A moment in time to remember – 1918, 11th day, in the 11th month at 11 AM the Armistice with Germany was signed. This began the cessation of hostilities and the conclusion of World War I ~~ a day the world called Armistice Day. Later in 1954, the United States renamed this day and celebrates it as Veterans’ Day. This coming Sunday, (10 November) at the Valley View Cemetery in the Pine Grove Section at 1 Pm we will be remembering and honoring another group of veterans for our Seventh Annual “On Hallowed Ground” Cemetery Memory Walk.
Our first “Memory Walk” was presented on 11 November 2007 at Mount Hope Cemetery. At this time we would like to honor again one of those veterans we spoke about at that time – William Henry Harrison Smith (1841-1915, US Army – Civil War)
William Henry Harrison Smith – Civil War Veteran (1841-1915)
William H.H. Smith was born in Ticonderoga, NY on 22 May 1841, the sixth child of John and Mary Gilmore Smith. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on 3 September 1858, at Boston, Mass, by Lieut. Ransom. He was assigned to Co B., Capt. Thomas Claghem’s Mounted Rifles, then Co I, under Capt. John Hatch, Third Cavalry. In February, 1862, he was wounded at the Battle of Val Verde. NM – and in October of the same year, his cavalry regiment left the frontier of NM and crossed from Fort Craig to Fort Leavenworth, a distance of about one thousand miles on foot.
Both of William’s brothers, Edwin and Marshall, also served in the Civil War. William H.H. Smith was honorably discharged in 1863 at St. Louis, MO – having served five years during the American Civil War.
On 7 November 2010, we honored another selected group of veterans’ buried at Valley View Cemetery. From the record we remember ~ Walter B. Gunning.
Walter B. Gunning ( 1896-1962, U.S. Army – Purple Heart) – was born to John F. and Margaret (Burke) Gunning on 9 January 1896. During the lst World War he was wounded in France at the Battle of Verdun and taken to a Belgian hospital. He received a purple heart for his action during this action.
Walter B. Gunning ( 1896-1962, Veteran of WWI. Awarded a Purple Heart for his action during the Battle of Verdun, France.
Walter was educated in the Ticonderoga school system and graduated from the Spencer Business School in Schenectady, NY. He served as postmaster in Ticonderoga from 1921 to 1935, receiving appointments under Presidents Harding, Coolidge and Roosevelt. Following his postal service, he opened his insurance agency here in 1935. In 1938, he was named registrar of vital statistics for the Village of Ticonderoga and held that post until his death in 1962.
We welcome the public to this years “Memory Walk” presentation at Valley View Cemetery where we will be honoring another select group of veterans. Services will be held at the Hancock House if inclement weather. After the service light refreshments will be served at the Hancock House.