(Lander, WY) – Lander veterans were out Tuesday morning to carry on the tradition of firing off a cannon around town at 5 a.m., in sync with the cannons at Arlington National Cemetery. Korean War veterans began the tradition in the 1970s, and it has been passed down to younger veterans over the years.
20-year Navy veteran Wade Mitchell is one of the flag bearers these days, waking up early to remember the life and friends he made along the way during his time in the military.
“I went all over the world,” said Mitchell, recounting his time in Kosovo, Iraq, and Japan. “Some of the other guys are gone or have gotten too old to be out here driving around in a truck this early, so I’m out here carrying it on.”
U.S. Navy veteran Wade Mitchell loaded up his 10 gauge Winchester cannon in the back of his truck Tuesday morning in Lander. Mitchell is carrying on the tradition of firing the canon around Lander starting at 5 a.m. on veterans day that Korean War veterans started in the 70’s. An ammo box of blanks was attached to the cannon mount in the back of the truck. Mitchell grabbed a blank out of his ammo box for the first shot. A 10-gauge shell sat ready in the back of the cannon Tuesday morning at 4:59 a.m. 
The cannon was fired around town from 5-6 a.m. Tuesday morning in honor of Veterans Day. The cannon was fired around town from 5-6 a.m. Tuesday morning in honor of Veterans Day. Ann fires the cannon while Wade drives the truck. Used blanks and earplugs sat in the back of the truck after the route around Lander had been driven. Wade and Ann Mitchell stood behind their pickup truck Tuesday morning after shoot off the canon around town to celebrate Veteran’s Day.
h/t Carl Cote, County 10