From the Deming Headlight.
A rededication ceremony to Claude Close Howard, the first Luna County resident to fall in World War I, was performed Friday, Sept. 24 at Luna County Courthouse Park. The plaque dedicated to the young man who gave his life on a French battlefield on Sept. 24, 1918, will forever carry his message of selflessness, sacrifice and honor.
"It's so important to us, to our sense of community, to have this link, this visual connection to history," John Sutherland, Luna County manager, said during the rededication ceremony. "It's so very important for all of us to keep this link alive."
The plaque was refurbished by Mike Ochoa and Dave Close of the New Mexico Granite Company. The plaque was first erected at the Luna County Courthouse in 1918, by friends and family of Howard, who is believed to have died during an artillery bombardment. Subsequently, the local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1477 was named after Howard.
"Our post is consistently humbled by the generosity of local residents and their support of veterans," Charles Ramsey of the VFW Post said during the rededication.
Locals Totsie Slover and Miguel Bresino have each spearheaded the event after Slover found a yearbook from Deming High School which featured Howard as a member of the senior class.
In addition to the refurbishing, workers with the Luna County maintenance department painted the monument and installed lighting to illuminate Howard's memorial, a true sign that the light never fades for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
pho by Matt Robinson
Photo by Matt Robinson
A Claude Close Howard Memorial Walk from the Veterans park to the Court house was planned and as members of the local VFW Post 1477 we were invited to attend as well as the other local vets groups. In my own opinion there was not a very good turnout and I was disappointed, but hey that’s just me. Others said that it was a fairly good turnout.
For me the walk was a tough one but I made it. The local National Guard lead the walk.
We gathered at the new memorial and several of the local dignitaries spoke. As the Junior Vice Commander of Post 1477 I did my little speech and was presented with a 8X10 picture of Claude Close Howard to be posted in the VFW Post. They unveiled the new memorial and I must say it was really nice. The work was done by the New Mexico Granite Company.
Photo by Matt Robinson
Taps were played at the end of the dedication.
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