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From YouTube: Buncombe News Update - Highway of Heroes
Description
NCDOT designated a section of Highway 70 in Swannanoa from Patton Cove Road to Grovestone Road as a Blue Star Highway and also the Highway of Heroes. Swannanoa Business Association worked with NCDOT on making this a reality. A dedication ceremony was held in Swannanoa. This strip of highway is traveled daily by fallen veterans to their final resting place at the Western North Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Black Mountain. This highway will also serve as a visual reminder of those military members who are currently serving our country.
A
A
A
B
This
very
humbling
and
an
honor
to
welcome
all
you,
wonderful
veterans
and
special
guests
to
Swannanoa
for
such
a
momentous
day.
Welcome
also
to
the
buncombe
county
commissioners
and
other
elected
officials
here,
community
members
and
many
others
to
the
dedication
of
highway
70
as
a
blue
store,
Memorial
Highway
and
this
particular
section
of
the
highway
as
a
highway
of
heroes.
This
is
a
happy
day
as
the
Swannanoa
Valley
is
blessed
with
a
unique
opportunity
to
provide
with
lots
of
help
a
permanent
visual.
Thank
you
note
to
our
veterans
and
their
families.
B
Many
people
worked
many
hours
to
make
this
day
happen,
but
we
wish
to
especially
thank
the
Buncombe
County
Veterans
Council,
another
veteran
groups,
the
Buncombe
County
Board
of
Commissioners
for
their
proclamation
representative
Tim
Moffitt
for
some
real
crucial
phone
calls,
the
North
Carolina
Department
of
Transportation
and
especially
Gary
Aiken,
as
we
drive
along
the
highway
of
heroes
for
many
years
to
come.
Those
of
us
living
here
will
be
reminded
of
the
sacrifices
made
by
our
veterans
and
their
families.
B
The
friends
and
families
of
those
making
their
final
journey
on
this
route
may
appreciate
the
honor,
respect
and
gratitude
represented
by
flags
and
signs
along
the
route,
but
I
truly
hope
that
the
people
most
affected
by
seeing
the
highway
of
heroes,
signs
and
blue
star
signs
are
young
people
who
bear
the
responsibility
in
the
future
of
protecting
our
freedom.
Perhaps
now
more
than
ever,
we
need
consistent
visual
reminders
of
the
price.
People
must
pay
for
their
freedom,
so
welcome
again
to
you
all
to
the
blue
storm
memorial
highway
and
how
we
have
heroes.
B
C
Is
an
honor
to
be
here
today
on
behalf
of
the
North
client
of
Department
of
Transportation.
North
Carolina
is
home
of
a
proud
military
tradition,
and
our
department
is
committed
to
honoring
that
us
70,
which
stretches
from
the
southeastern
coast
of
our
state.
All
the
way
to
the
mountains
of
Madison
County
is
a
designated
blue
star
highway.
These
highways
serve
as
a
tribute
to
the
United
States
Armed
Forces
throughout
history,
more
than
a
thousand
miles
of
state
on
roads
and
bridges
in
our
state
share
this
designation.
C
The
sun's
that
mark
these
highways
are
a
reminder
of
those
who
served
in
the
past,
those
who
serve
now
and
those
who
gave
their
lives
for
this
country.
Each
sign
bears
a
symbol
of
a
blue
star.
During
world
war,
two,
the
blue
star,
appeared
on
blacks
blown
to
homes,
of
families,
who
had
a
son
or
daughter
in
the
service.
The
flag
is
also
an
important
symbol
of
the
section
of
us
70
from
patent
code
to
grow
Stone
Road
in
Buncombe
County,
which
we
are
honoring
today.
C
C
This
section
of
the
Blue
Star
highway
is
unique
in
North
Carolina,
recognizing
that
the
North
Carolina
Department
of
Transportation
has
given
this
route
and
additional
designation.
The
highway
of
heroes,
Gary
Aiken,
Janet,
burr,
hole,
Jones
and
other
members
of
the
Swannanoa
business
association
were
instrumental
in
securing
this
designation.
As
your
local
representative
on
the
North
County
Board
of
transportation,
I
brought
their
request
before
the
board
for
final
approval.
C
Through
this
designation,
we
hope
to
honor
those
soldiers
making
their
final
journey
before
they're
laid
to
rest
in
the
hills
of
Western
North
Carolina,
and
we
hope
it
will
remind
all
others
who
pass
through
year
of
the
sacrifices
of
these
brave
men
and
women
made
on
their
behalf.
Today.
It
is
my
privilege
to
join
you
in
as
we
install
signs
marking
70,
not
only
as
a
blue
star
highway,
but
also
as
a
highway
of
heroes.
Folks,.
D
In
this
thing
came
up
to
us
to
do
this,
it
was
a
no-brainer
without
any
discussion
number
five,
yes,
five
years
to
get
her
done
due
passed
a
resolution
and
get
it
to
wander
in
jail
in
the
state
board,
but
we
had
to
have
little
help
down
in
Raleigh
and
mr.
moppet.
We
appreciate
your
efforts
down
there.
Sir.
Thank
you
kind
of
the
there's
not
enough.
We
said
about
veterans
I
just
called
on
one,
but
our
veterans
are
the
reason
we
can
do
these
things.
D
I
got
stopped
by
TV
friends,
one
time
when
we
were
first
about
our
salaries
or
something
down
there.
I
think
this
Boeing
stop
me
said,
but
we've
need
been
all
these
people
protested.
I
said
well,
I
served
this
country
in
two
wars,
so
they
could
do
that
so
I
don't
mind
it
at
all,
but
both
whip
ride
the
veterans
on
the
book
of
County
Commissioners
and
grateful
for
this
day.
Thank
you,
I'm.
E
Honored
to
be
here
this
morning
in
this
beautiful
setting
to
pay
tribute
to
hundreds
of
veterans
who
pass
through
our
little
community
heading
to
their
final
resting
place
at
the
Western
North
Carolina
Veterans
Cemetery
I
am
equally
honored
to
be
in
the
midst
of
so
many
Patriots.
Thank
you
for
this
privilege.
Thank
you
for
my
brothers
and
sisters
in
the
Patriot
Guard
for
being
here
this
morning
as
well.
Let's
give
them
a
big
hand,
ladies
and
gentlemen,.
E
Our
keynote
speaker
is
well
known
in
Western,
North,
Carolina
and
in
military
circles.
Throughout
the
nation.
His
life
has
been
dedicated
to
ensuring
the
freedoms
we
enjoy
for
that
commitment.
He
paid
a
very
high
price
having
spent
seven
years
10
months
as
a
poww
during
the
Vietnam
War.
Ladies
and
gentlemen,
I
would
like
to
introduce
our
keynote
speaker,
united
states,
air
force,
colonel
Scotty,
Morgan,
Colonel,
Morgan,
I,.
F
Thank
you
very
much
for
allowing
me
to
be
here:
I
think
it
was
nineteen
ninety-three.
Wasn't
it
build,
and
I
was
fortunate
enough
to
be
the
master
of
ceremonies
at
the
dedication
of
the
veteran
cemetery
that
and
since
that
time
I
think
if
I
get
some
figures
yesterday,
I
think
they've
buried
about
4,000
people
up
at
the
cemetery
about
eighty
percent
of
those
veterans
and
twenty
about
twenty
percent
of
them.
Spouses.
F
It
took
me
a
heck
of
a
long
time
when
I
got
back
out
of
Vietnam
after
being
shown,
pictures
and
prison
of
the
anti-war
protesters
and
to
come
back
in
the
it
took
me
several
trips
to
the
Vietnam
Wall,
the
poor,
the
traveling
wall.
To
get
to
know
you
guys
and
appreciate
what
you
do.
I
really
do
appreciate
you,
and
in
this
community
appreciates
you
and
today
that
they
held
me
down
this
Highway.
F
F
The
reason
that
we
have
what
we
have
in
this
country
is
because
of
veterans.
Now
some
veterans
were
served
in
in
during
hostilities.
Others
served
their
country
in
the
military
doing
what
needed
to
be
done.
Whenever
the
time
came,
they
answered
the
call
and
I,
and
it's
really
appropriate
to
see
this
community
answered
the
call
it's
up.
I
think
everyone
in
swannanoa
in
Buncombe
County
really
needs
to
be
proud
of.
What's
what's
happened
to
here
on.
F
The
third
of
april
nineteen
sixty-five
I
took
off
from
saigon,
landed
at
Danang
and
briefed
and
led
a
a
formation
into
into
North
Vietnam.
My
mission
was
to
take
a
picture
of
the
phantom
or
bridge
in
the
first
raid
on
the
thin
more
bridge.
The
name
for
that
operation
was
rolling,
thunder
number
nine.
So
you
guys
it
belong
to
Rolling
Thunder
and
protect
any
Patriots
that
keep
the
idiots
away
from
veterans
burial
services.
I
appreciate.
Thank
you
for
that
again.
F
I
think
a
lot
all
of
the
speakers
before
have
commented
about
this
highway
and
the
appropriateness
of
it
being
named
the
heroes
right
way.
It
certainly
is,
and
we
have
a
lot
of
them
in
Western,
North
Carolina,
a
lot
of
standing
around
here
and
I
think
it's
totally
appropriate
than
when
they
make
their
last
ride
for
their
resting
place,
that
they
go
down
a
highway
and
receive
and
see
the
flags
and
receive
the
solutes
from
people
who
really
appreciate
it.
When
this
community
does
I.