Honoring history: Soldiers breathe new life into hallowed ground

By Jeremy Henderson, Army Flier Staff WriterMarch 20, 2015

Honoring history: Soldiers breathe new life into hallowed ground
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FORT RUCKER, Ala. (March 20, 2015) -- Volunteerism and history intersected during a recent Saturday afternoon when a small group of Soldiers gathered to breathe new life into old hallowed ground.

Sgt. Delani Simmons of 1st Battalion, 223rd Aviation Regiment, Air Ambulance Detachment "Flatiron," joined three other Soldiers to initiate a special beautification project for the historic Clayhill Cemetery on post as part of a blossoming project spearheaded by Fort Rucker's Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program.

Simmons, along with fellow Flatiron members and BOSS volunteers Sgt. 1st Class Fabian Montano, Spc. Kimberly Lopez, Pfc. Robert Rios, worked diligently into the evening to kick start the process.

"The cemetery was riddled with leaves and small brush," Simmons said. "We tried to clean up as much as possible. We were able to accumulate 30 large bags of debris."

Clayhill Cemetery, located in the central portion of Fort Rucker, less than a mile south of Alabama Highway 27, and northwest of Lake Tholocco, is reputed by local residents to a be a slave cemetery. According to historical documents, a total of 64 known graves occupy Clayhill Cemetery. However, only 15 have legible biographical information (see sidebar). Clayhill Cemetery contains the highest number of unmarked graves, most marked with sandstone or wood.

According to Simmons, dilapidated markings make it difficult to recognize grave locations and information concerning most of those buried at the site.

"When we began cleaning, we noticed the majority of the headstones were either sticks with no clear identifying marks or the stones had been sunken into the ground," Simmons said. "Our main purpose was cleaning off those areas so you could notice the location of the sites."

Simmons chose Clayhill Cemetery after a suggestion from Command Sgt. Maj. William D. Lohmeyer, Fort Rucker garrison command sergeant major, during a previous BOSS meeting.

"When Sergeant Major Lohmeyer brought it up during one of our BOSS meetings, I took it to my chain of command to ask if it would be an opportunity to volunteer as a unit," Simmons said. "Unfortunately, due to our flight schedule, there were only four of us who were able to participate.

Simmons said Clayhill's history as a slave cemetery made the beautification work personally satisfying.

"It felt great to be able to give something back," he said. "Especially for me, as an African American, it felt great to be able to give something back and breathe new life into this historical site.

"The slave cemetery, on my side, was something that drew me to it," he added. "That was something that lead me to choose Clayhill to be the site we restored, especially being on the heels of (African American History Month). I found it was in a secluded area that doesn't get any foot traffic. I felt it would be a good opportunity to give back and recognize the heritage here at Fort Rucker that isn't often seen.

Simmons said the experience could be described with one word.

"Enlightening is the best term I can use to describe it," he said. "When you first come up to it, all you see is the fence line and the debris. You couldn't tell it was a cemetery. It doesn't get a lot of foot traffic because it is cut off by training areas. I felt as though, by going out there, we were able to pay homage to those at rest there."

According to Lohmeyer, plans are being formed to provide additional beautification and better markings for graves at Clayhill Cemetery.

"I would like to create more noticeable name placards and affix them to something in the area," he said. "We don't want to recreate the headstones, but simply put something in place to better identify who rests at that location. If people do go out there, then it will be more visible who is laid to rest there."

According to historical documents, the cemetery was built adjacent to Clayhill Church by emancipated slaves around 1865. The exact number of graves has not been determined due to cement discs and river rocks being placed as grave markers, but researchers have estimated there are more than 100 burial sites.

Lohmeyer said he was pleasantly surprised when the Soldiers chose Clayhill.

"This wasn't a tasking, it wasn't a detail," he said. "It was four Soldiers, all from Flatiron, volunteering their time. I was pleased they chose such a historically-significant and seldom-seen site for their work. It is a perfect opportunity to draw attention to Fort Rucker's rich history."

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Fort Rucker, Ala.

U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence