top of page
Follow Us
  • Facebook Classic
FOLLIS_edited.png

 
Colonel Elmer Follis
USAF, Retired

Native Memphian. Graduated for Memphis State University with highest honors, Summa Cum Laude.

Served 32 year in U.S. Marine Corp and U.S. Air Force. Served as a fighter pilot, reconnaissance pilot and instructor pilot in early Air Force career and in command and staff positions during later years. His career was primarily centered in nuclear operations and he sat nuclear alert in fighter aircraft all over the world.

Flew 400 combat missions, 100 during the Korean conflict and 300 during Vietnam. Has been awarded over 50 medals and citations including the DSSM, The Legion of Merit, five (5) Distinguished Flying Crosses, twenty (20) Air Medals and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

Notable Assignments:

1. NATO, Chief of Nuclear Operations for Central Europe.

2. NATO, Director of Operations and Plans for Turkish and Greek NATO committed       aircraft.

3. Commander, U.S. Air Force Avionics Technical Training School.

4. Director of Operations for the German Air Force Pilot Training Program. Was            rated as a Command Pilot in the German Luftwaffe.

I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.

Honoring All Veterans

May 31, 2021
(Monday)

West Tennessee

Veterans Cemetery

4000 Forest Hill Irene Rd, Memphis, TN 38125

Office hours – M-F  8:00am- 4:30pm

Our gates are open 24/7

Rodney Shaw  Director #901-543-7005

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:  Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.  At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them.  -Laurance Binyon, Poems for the Fallen

Quick Links to other sites

VA Job App.png
 
Flag Placement Day
  • Saturday, May 27th
  • Scout Program - 9:00 am
  • Flag Placement - 9:20 am

Master of Ceremonies

  • Joseph D Kyles, Retired Shelby County Coordinator for Veterans Services

 

11:00 AM

National Anthem

  • Lonnie Coleman

Flyover

Birddogs and Stearman

Posting of Colors

164th AW Memphis Belle Honor Guard

Fayette-Ware Honor Guard

Navy JROTC

  • Daylon Harris

  • Kamarion Bond

  • Sean Frost

Pledge of Allegiance

  • All

Invocation

  • Reverend Robert Clark, Jr., Piperton United Methodist Church

Welcome/Remarks

  • Rodney Shaw, Director West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery

Guest Speaker  

  • Ken Wells

    • Former Captain USAF

    • F-4 Phantom Pilot

    • POW, Vietnam

    • Gold Star Family member

Memorial Day Music

  • Bartlett Community Band under the direction of Dr. Rhendle Millen

  • Bagpipes, Dr. Ben Kemker

 

God Bless America

  • All

21 Gun Salute

  • Germantown Police Honor Guard

Taps

  • Sgt. Charly L Wells, Sr., USMC Bugler

Retiring the Colors

  • 164th AW Memphis Belle Honor Guard

  • Fayette-Ware Honor Guard

       Navy JROTC

GOLF CART TRANSPORTATION

PROVIDED AS NEEDED

Flag Retrieval Day

  • Saturday, June 3rd

  • Begins at 9 a.m.

  • Weather Permitting

      (Flags must be dry for storage)

 

Flag Placement Day
  • Saturday, November 11th
  • Begins at 9 a.m.

Nov. 11, 2023

(Saturday)

Begins at 2:00 PM

Memorial Day
Heading 6
Veterans Day

May 29, 2023

(Monday)

Begins at 11:00 AM

West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery will be the only cemetery with flags displayed on every grave

Master of Ceremonies

  • Joseph D Kyles, Retired Shelby County Coordinator for Veterans Services

 

2:00 PM

National Anthem

  • Lonnie Coleman

Flyover

Posting of Colors

  • Fayette-Ware Honor Guard

        Navy JROTC

Pledge of Allegiance

  • All

Invocation

  • Reverend Robert Clark, Jr.      Piperton United Methodist Church

Welcome/Remarks

  • Rodney Shaw, Director West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery

Guest Speaker  

  • Colonel Elmer Follis

  • US Air Force (Ret.)                       

Veterans Day Music

  • Bartlett Community Band under the direction of Dr. Rhendle Millen       

  • Bagpipes: Ben Kemker

Armed Forces Medley

God Bless America

  • All

 

21 Gun Salute

  • Germantown Police Honor Guard

Taps

  • Sgt. Charly L Wells, Sr., USMC Bugle

Retiring the Colors

GOLF CART TRANSPORTATION

PROVIDED AS NEEDED

Flag Retrieval Day

  • Saturday, November 18th

  • Begins at 9 a.m.

  • Weather Permitting

      (Flags must be dry for storage)

Dec. 16, 2023
(Saturday)
Begins at 11:00 a.m.
Opening Ceremony
Placement of Wreaths

Veterans

Grave Locator

Cemetery Plot.jpg
All Videos

All Videos

Watch Now
  • Facebook Classic
Follow Us