William King, Commander VFW Post 10624, and Ron Herzog perform the Missing Man Table Ceremony during the 2018 Memorial Day Remembrance Event. (Photo by James Arrowood)

Each year, the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center pays tribute to the fallen service members who paid the ultimate price for freedom with a Memorial Day Remembrance Event in their honor. This year, the event will be held on Friday, May 24 at 10 a.m. in the Charleston VAMC Main Auditorium.

“The opportunity to spend time with our Veterans and employees paying honor to fallen is a special moment for us at the Charleston VA,” said Director and CEO Scott Isaacks. “This time of year is always an important time to take a step back and focus on the cost of freedom that has been paid by so many selfless individuals, like our namesake PFC Ralph H. Johnson. We take their sacrifice as a charge to make sure that we deliver the best possible care to those who come back, and we will continue to strive to become the best health care facility for our Veterans in their honor.”

The event will feature remarks from South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District Representative Joe Cunningham, Isaacks, and keynote speaker retired Rear Admiral James H. Flatley III. Flatley was the first Navy pilot to land a C-130 Hercules cargo plane on an aircraft carrier and flew more than 300 combat missions in Vietnam. After 31 years of service, he retired and went on to become the CEO of Patriots Point Development Authority and Executive Director of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum and has spent 20 years as a Board Trustee for Roper St. Francis.

By Scott Pauley, Public Affairs Specialist