Beavercreek honors fallen at 2026 Memorial Day ceremony; Gold Star family recounts father's service
May 30, 2026 | Beavercreek, Greene County, Ohio
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BEAVERCREEK, Ohio — Hundreds gathered at Memorial Park on Memorial Day 2026 as the city paid tribute to service members who died in service to the United States.
A city representative opened the service “on behalf of the city of Beavercreek,” invited the VFW and American Legion to post colors, and called on Pastor Sheila Sloan of Be Hope Church to lead an invocation. The ceremony included the Pledge of Allegiance led by Eagle Scout Nathan Wiznooki, musical performances by the Beavercreek Show Choir Friends, and the laying of wreaths by Gold Star family members and veterans’ posts.
The program centered on a personal account from Gold Star family member Debbie Lamp, who, with her sister Laura, represented their father, Captain Arnold William Lamp Jr., an RF-4C pilot who died on April 12, 1969, during a photo-reconnaissance mission over Lam Dong Province, South Vietnam. “We have requested his military records, but we haven’t received them yet,” Lamp said, adding that the family will continue pursuing those records. The family noted they received Captain Lamp’s remains in 1995 and described the emotional significance of remembrance.
Colonel Matthew Muha, deputy commander of the 445th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, delivered the keynote address, framing Memorial Day as a time to honor both the fallen and the “unsung heroes” whose work supported military operations: factory workers, nurses, civilian mariners and others. Muha urged the audience to remember not only those who died in combat but also service members whose wounds and exposures had delayed effects: “Freedom is never free,” he said, and he asked listeners to expand remembrance to those who returned yet never truly came home.
Participants observed ceremonial traditions, including an explanation of the 13 folds of the American flag offered by members of VFW Post 8312 and wreath-laying by Gold Star family members followed by American Legion Post 763 and VFW Post 8312. The Beavercreek Show Choir Friends and a trumpet performance by Victoria Wilkinson provided musical elements intended to underscore the solemnity of the day.
City organizers thanked Parks and Recreation staff — including Zach White, assistant director Aaron Harris, and recreation programmer Kyle Hill — as well as foreign liaison officers from Wright-Patterson for joining the observance. The ceremony closed with a blessing and acknowledgement of the community’s obligation to honor the memories of those who sacrificed for the nation.
The service emphasized remembrance, the family costs of war, and the continuity of community support for veterans and Gold Star families.
A city representative opened the service “on behalf of the city of Beavercreek,” invited the VFW and American Legion to post colors, and called on Pastor Sheila Sloan of Be Hope Church to lead an invocation. The ceremony included the Pledge of Allegiance led by Eagle Scout Nathan Wiznooki, musical performances by the Beavercreek Show Choir Friends, and the laying of wreaths by Gold Star family members and veterans’ posts.
The program centered on a personal account from Gold Star family member Debbie Lamp, who, with her sister Laura, represented their father, Captain Arnold William Lamp Jr., an RF-4C pilot who died on April 12, 1969, during a photo-reconnaissance mission over Lam Dong Province, South Vietnam. “We have requested his military records, but we haven’t received them yet,” Lamp said, adding that the family will continue pursuing those records. The family noted they received Captain Lamp’s remains in 1995 and described the emotional significance of remembrance.
Colonel Matthew Muha, deputy commander of the 445th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, delivered the keynote address, framing Memorial Day as a time to honor both the fallen and the “unsung heroes” whose work supported military operations: factory workers, nurses, civilian mariners and others. Muha urged the audience to remember not only those who died in combat but also service members whose wounds and exposures had delayed effects: “Freedom is never free,” he said, and he asked listeners to expand remembrance to those who returned yet never truly came home.
Participants observed ceremonial traditions, including an explanation of the 13 folds of the American flag offered by members of VFW Post 8312 and wreath-laying by Gold Star family members followed by American Legion Post 763 and VFW Post 8312. The Beavercreek Show Choir Friends and a trumpet performance by Victoria Wilkinson provided musical elements intended to underscore the solemnity of the day.
City organizers thanked Parks and Recreation staff — including Zach White, assistant director Aaron Harris, and recreation programmer Kyle Hill — as well as foreign liaison officers from Wright-Patterson for joining the observance. The ceremony closed with a blessing and acknowledgement of the community’s obligation to honor the memories of those who sacrificed for the nation.
The service emphasized remembrance, the family costs of war, and the continuity of community support for veterans and Gold Star families.
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