Today is Memorial Day, first observed on May 30, 1868, declared a national holiday by Congress and, since 1971, celebrated on the last Monday in May. It also marks the unofficial beginning of summer when families enjoy a long weekend of outdoor activities. In the process, I hope you’ll all remember what it commemorates by remembering and honoring those who gave their lives defending our freedoms in the service of country.
While preparing this post, I thought about the 272 words so eloquently delivered by President Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg when he paid tribute to the honored dead who had made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. In that memorable address, he summarized what we today celebrate as Memorial Day.
I thought, too, about my family’s long history in this country. Our ancestors arrived in the Massachusetts colony around 1630. That an ancestor of ours has fought in nearly every conflict in which this country has engaged is highly probable. It is documented that one ancestor fell at Gettysburg, so Lincoln’s words hold special meaning for our family.
I thought of my father who, though still with us, served proudly as a B-29 pilot during WWII. It was my pride in him and his service to country that made me want to follow in his footsteps. I thought of my brother, Ken, and my daughter, Shannon, who served in the U.S. Navy, and how proud I am of them both. I thought of all my ancestors, known and unknown, who have served in the fight for freedom…
I thought of Rich, a high school classmate of mine who joined the Marines right after graduation and was killed in Vietnam shortly after his reenlistment. I thought of Mary McHugh whose fiancé, Sgt. James Regan, was buried last year in Section 60, the newest portion of Arlington National Cemetery. Regan, a U.S. Army Ranger, was killed by an improvised explosive devise in Iraq. The moving photo above was taken May 27, 2007, by photographer John Moore when Mary visited his grave.
“He deployed to Afghanistan and to Iraq — twice each in the last three years — and they planned on marrying as soon as he finished his four years of service. But one February day, Jimmy was killed by an IED, a roadside bomb and…her life, of course, changed forever.” - John Moore
Finally, I thought of the countless members of our armed forces who, over the centuries, have died in service to this country for our ideal of freedom. I extend my respect, admiration and gratitude to America’s warriors, past, present and future. God bless them all.
I’ll close this post with two stanzas from The Navy Hymn:
Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!
O Trinity of love and power!
Our brethren shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe’er they go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.
May God grant peace to this world and serenity to those who have fallen and to their loved ones. Amen.
Remember to check out the other Patriotic Journeyers… Drumwaster, The Bastage and the folks at The Line Is Here.