Memorial Day - The reason for a long weekend

Fort Vancouver Barracks Cemetery isn't far from me.  Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is run by the National Park Service.  Vancouver Barracks Cemetery

Not far from me, it's become a quiet gem that I sneak off to now and then.  I've wanted to do a cemetery walk on Veteran's Day, to take pictures, but either the weather or work has never been conducive to it.  Yesterday I drove through the cemetery and noticed that they were placing flags for Memorial Day.  (Side note:  I think it was the landscaping crew, but it was hard to tell. There were only two people actually placing flags.)  I went back out this morning with my camera for a while.

I knew there were multiple Medal of Honor recipients buried in the cemetery and I found (stumbled upon) two this morning.

Moses Williams
First Sergeant Moses Williams was a “Buffalo” soldier, serving in Company I, 9th U.S. Cavalry during the Apache War in 1881, a unit made up primarily of African American troops. On 16 August 1881, while on patrol near the Cuchillo Negro Mountains of New Mexico, the Apache attacked. First Sergeant Williams: “Rallied a detachment, skillfully conducted a running fight of 3 or 4 hours, and by his coolness, bravery, and unflinching devotion to duty in standing by his commanding officer in an exposed position under heavy fire from a large party of Indians saved the lives of at least 3 of his comrades.” Williams remained in the Army, and became the Ordinance Sergeant at Fort Stevens, delivering supplies to various Coastal Artillery Batteries along the Washington and Oregon Coasts. When he retired in 1899, Williams moved to Vancouver, and died in bed, of heart failure, three weeks later.

Rest in Peace and thank you each for your service.