Local veterans were honored last Monday morning as Veteran’s Day ceremonies were held at the County Complex and later outside the DeKalb County Courthouse at the Veteran’s Memorial.

The American Legion and Ladies Auxiliary Post 122, hosted the events, which featured speaker Danny Pan, Middle Tennessee Adjutant Post 135 Cookeville.

The DeKalb County High School Fighting Tiger Band and the DCHS Chorus under the direction of Max Patterson and Josh Gulley, were on hand for the event to entertain the crowd, along with Susan Hinton. During the event, the DCHS Band and Chorus students participated in the Pinning of the Veterans by Gentiva Hospice. Pins to presented to veterans in honor of their service.

The Vincent and Dailey video, “Unsung Heroes,” which was filmed in Smithville and features local veterans, was also shown during the event.

Jerry Hinton, Commander of the American Legion #122, and Adjutant Ronnie Redmon paid tribute to all DeKalb County veterans before Judy Redmon, President of the American Legion Ladies’ Auxiliary introduced Commander Danny Pan.

Pan told how he enlisted in the Navy in the summer of 1986, after watching the movie, Top Gun. “Not more than a day or two later, I went to my local recruiting office, and I wanted to be Maverick. Well, that didn’t happen. I enlisted in the Navy and embarked on a life-changing experience.”

“As a 17-year-old, I matured beyond my age. I traveled to places I never thought I’d go to, and experienced things most people would not experience in their whole life. I would just say that the military not only changed my life, but in a lot of ways it saved my life.”

He later told how he was assigned to the U.S.S. Tripoli during the Gulf War as it was assigned as flagship of a mine-sweep operation. “Our ship hit a mine that hit just below the waterline. The Tripoli was basically the size of a small WWII aircraft carrier. It created a 20 by 25-foot hole, but because of all of our training, were able to stay afloat and complete our mission for another week.”

Afterwards, a crowd gathered at the Veteran’s Memorial monument at the DeKalb County Courthouse, where a wreath-laying ceremony was held by Commander Hinton and fellow veterans.

Veterans returned to the complex after the ceremony, where lunch was served for veterans, their families, officials, and program participants.