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South Valley Riverton Journal

Riverton remembers those who served, no matter how long ago

Jun 18, 2018 01:26PM ● By Mariden Williams

The community gathered on blankets and lawn chairs to watch the service.

By Mariden Williams | [email protected]

Riverton residents honored their fallen veterans with their annual Memorial Day service on May 28. Since 2018 marks the 100-year anniversary of the end of World War I, this year's service shone a particular light on the 44 World War I veterans buried in the cemetery. 

Residents gathered at the Riverton City Cemetery (1540 West. 13200 South) at noon and sat on blankets and lawn chairs to watch the program, which included the American Legion Honor Guard, a 21-gun salute, and a reading of the names of all the cemetery's deceased veterans. 

Decorating the cemetery for the event was a community effort. Volunteers met at the cemetery the evening before the service to place flags on veterans' graves. In addition to the flags, the Riverton Historic Preservation Commission received a small $600 grant from the Utah World War I commission, to be used for making metal poppies to place on the World War I veterans' graves.

"World War I veterans, none of them are left, and so nobody can tell their stories," said Riverton Historic Preservation Chairman Andy Pierucci back in March, when the Riverton HPC first applied for the grant. "We'd like to be able to help recognize not only those that served in World War I for Riverton, but also just for World War I in general—all those that served."