SAN ANTONIO – On the first day of Memorial Day weekend, community members gathered to pay respect to some fallen heroes. It's an annual tradition at Fort Sam Houston called the Veteran's Roll Call.
A stillness filled Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery Saturday morning. All that could be heard was the rain pattering and the names of heroes being called. Several American Legion posts and other veteran organizations joined families as they honored veterans who died in the last 12 months.
"I was honored to be able to read a personal name, which was a cousin of mine," said Gilberto Chavez, with American Legion Post 336.
Chavez was one of many people who read some of the 2,430 veterans' names aloud.
"It means a lot to me that he went and gave everything to support us in the United States, and for everything we believe in and individuals here today still continue to do that," Chavez said.
"We had a family member whose husband was buried during October last year. She even brought a picture of her husband that she has sitting up there," said Robert Masten, who is the commander of the 20th District American Legion, encompassing Bexar County.
Masten has led the event for six years.
"All of these are veterans from the different war areas and we don't just want them to be a tombstone out here within the cemetery. We want to actually honor them by reading the names," Masten said.
Chavez asked one favor of the public this Memorial Day weekend.
"That they don't forget the individuals who did so much for us and gave everything," Chavez said.