SILER CITY — One by one, the bullets whizzed past Raymond Winfield Alston.
Drafted into the U.S. Army in 1968, Alston’s entrance into the military was met with a brisk sendoff into the Vietnam War.
As a combat medic, Alston was responsible for providing emergency care to wounded soldiers on the battlefield. The task was solemn, and often dangerous.
“I was in quite a bit of war towards the front line up there,” Alston recalled. “I was in quite a few firefights, as we call it. We did quite a bit up there, and I got shot at quite a bit too.”
But Alston was never hit by enemy fire in combat thanks to protection from his unit, and in 1968, was awarded the Bronze Star for his efforts in safely evacuating the most men in the 25th Infantry Division. Over the course of a career that spanned over 30 years, Alston rose to the rank of sergeant major.
Alston’s story, alongside other Chatham County veterans and their guests, were honored last Friday morning at West Chatham Veterans Memorial as part of the fourth annual Salute to Veterans event organized by the Chatham County Council on Aging.
A total of 56 guests attended and braved the chilly elements, including Army veteran George Lee. Entering the armed forces at just 24 years of age, Lee’s three-year stint spanned from 1963-65 and had him stationed in Baumholder, Germany. While he never served in an armed conflict, a constant state of readiness was required for Lee, who’s now 82 years old.
“There’s a certain pride in serving the country,” Lee said. “I can’t really explain it, but you remember the people that you serve with. I remember some that stayed and had a longer time - and didn’t come back.”
Salute to Veterans quickly turned into a personal passion for COA Eastern Center manager Liz Lahti. Coming from a family of military veterans, Lahti’s mother grew up in Denmark during World War II and the height of German occupation.
“She carried an underground newspaper to school with her,” Lahti recalled. “I’ve heard all these stories, and I’m just really passionate about Veterans Day. So we did something in Durham for four years when I was at the Durham (Center for Senior Life), and Transitions LifeCare came alongside us every step of the way. So when I moved to Chatham County, I decided to start the same thing all over again, a Veterans Day celebration. That was four years ago, and we’ve honored World War II vets, we’ve honored women vets, we’ve honored veteran athletes and we’ve honored Mayor (John) Grimes, who passed away and was a veteran.”
Primarily held inside the Council’s Western Center in Siler City, Salute to Veterans was held in an outdoor setting this year after the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a virtual event in 2020.
The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard, commanded by Chief Deputy Charles Gardner, presented the colors, performed the national anthem and delivered a rendition of “Taps.”
Gardner was one of three featured veteran speakers, which also included Chief Mike Wagner of Siler City Police Department and Michael Daniels, Chatham County Veteran Services Officer. The trio received quilts from Mary Lou Mackintosh, Council volunteer and senior advisory committee member.
Jesse Goldston, also a veteran, helped close the event with his singing of “Amazing Grace.”
Lahti, Siler City Commissioner Chip Price and Larry Ross, president of the Council’s Board of Directors, offered welcoming remarks — with a common theme of respect and reverence.
“Even though it’s cold outside, we’re here to celebrate and to honor our veterans,” Lahti assured. “No matter what, rain or shine, cold, or dead of night. This is just the little things that we can do. We’re so grateful for what they did for us. This is just a drop in the bucket for what they did for us.”