Sailors honor veterans, serve community Levelling, cleaning grave markers
Joseph Almond’s headstone reads, “Born March 18, 1821; died Dec. 26, 1889. He died as he lived, a pure and upright man.”
However his headstone in Old Bayview Cemetery doesn’t reflect that – it is broken and leaning at a 45 degree angle.
Almond is one of the many pioneer settlers and veterans dating back to the War of 1812 who are buried in the Old Bayview Cemetery, the oldest federal military cemetery in Texas. And, the cemetery that about 40 first class and chief petty officers volunteered to “straighten up” recently. They levelled and cleaned about a dozen headstones with plans to work on more before Memorial Day.
“These veterans paved the way,” said HM1 Koleea Flagg, a Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi Sailor, with 16 years of service. “This is an honor. Veterans motivate us to do what we do in the military.”
YN1 Minda Perez, from Training Air Wing Four, and echoed Flagg’s sentiments. “It’s a noble cause, and a great experience linked to history and preserving their (veterans) existence.”
The Old Bayview Cemetery is about 3.5 acres tucked away in a quiet corner of the city adjacent to I-37. It was laid out by U.S. Army engineers during the encampment of Brig. Gen. Zachary Taylor just prior to the American War with Mexico. Col. H.L. Kinney provided the land, and Lt. Col. Ethan Allan Hitchcock chose the location. Although soldiers who died of disease or natural causes were interred in the cemetery, the best known burial of that period was of at least seven soldiers who died as a result of the explosion of the steamship Dayton in September 1845.
After 1846, the cemetery became a community burial ground. It contains the remains of many early settlers of Corpus Christi. Individuals interred in the cemetery came from at least 14 different countries and 26 different states. They spoke at least five different languages and served in the development of the agricultural, commercial, educational, social and religious life of the community.
Veterans of six wars are buried there. Many are victims of yellow fever and other epidemics, tropical storms and bandit raids.
Though much has been lost, stolen or destroyed, the site still contains a number of interesting tombstones and artifacts.
HM1 Robin Eastwood, from Aurora, Colorado, said she liked reading the dates and ages of the markers and learning some of our nation’s history. “You don’t ‘see’ 2nd Dragoons anymore and can see it on these headstones.”
Second Dragoons was established in 1836 is the oldest continuously serving mounted regiment in the United States Army.
Markers also bear the names of men of the 9th U.S. Calvary, 1st U.S. Infantry, 38th U.S. Infantry, U.S. Mounted Rifles and 1st Texas Cavalry.
Karen Howden, with the Friends of Old Bay-view Cemetery Association, asked for volunteers to level about a dozen headstones and make the veterans burial ground presentable in preparation of Memorial Day. As the Sailors worked, Howden recounted the histories of the soldiers and community members laid to rest there.
The Sailors learned local history as they made a difference at the cemetery and they learned about each other. Flagg, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, was working alongside AC1 Jekia Dowdell, of Air Operations, when she learned that Dowdell was also from Atlanta and that they went to neighboring schools.
Their community service connected them to the past, each other and the community. These chiefs and first class petty officers plan to return this month to enhance several more tombstones and markers.