The sound of “Taps” echoed down Dallas Avenue Wednesday morning, as hundreds of people gathered at Memorial Stadium to say thanks to the veterans who have served the United States of America.

Brave soldiers who served in each war and conflict dating back to World War II were sprinkled throughout the crowd for the American Legion Post 20’s annual ceremony.

“It’s incredible to come back home and be surrounded by many of the veterans who were my mentors, my inspiration and my role model when I was growing up,” said retired Major General Walter Givhan, who spoke at the ceremony.

“And to have a chance to give back and try to bring home to this community what veterans really mean is an honor.”

The 11th day of November was once known as Armistice Day, a day to remember the end of World War I, one of the most violent and devastating wars in history.

“Everyone hoped and prayed that this would be it, and that somehow commemorating it and remembering it would help make sure it didn’t happen again,” Givhan said.

After World War II and Korea, the day became known as Veterans Day, a day to thank those who served their country.

“It’s kind of bittersweet because you remember the stuff you’ve been through … and you remember the ones you lost, but it is just a blessed day to be here,” said Willie Wright, who served in the Marines. “It’s just a great day, and it is good to be amongst these veterans.”

While veterans are honored today, it wasn’t always that way.

“If you were to think back to World War II, there was nothing greater than an American soldier who had gone off to war,” said Jesus Sanchez, who organized the ceremony.

“After that, he was more or less a forgotten individual, and it is just recently that we have come together and realized that we need to honor those that went before us and paid the ultimate price.”

Charles Pollack, who served in Korea as a tank commander in the 89th Tank Battalion 25th Division, has never missed the ceremony in Selma.

“I’ve never missed one because it means a lot to me,” Pollack said. “It’s always nice to be recognized. I get goose pimples. I really do. It means a lot to me.”

As Givhan surveyed the crowd and thanked the veterans in attendance for serving their country, it reminded him of why he served in the Air Force.

“It was inspiring to me as I’m talking to look out and see these different generations of veterans from World War II through Korea through Vietnam through the Gulf War, Afghanistan and all the things we’ve gone through,” Givhan said. “It just made me proud.”

After the monument in front of Memorial Stadium was decorated with wreaths covered in red, white and blue flowers, the veterans were treated to lunch by the Selma Rotary Club.

“We’ve been doing this for a lot of years,” Bob Kelley said. “We just felt like it was one of our ways of giving back to the community.”

Kelley, a veteran himself, said it is a reward for the Selma Rotary Club to serve the veterans.

Sanchez said this year’s ceremony was the largest one he has seen in his 10 years of organizing the event.