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NPS - National Park Service

22/08/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 22/08/2024 22:13

National Park Service to Hold Annual Wreath Laying Ceremony for President Lyndon B. Johnson’s 116th Birthday

News Release Date:
August 22, 2024

Contact:Cynthia Dorminey, 830-868-7128 ext. 232

JOHNSON CITY, Texas - Make plans to join Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park and Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site in celebrating the 116th anniversary of President Johnson's birth. At 10:00 am on Tuesday, August 27th, the National Park Service will host the annual wreath-laying ceremony at President Johnson's gravesite in the Johnson Family Cemetery at the LBJ Ranch. The ceremony continues a tradition that Mrs. Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson began in 1973. US Air Force Colonel Will Freds will help present the wreath and provide remarks. Shelton Coleman, whose family has a long history with the Johnsons, will be the keynote speaker.

Colonel Will Freds has served as Deputy Commander of the 502nd Air Base Wing (ABW) and Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) since April 2024. Under the leadership of Brigadier General Randy P. Oakland, Commander of the 502nd ABW and JBSA, he assists in overseeing the Department of Defense's largest and most complex joint base, delivering installation support for 10 major commands, 22 wings and brigades, 266 mission partners, and 684,306 personnel across eight geographically separated locations. Prior to his current assignment, the colonel was the chief of staff of US Army North Task Force-51.

Shelton Coleman was born and raised in President Johnson's hometown of Johnson City where he attended Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary and High School. Upon graduation in 1979, he attended South West Texas State University and led a successful career in insurance before retiring in 2012. Shelton currently serves on the City Council in Johnson City and is a board member of the Blanco County Appraisal District. He served as a board member of Friends of Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park from 2012 to 2019. Shelton's grandparents, M.C (Melvin) and Anita Winters, were close friends of President and Mrs. Johnson.

To view the wreath-laying ceremony, stop first at the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park to pick up a free vehicle permit and map. The state park visitor center will open at 8:30 am. Upon leaving the state park, drive 1.5 miles east on Ranch Road 1 and cross the Pedernales River to the entrance gate of the LBJ Ranch. The gate opens at 9:00 am. The Johnson Family Cemetery is located just inside the ranch entrance. Please allow plenty of time to arrive at the cemetery prior to 10:00 am.

To allow for staffing of the event, the national park visitor center in Johnson City will open at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, August 27, 2024.