LOUISA COUNTY, Va. — Courthouse Square in Louisa County is a place Harvey Fleshman knows well.
The 85-year-old U.S. Navy veteran pays homage at the Louisa County war memorial on national holidays.
"I was born two miles from here, and I’ve lived here with the exception of my time in the military. I’ve lived here all my life," Fleshman said. "There are three memorial services here a year. It was dedicated on November 11, 2000."
Fleshman’s visits remind him of a time when he not only witnessed but played a role in American history at another memorial far away.
“It does. Totally. It is a feeling nothing else could do for you,” Fleshman said.
While stationed in Germany, the Louisa native was selected for a special mission in 1960.
It was an order from the higher-ups he never expected.
“They told me to get my blues and whites and my gear. He said I’d be going on temporary duty,” Fleshman said.
The 21-year-old joined a special team.
“It was a seven-man firing squad,” Fleshman said.
The squad’s mission?
To represent the U.S. Armed Forces during opening ceremonies at five American military cemeteries across France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.
“It was very solemn. Very solemn. You could hear a pin drop,” Fleshman said.
Thousands of crosses standing silently mark the final resting places of tens of thousands of American soldiers killed in action during World War II.
"Every one of them was in pristine condition. Each one looked like they were cut with scissors and a comb," Fleshman said.
The young soldiers at rest here never made it home.
Their families chose to leave their loved ones in the countries they helped to liberate.
"If you think about the camaraderie in the service," Fleshman said. “Those guys were together right to the end. They died with their buddies.”
Harvey Fleshman provided the 21-gun salute.
“You just did what you had to do,” Fleshman said. “It came in the sequence of ready, aim, fire.”
Moments captured in black and white.
“This is from a newspaper in Luxembourg. It shows a different shot of the firing squad,” Fleshman said. “It sends shockwaves through you that will stay with you forever.”
Harvey says he and his team strive for perfection.
Watch: When her college cancelled WW II class, she found a veteran to share his story
Downtime between ceremonies is dedicated to rehearsing.
“You know the importance of it. It is a sign of ultimate respect,” Fleshman said.
The weight of the moment is not lost on the serviceman from Virginia far from home.
"The number of brothers and fathers and sons. It is tough,” Fleshman said. “Of course, nobody was paying attention to us. They were waiting for the volley, so if there were tears, it didn’t matter.”
Waves of emotion wash over the young sailor.
"You couldn’t keep the tears from rolling," Fleshman said.
Thousands of grateful Dutch, French, and Belgian citizens attend the ceremonies.
"Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Girl Scouts paraded onto the cemetery and placed American flags and Belgian flags," Fleshman said.
To this day, the cemeteries are cared for by the American Battle Monuments Commission.
Fleshman said the soldiers who gave all deserve eternal care.
"Because the rights and privileges wouldn’t exist had they not gone there and won the wars," Fleshman said.
Watch: Virginia veteran and comic book artist Clutch honors his fallen friends through graphic novels
Mementos and keepsakes trigger a flood of recollections for this widower and father of two.
Fleshman's odyssey in the summer of 1960 lasted only three weeks, but the memories still reverberate across the decades.
"It is the greatest one in my life," Fleshman said. "There is not another honor that will compare. It was part of doing my part. I wouldn’t trade it."
Harvey Fleshman is a Navy veteran who not only witnessed American military history but played a small role in it.
It was a duty he still holds close to his heart 65 years later.
"It is an experience you never expect. It is also one that is cherished too," Fleshman said. “It is the greatest honor that I’ve ever had for sure.”
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