2026 Memorial Day Tribute Set for May 25 at McCown Auditorium in Conway.
CONWAY, S.C. – Veterans of the American Armed Forces, active-duty military, and the general public are invited to the 2026 Memorial Day Tribute at 2 p.m. on Monday, May 25th in McCown Auditorium at the Horry County Museum in Conway. The event is sponsored by the Horry County Museum, Goldfinch Funeral Home, HTC, and the United Bank Center for Military & Veteran Studies at Coastal Carolina University.
“Memorial Day is a unique and important observance that honors those Americans in uniform who sacrificed their lives for our country,” said Horry County Museum Director Walter Hill, “and the annual Memorial Day Tribute will hopefully enable us to do that in a very special way.”
The 2026 Memorial Day Tribute at McCown Auditorium is designed to honor Americans in uniform of all ages who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country, and will include a moment of silence, presentation of the national colors by a color guard, live patriotic music, and recognition of veterans of the American Armed Forces by service branch and era. It also includes the screening of a locally produced historical documentary: Death Drop: The 82nd Airborne and D-Day, which chronicles the actions of the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and airborne operations related to the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II.
“It’s an extraordinary story of courage and heroism,” said author and historian Rod Gragg, who is the producer of the documentary. “The airborne troops were the point of the spear on D-day, which was the largest amphibious operation of World War II and greatly determined the outcome of the war in Europe. The 82nd Airborne and two other airborne divisions were dropped behind enemy lines by parachute and glider with the potentially deadly task of capturing crucial roads, causeways and bridges to prepare for the main Allied landing force, which stormed the beaches of Normandy. What the Airborne troops achieved on D-Day was astounding, but it came at great cost.”
McCown Auditorium and the Horry County Museum are located at 805 Main Street in Conway. “This special event is a very meaningful way for us to remember those in uniform who gave all on our behalf,” said Meghan Hayden, the president of Goldfinch Funeral Home, “and it also provides us with an opportunity to express our gratitude to our local veterans and active-duty military for their service.”
Admission to the 2026 Memorial Day Tribute is free.
