By UTC (SCW) Scott A. Kristek, CSFE DET Sheppard Public Affairs
CECR Diamond Thompson, CSFE DET Sheppard AFB, places a flag at the headstone of a fallen Navy Veteran of WWII, Journey s End Cemetery, Burkburnett, Texas, May 24.
Seabee staff and students from Center for Seabees and Facilities Engineering (CSFE) DET Sheppard Air Force Base (AFB) helped honor veterans and their families resting at Journey s End Cemetery, Burkburnett, Texas, May 24, by sprucing up the grounds for Memorial Day.
Twelve students and three staff members mowed grass, cleared brush, trimmed around gravesites, pulled weeds, set headstones and placing flags at the site, ensuring the cemetery was presentable for family honors on Mon., May 26. Seabees returned on May 31 to set 14 more headstones that arrived for placement, with up to 70 more scheduled to be delivered this summer.
Journey s End Cemetery was established in 1933 by the Colored Citizens League of Burkburnett. Due to segregation laws of that era, African American veterans were prohibited from utilizing Burkburnett Memorial Cemetery. There are currently seven Burkburnett veterans from World War II and the Korean War buried at the site. Due to limited funding for maintenance support, Seabees took advantage of the opportunity to spruce up the grounds for Memorial Day visitors.
CECS (SCW) Joseph Johnson (foreground) hands out flags for A school volunteers to place at the headstones of fallen veterans, Journey s End Cemetery, Burkburnett, Texas, May 24, in preparation for Memorial Day.
It was a privilege and honor to be able to come out for a couple hours on Memorial Day weekend, said Utilitiesman Constructionman Apprentice Christopher Harris, Utilitiesman A School student, CSFE DET Sheppard. [We] provided such a simple service to the community, but [hopefully made] an impact for the families coming to visit.
This was our second year of helping out the Journey s End, said Senior Chief Constructionman Electrician Joseph Johnson, assistant officer in charge, CSFE DET Sheppard. It s a good event because we get to show our respect toward the fallen veterans buried here.
CECA Kevin Torres and UTCA Minhal Shah, CSFE DET Sheppard AFB, prepare a headstone setting for a resident of Journey s End Cemetery, Burkburnett, Texas, May 24.
For more information on CSFE DET Sheppard AFB, visit
https://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/csfe/sheppard/.