Memorial (simple definition):
* created or done to honor a person who has died or to remind
people of an event in which many people died
Source: Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary
Full Definition of Memorial:
1: serving to preserve remembrance : commemoritive
2: of or relating to memory
Source: Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary
Memorial
Day
Noun
1)
a day on which those who died in
active military service are remembered, traditionally observed on May 30 but
now officially observed on the last Monday in May.
Ironically, to most of us Memorial Day actually means: 1) the whole lazy summer lies ahead, filled with promise, and 2) We can party like it’s 1999! Neither of these are true for those who gave their lives.
Americans have traditionally been an independent lot, though, sadly,
that is changing rapidly now. They have also been a people that believed almost
anything was possible through hard work. They were cheerful, yet serious. Most
of all, they believed in freedom. And sacrificing oneself for one’s fellow man,
if needed. Even if that fellow was overseas.
From
the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, World War’s I & II, on through the
Korean and Vietnam conflicts, the First Gulf War and today’s War on Terror, the
members of the American military have performed magnificently, exhibiting valor
and class, dignity and discretion.
Over
the decades, Americans have willingly gone all over the globe to help their
allies repel invaders, defeat tyranny and promote democracy and self-rule.
Never in the annals of human history has a country sent its troops to so many
nations, expended so much blood and treasure- and promptly left these nations
to rule themselves as they wished, independent and free. In several cases, the
totalitarian countries Americans defeated were given massive aid and materiel
to help them get back on their feet, with the only requirement a promise not to
invade their neighbors again once they had done so. After helping defeat Hitler
, Mussolini and Tojo, they won the Cold War versus the Soviet Union.
President
Abraham Lincoln said of the climactic battle of the American Civil War, “The
world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never
forget what they did here.” Ironically, we have
remembered the Gettysburg Address, but we are forgetting those who sacrificed-
and the reasons why they did. Let’s all enjoy our cook-outs and campers, our
boats and our hammocks tomorrow. But, as we do, let’s put down our coolers and
yard games… and raise our glasses in a toast to the remarkable men and women
who have given so much: “Thank you! We hereby highly resolve that you shall not
have died in vain.”
*******************************************
More
than 218,000 American servicemen are buried overseas in countless cemeteries in
numerous countries such as France, Belgium, the Netherlands, England, Italy,
Luxembourg and the Phillipines, to name a few.
No comments:
Post a Comment