• CHRISTINA BURKE - Victoria Advocate
• Originally published May 24, 2008 at 12:38 a.m., updated May 24, 2008 at 12:38 a.m.

A crowd of 60 people stood in silence to remember the fallen soldiers, prisoners of war and the soldiers missing in action at the Lions Club pavilion at Riverside Park on Friday.

A half dozen men stood up and were recognized with loud applause for their service to the United States. One in particular stood much taller than most at the 21st annual Senior Citizens’ Memorial Day picnic.

“Three baths in 19 months and the same uniform,” said Orby Ledbetter, 86, of Victoria.

“I weighed about 100 pounds when we escaped at 3 a.m. over the barbed wire fence,” said the former staff sergeant and platoon leader of the 36th Division with the Texas National Guard and former POW. “Ten of us escaped; it took us 10 days to get back to the American lines.”

Ledbetter was on patrol four miles past the German lines in Italy when he was taken prisoner.

For him, the annual picnic reminds him of the time he spent as a POW and of the men he served with who didn’t make it home.

“I’ve got a full life, grandkids and great-grandkids. Their lives were stopped at 16, 17 and 18-years-old, in their teen years. I think about them every Memorial Day and a whole lot of time in between.”

Checkered plastic table cloths covered the long picnic tables under the pavilion where a cool breeze blew. The radio quietly played tunes from decades past as attendees played a few raucous rounds of bingo for prizes like canned tuna, gardening gloves and canned vegetables.

The annual Memorial Day picnic was a festive event that offered fellowship and friendship with lots of smiles, hugs and pecks on the cheek.

“No matter where I go, I’ll find friends,” said Rosy Richardson, who moved to Victoria a little over a year ago.

Others agreed.

“I come every year and have a big blow-out. You can see we’re all having fun,” said retiree Bertha Williams of Victoria.

Elida Medellin who rode over on the Senior Citizens Center bus said, “It’s a lot of fun and I like it. We eat, we play bingo, and we get out of the house.”

In addition to honoring “those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Debbie Garner, executive director of the Senior Citizens Center, they delivered 115 meals to the shut-in elderly at their homes.

“We do that on a daily basis, Monday through Friday,” said Goldie Wilkins, coordinator of the program. The senior citizens program is separate from the Meals on Wheels and is funded by donations, sponsorships and volunteers.

Christina Burke is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact her at 361-580-6516 or cburke@vicad.com.

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