Coordinators with the 2021 Veterans Day programs for Wetumpka have announced this year's lineup. Veteran's Day tributes will begin Thursday at 9 a.m. when Wetumpka Fire Department will park the ladder truck in front of Trinity Episcopal Church, at 5375 US Hwy 231 S., displaying a very large United States Flag over Hwy 231 throughout the day.
Beginning at 10 a.m. VFW Post 4572 Auxiliary and Pack 50 will hold their annual dedication by placing US Flags on the graves of service members with a recognition program at Pineview Cemetery on US Hwy 111.
The Flag Dedication will be followed by the Veteran's Day Ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. VFW Post 4572 will also host a lunch at the post, which is located at 100 Otter Track Road.
At 2 p.m. there will be a program to present flags where SFC Leon R. Brasington will be recognized with the presentation of an American Flag this year. SFC Brasington resides in Wetumpka, with his wife Jan. SFC Brasington served in the US Army as a UH-1 Huey helicopter crew chief during the Vietnam War and returned to serve in the Alabama Army National Guard in his beloved unit the 1133rd Medical Company (AA). He also served in an OH-6 and OH -58 A/C Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (TARC) unit. He retired from the Alabama National Guard. Today he still gives of himself weekly by riding in the Patriot Guard to honor service members during funeral details.
Boatswain's Mate First Class (BM1) William F. Cody (Bill), who died earlier this year, will be memorialized. Cody's duty was maintaining Aids to Navigation (Memphis, TN). He performed Search and Rescue from Coast Guard Base in Mobile. In 1975, he taught Aids to Navigation at the School in Yorktown, VA. Cody's wife Lin will be presented with an Alabama Flag, which was once flown over the Alabama State Capital. Cody began as a riverboat captain on the Mississippi River and then later joined the US Coast Guard. He was related to Buffalo Bill Cody of the Wild West Show. His great-grandfather's brother was Buffalo Bill Cody. His family had numerous family members who served in several branches and today his grandson is assigned to the Alabama Army National Guard in Montgomery.
