Motorcycle Club Ceremony In Century Honors Those Killed In Action And Missing

October 27, 2024

A veterans’ motorcycle club honored held a small ceremony Saturday morning in Century to honor those missing in action and that have given their lives for this county.

The Viet Nam & Legacy Vets Motorcycle Club meets once a month to honor the veterans, usually at the Veterans Memorial Wall in Pensacola.

A veterans wall of honor was dedicated in Century on July 2, 2008 at the then Roadside Park, now known as Nadine McCaw Park, on North Century Boulevard at Hecker Road.

For a photo gallery, click here.

“This month we decided to visit the smaller, less-known memorial in Century, to bring honor to those Northern Escambia veterans,” member Kris Fleming said.

Following the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence, a half dozen members of the motorcycle club highlighted two local soldiers that were killed in action at age 19:

Marine LCpl. Travis Nelson of Bratt was killed in action on August 18, 2011, while conducting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. It was just two weeks after his 19th birthday and only about a month after he arrived in Afghanistan. Nelson left behind a note — “Dear friends & family, If your reading this it seems I didn’t get to come home. I love each and every one of you and I want you to know I have no regrets. I died doing something meaningful.”

Army Sgt. James Larry Ward of Cantonment was killed in action in Vietnam on February 7, 1969. “James Ward gave his all for his country. He was in my platoon in Vietnam and I remember vividly the circumstances of his death. He was a fine soldier and good friend. He was doing his job when he was killed. He was walking point on a SRP no more than 150 feet from hill that we were camped on. He and three others walked into an ambush by VC. I can still hear the firefight. What can you say when a good friend walks into that kind of situation? I think of him daily and will always keep his memory alive. After 32 years, I still remember him as if it was yesterday. Rest in peace, honorable warrior.” – from The Virtual Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

5 Responses to “Motorcycle Club Ceremony In Century Honors Those Killed In Action And Missing”

  1. B Cox on October 29th, 2024 10:25 am

    Thank you men so very much for doing what -every one -of US , that live in this area – SHOULD , have seen to ! I for one , am so ashamed of myself , & our comunity !
    “We ALL” tend to sit back & wait on someone else to do something- such as this . It is all our responsibility to check on that wall & make sure it’s taken care of ! Most of us have love ones named on that wall !
    I’m certain to know , that if my friend , Nadine Mccall , were still with us , she would have seen to it & certainly reminded me , to come help. !
    Let’s All try & do better , for this & other things in our town , instead of waiting for the “ town” or someone else to do it ! IT IS OUR TOWN – OUR COMMUNITY !!
    Shame on Me , Shame on All of US

  2. River Rat on October 28th, 2024 10:01 am

    The note that Marine LCpl. Travis Nelson of Bratt left behind just breaks my heart. And YES, the condition of the wall is disgraceful. Shame on Century.

  3. Why? on October 28th, 2024 8:33 am

    What a disgrace Century! Can’t even maintain The Wall! Why can’t the town take care of this? Who are the veterans that where the names are broken off? Why is it not fixed and taken care of? This town sucks.

  4. David on October 27th, 2024 8:36 pm

    From the bottom of my heart I thank you all for your service and the sacrifice which you made while serving this, our nation. I pray God’s blessings to each and every man and woman that wore the military uniforms of the United States of America.

  5. Bobby Chancery on October 27th, 2024 4:30 am

    When do they meet.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News