,” and members of the V.F.W. French Bartlett Post #1082, raised the flag and presented a wreath at each of the war memorials on the square. The parade then reorganized and headed down to the Bedford Municipal Cemetery.

Mark Sellards | The Bedford Tribune A parade of vehicles and people heads its way from the square toward the Bedford Municipal Cemetery, Monday.

Mark Sellards | The Bedford Tribune A truck pulls a bed carrying a casket draped in an American flag during the parade. The casket commemorates those who lost their lives in service to their country.

Mark Sellards | The Bedford Tribune The Bedford VFW Post 1082 Auxiliary greet those on the parade route as they head toward the cemetery.

This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, so it seemed fitting that Gary Haba, a former member of the U.S. Army Old Guard, would be the speaker during the memorial services. The Old Guard, also known as the 3d U.S. Infantry, has a variety of specialty platoons in the Washington, D.C., including the one that attends the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Haba was not a member of that particular platoon, but was very familiar with the incredibly stringent qualifications one needed to possess to be a guard of the tomb.

Mark Sellards | The Bedford Tribune Spectators on Broadway Avenue watch as the procession makes its way to the cemetery.

Mark Sellards | The Bedford Tribune More spectators gather to watch the parade go by.

Mark Sellards | The Bedford Tribune Ceremony attendees make their way down the cemetery road toward where more of presentations took place in the Bedford Municipal Cemetery.

He likened what the guards at the tomb do each day of the year, 24-hours a day, to what those gathered at the cemetery were doing that morning — keeping alive the memory of those who died for their country. He said that as we remember the soldiers who died, that we need to also remember that there are many others serving in the military who have committed to give up their lives in the same way, if necessary.

Mark Sellards | The Bedford Tribune Gary Haba, a former member of the U.S. Army Old Guard, speaks to those present at the cemetery.

Mark Sellards | The Bedford Tribune Flags and flowers line the graves of service former members in the cemetery.

Mark Sellards | The Bedford Tribune Dignitaries from the Bedford area listen to the speakers during the ceremony.

Following his speech, the names of those from the Bedford area who died during their military service were read by Michael Guyer, U.S. Army Paratrooper. The flag that draped a casket in the parade was gathered and folded by military members. The members of Post #1082 followed this with a gun salute, and then Taps and Echo was played by Bedford High School students Orlando Thompson and Chris Adams.