BATESBURG-LEESVILLE, S.C. — Men and women who served our country and lost their lives are being honored this Memorial Day.
Lexington County residents came out to Lake Murray's Veterans of Foreign Wars post to pay their respects.
Some of whom, like Glinda Church, went to school with some of the fallen.
"They were good loving people, and they were proud to serve their country," Church said.
13 faces and plaques of heroes from Lexington County were placed at the forefront during the ceremony.
"We're the lucky ones. We made it home, but a lot of them didn't and a lot of them sacrificed their life to protect our freedom," said George Egan, Lexington County veterans group member.
Monday also marked 80 years since 16 airman trained specifically in this region. They called themselves the Doolittle Raiders. Their mission was one of no return, part of a retaliation effort following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
"They had to train here in order to practice to go to Japan. They had no where else really to do this," said Don Watson, commander of VFW post 6740.
This day remembered and honored history and heroes in South Carolina.
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