Monday's Memorial Day tribute held at Veterans Memorial Park honored local military men and women who served in all branches of the US military.

New Life Church of God Pastor, Michael Owens, was the keynote speaker.

"Today, we pay tribute to those who gave all they could, so that we can stand here listening to children laughing and playing in the background," he said. "That's what they gave their last full measure for."

Owens, whose father was a US Marine and goes by the nickname, "Gunny", said that he misses calling his father every Memorial Day.

"I always used to tell my dad that if it weren't for guys like you, guys like me wouldn't have a church or a place to pastor."

DCHS JROTC members served as color guards, and raised five flags representing each arm of US military service Maj. Austin Hudgins, Sgt. First Class Michael Brown, Staff Sgt. Lindsey Nelson, Corp. Bradley Jones, and Commanding Sgt. Mjr. Joshua Trammell.

The Veterans Alliance Honor Guard paid tribute with a 21-gun salute, and the American Legion Post 247 and Military Officers Association of America placed wreaths near the war memorial.

Leading up to the event, 163 memorial markers were placed around the old courthouse and several streets in downtown Dawsonville. Members of the Vietnam Veterans of American Chapter No. 970, Dawsonville Lions Club, Etowah Masonic Lodge No. 222, Free & Accepted Masons, and the Young Business Men of Dawson County and Chestatee Masonic Lodge No. 102 donated their time to place the markers.