A new Memorial Day tradition has begun in Antrim to remember those who have fallen in the line of duty. 

On Friday, May 26 and Saturday, May 27, James A. Tuttle Library hosted its first Missing Man Table, a memorial meant to honor American military members who perished on the front lines, went missing in action or never made it back home. Similar memorials are on display in communities and American military bases all across the world.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, each item on the display represents a different meaning. The round table represents the community’s everlasting concern for military members who perished or went missing. The setting for one represents a military member’s solitude and frailty against their suppressors during imprisonment.

The singular red rose in the middle of the table serves as a reminder of each fallen military member and their families who miss them. Above all, the empty chair positioned facing the sunlit-filled window represents the fact that the fallen are no longer with us today. 

Marine veteran Christopher Brinkley proposed the table. After serving for four years in the Marines, Brinkley said he was inspired to bring the tradition to Antrim. 

“It’s not for me. It’s for those who went missing in war and for the fallen,” said Brinkley. “I’m used to seeing them everywhere.”

According to Brinkley, the library is planning to keep the table going for years to come.

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