Veterans Last Patrol Honor

Submitted eventS 2023 Submitted eventS 2023

Ceremony for Edward Endres

By Wally Wersching

Approximately 150,000 veterans go into hospice care each year. Many spend weeks and months with little companionship or attention from the veterans community. The Veterans Last Patrol (VLP) is an organization that works to provide friendship to military veterans who are in a nursing home or hospice care. To learn more about VLP, visit their web site at www.veteranlastpatrol.org . Their Mission is to Befriend, Honor, and Support veterans in hospice care. The veterans served us. The VLP continue to serve them. They have committed their team to help wherever they can. NO VETERAN IS LEFT BEHIND.

Every fall, the VLP holds an Honor Ride to Nursing Home Facilities, and car show to honor the veterans. It gets bigger every year. I went to the last two, and had a great time. During the last ride, I signed up to receive notifications from them on upcoming events.

Last week, I received a notice that they were going to hold a veteran honor ceremony at the veteran’s home in York, SC. There was a designated meeting place, and time to meet. I decided that I wanted to see what they do to honor a veteran.

Edward Endres served in the US Navy for 20 years. He spent a lot of time on nuclear submarines. After he retired, he worked for the US Postal Service which has many veterans because the time spent in the military is considered for seniority in promotions.

I read the story about Ed, and we were both in the US Navy at the same time. He started in 1960, and I went in in 1965. My job in the Navy was Sonar – tracking submarines. We might have conducted operations together once or twice.

After lunch on Friday, May 5th, I headed south on Rt 5 toward York, SC. I used the GPS to get to the meeting place – the Liberty Church on Blessed Hope Road in York. At first, the GPS was lost. She had me turning where there wasn’t any road. I continued heading south on Rt 5 because I knew approximately where the church was located. To my surprise, the GPS guided me directly to the church where I met members of the VLP. After a cordial greeting, we drove to Ed’s house out in the country.

After we parked at Ed’s house, we unloaded the cars, and carried the stuff to the back porch. There was an aluminum wheel chair ramp going almost all around the house to the screened-in back porch. There Brad, the lead volunteer (an ex Drill Instructor) started setting up the stage for the presentation ceremony.

Ed had the place of honor directly in front of the stage. During the next hour, the VLP volunteers told about how Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the lyrics for the Star Spangled Banner, and how important the American flag was.

During the program, there was some music like “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood. Brad acted out the emotions portrayed in the song. It was very moving. The first time I remember hearing that song was at Stone Mountain Park during the Confederate Laser Light Show. It was moving then too.

After the program ended, Ed was given many presents and awards. I gave him the Appreciation Award along with a card signed by veterans all over America. He was given a Bible and a Quilt made by an anonymous lady in Spartanburg. It was beautiful, and had the VLP logo in one corner.

Later, one of the volunteers played Taps on the trumpet. It was a recording but it sounded great not like some that sound really tinny.

When the ceremony was over, the ladies and care-givers brought out the food. There was enough food to feed an army.

After the set was torn down, I helped carry the stuff out to the cars. I was glad that I came. To see the smiles on Ed’s face was worth the effort. I will definitely be part of an Honor Ceremony or any other VLP event again. It was very rewarding for Ed and all the VLP volunteers. It is a worthwhile endeavor to help the veterans in their waning hours. I know that they will be there for me when I need them.

If you want to get involved, contact them through their website: www.veteranlastpatrol.org . There’s always room for one more!