In extreme cold, nearly 500 volunteers ventured to the Veteran’s Cemetery to lay wreaths on our veterans headstones. For a full gallery, see below. (Dustin White photo)

Dustin White
Editor

The Veteran’s Cemetery, south of Mandan, was set to be under a full coverage of wreaths for another year in a row, as part of the Wreaths Across American project; however, added difficulties would be seen. With multiple blizzards running through area, and a frigid cold entering the state, this year’s Wreaths project experienced its fair share of hiccups. 

Having raised their goal of 6,000 wreaths, the local Wreaths Across America program was set for the ceremony on Dec. 17, 2016, to correspond with nearly 1,100 similar ceremonies across the country. 



As the date approached though, a blizzard rolled through the state, followed by extreme colds. With temperatures predicted to plummet below zero on the Saturday of the ceremony, the Bismarck Squadron Civil Air Patrol, who facilitated this years Wreath program, made the decision to adjust the program, for the safety of all involved. 

Unlike years past, the formal ceremony would be canceled. 

“Our ceremony each year is very special and central to the mission of Wreaths Across America,” Lt Col Sean Johnson, Chief of Staff for the N.D. Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, said. “We don’t take lightly the decision to cancel the ceremony portion of the event. We take seriously the safety of our members and the public though, and decided the best way to minimize everyone’s exposure to the elements is to focus the event on placing wreaths on individual gravesites.”

Delays
While attendees were encouraged to bundle up due to the extreme weather that was forecasted, a delay in the shipment of wreaths would occur. 

Due to poor road conditions, and harsh weather throughout much of the country, the truck, coming from Maine, carrying the wreaths for the event, had to proceed slower than anticipated. The schedule for the event was up in the air, and for those wanting to attend, they would have to wait patiently. 

Hoping to be able to still complete the event during that weekend, the Wreaths program was tentatively rescheduled for the next day, Sunday, Dec. 18. Knowing they would have to still brave the extreme weather, it was just a matter of waiting for the shipment to arrive. 

Grateful, the Civil Air Patrol received the wreaths on Sunday, and the ceremony was able to proceed. 

Ceremony
Looking to keep people out of the cold, the ceremony began promptly at 3 p.m. While only 472 individuals attended the ceremony, less than half of previous years, the volunteers made quick work of laying the wreaths. 

However, there was another difference from past years. With many of the graves nearly completely covered by snow, volunteers also worked to clear headstones, as to allow wreaths to lean properly. 

As the day wore on though, and the cold set in, some of the graves that were completely buried were only partly uncovered, to make sure that each headstone, each solider, was honored. 

In a little over half an hour, the cemetery was completely covered. The community had come together to honor all North Dakota Veterans. 

Removal
Originally scheduled for Jan. 21, 2017, removal of the wreaths from the Veteran’s Cemetery also had to be postponed due to the weather. 



With additional blizzards rolling through the state, blanketing the area with an massive amount of snow, many of the wreaths, and remaining headstones, became effectively buried. 

Waiting for a thaw, the wreath removal has been postponed until a later date, with a possibility of moving it back to March.