(New Carlisle, IN) - A special memorial ceremony took place in New Carlisle on Saturday morning. The honorees were three deceased local veterans – a father and two sons, who served in three different military conflicts.
Clifford MacMillan fought in the Philippine Islands during WWII. After the war, he moved to Hudson Lake and worked for the Studebaker Corporation for many years. Clifford died in 1987 and is buried in New Carlisle Cemetery.
His sons both graduated from New Carlisle High School and were also veterans. Deane MacMillan, who served in Korea, passed away last year. Robert MacMillan, who served in Vietnam, died in April. Their cremated remains were interred in a coral reef memorial off the coast of Florida.
On Saturday morning all three were honored with a memorial presented by the American Legion Post 297 and their American Legion Riders. Johnny Vanek was the ceremony’s main presenter. “It’s a triple ceremony, which is ultra-rare,” he said. “It will be the only tombstone in New Carlisle with three markers to signify three different conflicts.”
Flags and special grave markers were presented to family members, as a bugler played “Taps” and a 21-gun salute crackled in the autumn air.
82-year-old Terry MacMillan of Hudson Lake was on hand to see his father and two brothers honored. He was very proud of their accomplishments. “My dad eventually became vice-president of Studebaker Corporation, even though he only had an eighth-grade education,” said MacMillan. “However he did get an honorary degree from Michigan State.” MacMillan said his brothers also earned college degrees after serving in the military. He recalled his brother Bob being very artistic. “He had joined the army as a paratrooper,” said MacMillan, “and he said the scariest thing he ever did in his life was have to jump out of an airplane with a chute that he had packed himself.”
MacMillan’s sister, who lives in North Carolina, could not attend the ceremony. But many other family members, from multiple generations, were in attendance.
