This Memorial Day, in multiple locations and venues across the nation, we join in honoring the memories of those lost defending our nation and its principles.
We see the iconic photos of the stoic little boy being handed his father’s folded flag or the young widow lying atop a grave. These emotional images call up memories for anyone who has lost a family member in service to our country.
Their numbers include immigrants who pass security checks and serve with the hope of expediting their citizenship. An estimated 8,000 apply annually.
But not all are lost in battle. Some return with life-altering wounds that result in a shortened life, whether through medical complications or, as we increasingly hear about, suicide brought on by an inability to adapt to physical or psychic injuries. They, too, are victims of war that stand in a place of honor. More than 400 names have been added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., since 1982. Many others from conflicts before and after remain inscribed in our hearts.
Arlington National Cemetery’s 639 acres hold the remains of more than 400,000 military veterans and their immediate family from the fronts of Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as World Wars I and II, the Korean conflict, Vietnam, the Cold War and America’s Civil War.
Ronald Reagan reminded us, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected and handed on for them to do the same.”
Join the Kent County chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America on Monday, May 31, at 2 p.m. at the Kent County Veterans Memorial Park in Dover for its annual tribute to those who set the example for us. We honor Kent Countians lost in Korea, Vietnam and the Middle East.
We involve our youth through the Civil Air Patrol’s Eagle Cadet Squadron color guard and invite a child from the audience to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Our ceremonies conclude with the haunting sounds of the Dover Fire Pipes and Drum bagpipers’ “Amazing Grace.”
But the most reverent part of our ceremonies is the reading of the names, accompanied by the tolling of a bell, of the heroes who died defending the principles of our great nation. The one thing that separates us from the animal kingdom is the ability to reason and identify ourselves by name.
From a biblical perspective, Romans 8:38-39 tells us: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Irrespective of one’s religious convictions, this day of mixed reflections of mourning, happy memories and pride calls us to think about and offer a prayer for those who traded their tomorrows for our today.
Dave Skocik is president of Delaware Veterans Coalition. He resides in Dover.
