PHOTO GALLERY: Veterans remember Hall County war dead at Gainesville ceremony

Hall County military veterans once again spent part of the Memorial Day weekend at Rock Creek Veterans Park in Gainesville, remembering their fellow service members who gave the ultimate sacrifice during battle. 

Some 168 names are engraved on monuments and bricks at the park, each one in memory of a Hall County service member who was killed in action. 

This year, the veterans included the display of the Soldier's Cross as part of the ceremony. Vietnam veteran Johnny Hulsey, one of the organizers of the annual Memorial Day event, said he and some other local veterans saw a similar ceremony at a recent Moving Wall presentation in John's Creek and wanted to make the same presentation in Gainesville.

"We try to do something new every year," Hulsey said, noting that the Soldier's Cross has special significance for him. "If you'll notice our Vietnam monument, it's got the soldier's cross on it. We had a lot of designs to choose from, but that's what we came up with because we lost our brothers in Vietnam and that's what the Soldier's Cross is about - to honor the war dead.

More than 200 people attended the 2 p.m. memorial ceremony at the park.

Click on the photo to see a full pictorial gallery from Sunday's ceremony. 

A dozen roses lay at the base of the Korean War Veterans Monument, one for each Hall County service member killed in the Korean Conflict.

This chair, covered in black, was on display in memory of Cecil Boswell, a World War II veteran who passed away in February at the age of 99. Boswell always attended the ceremony at Rock Creek Park. He also was a fixture in Gainesville's Memorial Day parade, walking the route for years in his Army uniform.

The Vietnam Veterans of America, Gainesville Chapter presented the Soldier's Cross for the first time as part of their Memorial Day observance.

Three Vietnam veterans visit with each other at the conclusion of Sunday afternoon's Memorial Day observance in Gainesville.

A bagpiper plays Amazing Grace at the annual Memorial Day observance comes to a close at Rock Creek Veterans Park in Gainesville.

A crowd of more than 200 attended Sunday's Memorial Day ceremony at Rock Creek Veterans Park in Gainesville.

Veterans laid roses at the monuments at Rock Creek Veterans Park as the names of Hall County's war dead were read aloud at a Sunday ceremony.

Veterans invited the youth in the crowd to lead the Pledge of Allegiance at Sunday's Memorial Day observance at Rock Creek Veterans Park in Gainesville.

Family members of local service members who passed away this year pray during the Memorial Day observance at Rock Creek Veterans Park.

Nealy Webster, 11, of Dahlonega sings the Armed Forces Medley at Sunday's Memorial Day observance. at Rock Creek Veteran's Park.

Rock Creek Veterans Park has a new arch at the park entrance. The arch will be dedicated in a ceremony on June 10.

Dan Allison, a U.S. Army veteran who served during the Korean War, salutes during the Pledge of Allegiance.

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