Memorial Day tradition holds fast

You just can't cancel Memorial Day. After initially announcing there would be no ceremonies by the Combined Cloquet Honor Guard because of coronavirus concerns, events to honor the nation's fallen soldiers came together anyway.

At Cloquet's Veterans Park, a prayer was said, wreaths were laid - representing each branch of the military - and Marine Lance Corp. Bryce Moe played taps on his trumpet, as a crowd of nearly two dozen people stood silently Monday morning. At Hillcrest Cemetery, above Pinehurst Park, a handful of people watched Moe in silence, a somber moment.

Monday's events in Cloquet and at other stops the Honor Guard made - 11 in all - grew organically after Moe decided late last week that he would perform. He's been playing with the guard for five years. Because he is younger and less at risk of serious illness should he contract the coronavirus, he said he wanted to make the rounds.

"The men and women who fought and died in the wars deserve everything we have and more," Moe said. "I know there's no way I can pay them back for their sacrifice, but we have to try. This is what I can do."

After Moe called and said he wanted to visit each of the cemeteries and churches and play taps, honor guard captains John Prouty and Rich Chasse decided to join him, with Prouty holding the flag and Chasse giving the orders.

"There were others who would have come, but we kept it minimal," Prouty said, referring to the risks of gathering together during a pandemic.

After Moe and the two honor guard captains decided they were going to make the rounds, Cloquet VFW and DAV officer Gary Dahl said he got a call from Penny Buran, the American Legion Auxiliary president, on Sunday. Since there would be a short ceremony at Veterans Park anyway, Buran suggested the VFW, Legion and DAV clubs go ahead and lay the wreaths.

"So we had sort of an impromptu celebration. ... I just happened to call a few people and it happened," Dahl said.

Legion Chaplain Linda Erickson read a short prayer to start the service. Erickson said she got the call from Penny the day before.

"I'm thrilled to just come here," Erickson said. "It would have broken my heart if nothing had happened today."

Cloquet wasn't the only place where people honored the dead on Monday. Honor guards and other military organizations held Memorial Day ceremonies across Carlton County.

The Carlton Honor Guard and VFW traveled from Cromwell to Nickerson with many stops in between before ending with a flag raising at the Carlton VFW Post.

The largest crowd of the day came to Carlton's Hillside Cemetery, where close to 100 people gathered.

The Moose Lake Honor Guard had a 21-gun salute and more during its Veterans Memorial Park ceremony, but asked that observers remain in their vehicles to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Back in Cloquet, Matt Kuperus watched the Veterans Park ceremony with his two young daughters, Maja and Olivia, taking the 8- and 5-year-old around to see the wreaths after the flag was raised and the service came to an end.

A member of the Air National Guard in Duluth, Kaperus said he thought it was important to be there. "I'm glad they did something," he said.