At Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Veterans Day ceremony honors past and present heroes

By Steve ElliottNovember 22, 2010

Veterans Groups
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naturalization ceremony
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Color Guard
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District 20 Veterans of Foreign Wars
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FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- The gray sky and intermittent drizzle did nothing to dampen the patriotic spirit of about 1,500 people who came out to honor service members, past and present, at the Veterans Day ceremony at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery Nov. 11.

Among those gathered in solemn tribute were older veterans of wars long past who took their uniforms out of storage for another year's remembrance.

There were Families tearfully remembering a loved one lost in combat and laid to rest among thousands of others in the expansive and historic cemetery.

And there was one group for which Veterans Day marked a new chapter in their lives, as they were officially sworn in as citizens of the United States of America.

Twenty-three veterans from countries around the world who have served or are still serving in the U.S. military raised their right hands and swore their allegiance to America in a naturalization ceremony conducted by the Honorable John W. Primomo, U.S. magistrate judge for the western district of Texas. The new citizens then got a long standing ovation from the crowd gathered for the musical tribute to veterans at the cemetery.

Forgoing the usual guest speaker, it was instead a day of patriotic songs and stirring instrumentals as the U.S. Army Medical Command Band, the Texas Children's Choir and the San Antonio Chordsmen thrilled listeners with stirring renditions of "God Bless America," "Stars and Stripes Forever" and the "Battle Hymn of the Republic." And service pride was on display as the band, playing a medley of all the service songs, inspired different parts of the crowd to stand up and sing.

For the band's Sgt. Rudolfo Furtado, it was a day that was very special.

"This was planned for a long time," said the Army musician, who had his wife and infant son at the ceremony as well. "Between deployments and PCS moves, priorities change, like us having a baby.

"I started the paperwork five years ago and then put it on hold," said Furtado, who usually plays guitar, bass and string bass, but was playing percussion for the ceremony.

"When I finally got everything together, I wanted the full band in blues there for my ceremony, which usually happens at the Institute of Texan Cultures downtown."

When Furtado discovered the Veterans Day ceremony would include the entire band in their blue uniforms, he said he was excited that all his band mates would be present.

"I had wanted it to happen a little earlier so I could have voted in the Nov. 2 elections, but this was pretty memorable," Furtado said with a wide smile as he accepted congratulations from friends and Family. "I felt I was an American before the official ceremony. I was born and raised in Fortaleza, Brazil, but I was an American in my heart.

This just made it official.

"This Veterans Day will always have a double meaning for me," the sergeant said. "It was a day for veterans and it was the day I became a citizen."

Before the naturalization ceremony, numerous wreaths and banners from veterans groups and civic and military organizations were placed around the main flagpole. They were placed by elderly vets using canes and wheelchairs, a group of Native American vets in ceremonial regalia and Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

They passed rows of graves, marked with red ribbons, as each group paid their respects to fallen veterans while a lone bugler played "Taps" in the background.

After the ceremony, smaller groups gathered at individual grave markers, paying their respects in private to those who had given the ultimate sacrifice for their country.