Photos of the ceremony are courtesy of the committee. Afternoon photos of the graves with wreaths are by Mary Alice Murphy
WAA-ceremony-121820
Wreaths Across America Ceremony 121820
The wreaths ready to be mounted in honor of each branch of the service
Wreaths Across America ceremony 121820
At left, Joseph Trujillo, readies the wreaths, Mary Cowan speaks, Dr. John Bell, Michael Gonzales and Robert Lopez wait their turns to post wreaths.
Wreaths Across America ceremony 121820
Dr. Bell posts a wreath
Wreaths Across America ceremony 121820
Robert Lopez salutes after posting a wreath
Wreaths Across America ceremony 121820
Gonzales salutes after posting a wreath.
Wreaths Across America ceremony 121820
Gonzales posts another wreath.
Wreaths Across America ceremony 121820
Lopez salutes after placing a wreath
Wreaths Across America ceremony 121820
graves with wreaths and the American flag later in the afternoon
Wreaths Across America ceremony 121820
Wreaths Across America ceremony 121820
Wreaths Across America ceremony 121820
The memorial pavilion with the wreaths placed in the afternoon light.
Wreaths Across America ceremony 121820
Wreaths Across America ceremony 121820
Wreaths Across America ceremony 121820
Wreaths Across America ceremony 121820
The Fort Bayard National Cemetery served as the site for the annual Wreaths Across America ceremony on Dec. 18, 2020. Originally scheduled for Dec. 19, 2020, it had to be drastically scaled back with only five people participating due to cemetery restrictions because of COVID-19.
A few members of the Fort Bayard Wreaths Across America committee laid all the wreaths on the more than 4000 gravestones, with a wreath for every veteran buried at the cemetery, thanks to the generosity of the Grant County community.
Mary Cowan, who heads up the committee, began the effort to place wreaths on all the graves several years ago and has increased the coverage each year, with last year and this year seeing every grave covered by a wreath.
Others participating in the ceremony were committee members and veterans Dr. John Bell, Robert Lopez and Michael Gonzales, with the held of Joseph Trujillo, who manages the Fort Bayard National Cemetery for the National Cemetery Association.