Major General James E. Livingston

THOMASVILLE- The Board of Directors and steering committee for the Thomasville/Thomas County Veterans Museum will host its first Memorial Day luncheon on May 22 at the Plaza Restaurant in downtown Thomasville.

“This is an opportunity for us to recognize some of our key supporters over the last three years of establishing our effort in our community while at the same time honoring our veterans,” said steering committee president Lt. Col. Stann McLeod. “Dr. Ron Bannister, who has been part of our steering committee from the beginning, has put in a yeoman’s effort in organizing this very special event.”

Major General James E. Livingston will be featured as the keynote speaker. A retired United States Marine major general, Livingston was awarded the United States’ highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for heroic actions in the three-day Battle of Dai Bo during the Vietnam War in 1968. In March 1975, he returned to Vietnam and served as Operations Officer for the Vietnam evacuation operations which included Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon. Livingston served on active duty in the Marine Corps over 33 years before retiring.

Approximately 200 people are expected to attend the event, which will honor and recognize veterans from every branch of service. The luncheon will also provide those in attendance a look inside the ongoing effort to establish the museum as a viable part of our community.

The Thomasville/Thomas County Veterans Museum is planned to be an education-based center that will feature an overview of American history with a particular focus on local veterans and their impact on that history. An added focus on patriotism and civics education will also be included. Extensive use of technology, including online genealogical resources for families to research their own histories, will be part of the overall facility.

“Our community is now needed to help underpin this project through membership support,” McLeod added. “We are seeking 100 families that will be designated as our “1st Company Veteran Defenders” to commit to a $25 per month contribution toward our effort. Each family from this first group of benefactors will receive free lifetime admittance to the facility and our virtual newsletters. We know how important history and preservation are to this community, and we have no doubt this initial step will be fulfilled very quickly.”

For more information on memberships, contact Stann McLeod at (229) 403-9525 or email tlspenceveteransmuseum@gmail.com.

A few tickets for the luncheon event are available. For more information, please email Dr. Ron Bannister at banneyes@rose.net