LEWISTON — Speakers at the Memorial Day program at Veterans Memorial Park invoked the sentiments of historical figures Saturday as a large crowd witnessed the unveiling of the 28th commemorative granite stone honoring Maine men and women who have served in all branches of the military.

Heading the program’s list of speakers was Retired Maj. Gen. Susan Y. Desjardins, U.S. Air Force. She most recently has served as director of Plans and Policy (J5), U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, in Nebraska.

She praised the L/A Veterans Council’s officers and members for their efforts in erecting commemorative stones, including the one dedicated Saturday morning which bears her name, as well as the names of several of her family members.

“How do we adequately thank a relatively small fragment of our population that has done so much?” she asked.

She said the best way is to honor the fallen and recognize the living who also will also have borne the burden of battle.

“We must care for those who have been wounded physically and emotionally,” she said.

She named her family members honored on the park’s 28th stone.

“My father, Albert Desjardins, U.S. Marine Corps, was born, raised and educated in Lewiston,” she said. “He was a U.S. Marine forward artillery observer in the Korean War. He was wounded several times and decorated for actions that took place in a firefight.”

Desjardins also spoke of her mother, Ann, who served 1954-56 as a U.S. Air Force nurse in Alabama; and a brother, Tom, who was born in Maine, attended Maine Maritime Academy and became a Navy ROTC ensign. He served five years on active duty and over 20 in the Naval Reserves.

Her sister, Cheryl, served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in West Germany just before the Berlin Wall came down and the Cold War ended.

She also noted that a sister, Nancy, while she did not serve in uniform, was a Navy spouse who raised two children much of the time while her husband was deployed.

Desjardins emphasized that countless family members not named on the stones “served their country in their own ways.”

Brig. Gen. Douglas Farnham, Maine Air National Guard, told the audience that Desjardins was among the first female graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado.

Farnham quoted celebrated Civil War General Joshua Chamberlain from a speech at Lewiston City Hall in 1879, who said, “defense of the country is a sacred trust and one of the highest duties of citizenship.”

Desjardins and Farnham unveiled the five-foot-tall, double-sided 28th stone, standing next to the others in the large circle. The stone bears a total of more than 6,000 names, all of which are dedicated to various military services. The new stone has a U.S. Air National Guard emblem at the top.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at a new walkway to the large floral star planting honoring Gold Star Mothers located near the circle of granite stones. A new granite bench donated by the Lewiston High School Class of 1966 has been added to the park.

U.S. Senator Angus King told a story of gallantry at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1, 1863, where 275 Maine men of the 16th Maine Regiment of the Army of the Potomac were ordered to hold back the entire Confederate Army “at all costs” for as long as they could. All but 38 of those men and boys were either killed or captured. The brave action of those 275 men allowed 16,000 soldiers to withdraw to safety and ultimate victory.

“This state has an amazing history in defense of our country,” he said.

Bright sunshine brought out hundreds of families along the parade route from Lewiston’s Kennedy Park. Marchers and a variety of vehicles crossed Longley Memorial Bridge to Auburn, circled Great Falls Plaza and returned across the bridge to the riverside park on the Lewiston side.

In recognition of the 75th anniversary of the Civil Air Patrol, a CAP plane flyover took place over the Great Falls, piloted by Lt. Col. Warren King with observer Maj. Mary Story King.

Chaplains of local veteran organizations called names of recently deceased members and the military and civil dignitaries laid wreaths at the “Freedom Is Not Free” monument near Main Street, followed by a three-cannon salute and playing of taps by Roger Renaud.

Several patriotic musical numbers were performed by the Just Us Entertainers. This vocal ensemble has supported L/A Veterans Council activities for more than 20 years.

Parade units included:

• Numerous veteran organizations;

• the Highlanders bagpipe band of Kora Shrine Temple;

• ROAR of the Androscoggin” consisting of more than 100 marching musicians from Lewiston High School, Edward Little High School of Auburn and Leavitt High School of Turner;

• Boy Scout Troop 121 of Auburn;

• Girl Scouts of Maine;

• Lewiston High School’s Air Force Junior ROTC; and

• Several specialized vehicles, including engines of the Lewiston and Auburn Fire departments.

The “Just Us Entertainers” with Nel Meservier at the keyboard also participated.

Jerry DeWitt, chairman of the Lewiston/Auburn Veterans Council, served as master of ceremonies.