Hundreds of Utah military veterans gathered at Camp Williams Monday to dedicate a Memorial Chapel at the Utah Veterans Memorial Park and to pay homage to their fallen comrades.
The new chapel was named in honor of Carl O. Scholz, a Marine veteran of the Korean War, whose son Kevin C. Scholz has served as the memorial park's architect.Maj. Gen. George P. Holm, U.S. Army retired, gave the keynote address at the ceremony. Holm is a veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He is a past chairman of the Utah Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.
Holm said veterans have played a key role in ensuring the right of Americans to gather for any purpose, whether it be to honor veterans or protest war.
"It is certainly proper that we do this (gather)," said Holm. "It is certainly proper that we pause on this day to honor our veterans who have suffered and endured so much and sacrificed so much for our nation.
"The veterans are a vital part of our heritage," Holm said. "You and I are here today in freedom and can celebrate this auspicious event only because of the many sacrifices our veterans have made throughout our history."
Holm said all veterans share a common "hatred for war, for its destruction and desolation."
"They wish, like men and women of reason everywhere, for lasting and enduring peace," Holm said. "But these veterans know, better than anyone can know, that peace can only be secured by a people willing and strong to defend it."
Holm said there are two ways to honor veterans. First, Americans must make a commitment to keep America strong, "strong in principle, strong in democracy and yes, strong in defense."
Secondly, the nation must make a firm commitment to restore and preserve veteran benefits.