Thousands turn out at Beaufort National Cemetery for National Wreaths Across America Day
They roared down Boundary Street by the hundreds as if attending the bike rally to end all bike rallies.
But when they made the turn into Beaufort National Cemetery, the sound of their engines dropped to a low rumble as if even the loudest of motorcycles could not help but be silenced by the reverence of the place.
Close to 600 motorcycle riders from multiple clubs and organizations across the region participated in the National Wreaths Across America Day held at the national cemetery in downtown Beaufort on Saturday.
Many more non-riders -- from members of the military, to Scout troops and individuals just wanting to pay their respects -- turned out for the nationally coordinated event, also held at Arlington and cemeteries across the country.
As Saturday's temperatures climbed, the numbers attending Beaufort's ceremony swelled into the thousands. After a short program, more than 3,700 wreaths were placed on graves throughout the 33-acre site.
John Hunter, administrator for Six Oaks on Hilton Head Island, said the private cemetery saw close to 250 people there as well as some 700 wreaths placed on grave sites.
In addition, Hunter said volunteers with the cemetery were able to raise enough money to send 400 wreaths to Arlington and 200 more to Beaufort.
While the final resting places of many veterans will continue to go without wreaths, that won't stop the efforts of those like Hunter and others who work with the national Wreaths Across America organization from trying to honor veterans.
"Our goal is to get a wreath laid on every single veteran's grave in America at Christmas," he said.
Those who weren't necessarily laying a wreath in remembrance of family members on Saturday said it was just as important to be at the event -- as a show of support.
"Even if you're not in the military," said Diane Schmid, of Summerville.
Schmid along with her husband, David Schmid, and three other members of their Harley Owner's Group -- Ron Lovell, John Haggerty and Bob Mori -- all left from Summerville around 8:30 a.m. to get to the event early.
Riders from across the region were to meet at various rendezvous points then travel together to escort a single Pepsi truck carrying nearly 500 cases of fresh wreaths to Beaufort.
Schmid's group arrived at the rendezvous point shortly after 9 a.m., but they decided to keep going.
"We wanted to get here," she said.
The ceremony could be very moving and emotional, she said, as the wreaths were unloaded then placed throughout the grounds.
"It's amazing to see them all out there once it's done," she said.
Helen Richards, who was among the first to be given a wreath to place on Saturday, said there were more people at this year's ceremony than she remembered seeing at previous years' events.
"It's truly an honor to our veterans," she said, "for those who are living and those who are deceased."
Richards' brother, Pvt. 1st Class Ralph H. Johnson, was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service as a Marine reconnaissance scout in Vietnam.
Johnson is one of only two Congressional Medal of Honor recipients buried at the cemetery listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The other, Captain John James McGinty III, was also a Marine who served in Vietnam.
Johnson and McGinty rest alongside thousands of others who served in every conflict from the Civil War to Afghanistan.
After she placed a wreath on her brother's headstone Saturday, Richards fought back tears as people -- many she'd never met before -- came by to hug her.
"It's emotional," she said afterward. "Because you didn't know that many people cared."
Follow reporter Mindy Lucas on Twitter at twitter.com/MindyatIPBG.
This story was originally published December 12, 2015 at 7:51 PM with the headline "Thousands turn out at Beaufort National Cemetery for National Wreaths Across America Day."