Memorial Day Gravestones Ceremony at Philadelphia Cemetery
May 27, 2023
As part of the continuing effort by the 69th Pa “Irish Volunteers” to recognize and honor the men who served in the Regiment 1861 – 1865. Each Memorial Day we gather at the graves of our veterans. Usually, these gravesites had never had a gravestone marking the soldier by name, rank, company or date of death. These “invisible” graves are discovered by research and working with the Veterans Administration, a new gravestone is obtained. The 69th pays the costs of the implementation of the gravestones and holds a ceremony inviting descendants whenever possible. To date, we have financed & installed 108 of these gravestones.
This year we had the rare opportunity to enter an established Federal Cemetery in Philadelphia and to have ceremonies on the already installed gravestones of 69th veterans. On May 27 our members gathered; heard the story of each veterans; placed Irish Soil on their grave and fired volleys.
