Shiloh National Park remembers fallen servicemen
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HARDIN COUNTY, Tenn. — Hundreds gathered this weekend at Shiloh National Park to remember the fallen military men in the Chattanooga shootings. The park has many cannon-firing demonstrations throughout the year, but this weekend there was a somber air about the park. “We were planning cannon firings this weekend anyways, demonstrations for our visitors, and then the terrible tragedy happened on July 16 in Chattanooga,” Shiloh Park Ranger Chris Mekow said. For many of participants, the weekend demonstrations hit close to home while remembering one of their own who lost his life in the Chattanooga shootings. “One of the Marines that we lost was actually a National Park Service volunteer and was a member of the Kennesaw Battlefield National Park cannon crew,” Mekow said. Lance Cpl. Skip Wells was the youngest Marine to lose his life in the Chattanooga shootings. Like many of the Shiloh Battlefield men in uniform, he was a volunteer on the cannon firing squad at Kennesaw. “He did this like we do it because we love it and it is a passion, and we love doing it so it just sort of hits close to home,” Mekow said. The demonstrations continued throughout the weekend in honor of Lance Cpl. Wells.
