COLUMNS
Remembering Their Sacrifices on Memorial
Day
By Senator John Sununu (R-NH)
As our men and women in uniform continue the brave and selfless
fight to bring freedom to the Iraqi people, we take time this weekend
to honor all American soldiers who died while serving in the armed
forces. Across New Hampshire and the nation, in tributes large and
small, we will remember the sacrifices of the servicemen and women
who gave their lives so that others could be free.
Memorial Day events are an expression of our nation’s eternal
gratitude for the soldiers who left the comfort of their hometowns
for the perils of faraway battlefields. Paying homage to them keeps
an ongoing promise to never forget the magnitude of their sacrifice.
Simultaneously, these observances serve to bring comfort to those
who mourn a friend or loved one who died in uniform.
This Memorial Day, I look forward to visiting with World War II
veterans who will be in our nation’s capital for the dedication
of the National World War II Memorial on Saturday, May 29. This
memorial, located on the National Mall, honors those who served
in the armed services during the war as well as civilians who supported
the soldiers from the home front. We all are beneficiaries of the
heroism of the “Greatest Generation,” and this memorial
is a fitting and lasting tribute to their wartime fortitude.
Demand for tickets to the dedication ceremony was overwhelming,
and I was honored that Deerfield residents Claude Daley and Dave
Mitchell accepted my tickets and will be present for this special
event. Daley, who served in the U.S. Navy’s amphibious forces
during World War II, is currently the Commander of American Legion
Post 103 in Deerfield, and Mitchell is the oldest enlisted soldier
in the U.S. Army, and is on active duty at Fort Belvoir, Va.
Additionally, Laconia resident Ellis Howard helped to organize a
Capitol Hill reception for the Plankowners of the USS Bashaw, a
submarine that was in service in the Pacific during World War II.
Howard, a veteran of World War II who served on the submarine, is
to be commended for helping to organize this reunion.
The World War II Memorial’s dedication will be among thousands
of Memorial Day services throughout the country. In city downtown
areas and town squares across New Hampshire, many will gather to
remember the courageous soldiers who died fighting tyranny so that
others might live in freedom. These men and women were prepared
to embody our state’s “live free or die” spirit
to protect liberty in America, and to bring about peace in the world.
We mark their sacrifices with parades and in reverent ceremonies.
The graves of thousands of war dead will be appropriately adorned
with flowers and American flags. Family, friends, and comrades will
reminisce fondly about those who died in uniform – and will
find solace in the fact that their deaths were for a noble purpose
greater than themselves. Our ability to gather in peace is the result
of the bravery of those who died in service.
We, again, remain mindful of the soldiers currently serving our
nation in uniform. Like millions before them, they are fighting
to keep America safe and to promote freedom in the world. Like generations
before us, we will keep our promise to support our country’s
troops – and will remember their bravery.
To learn about ways to show your support for our troops in Operation
Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and in
other places, visit, http://www.defendamerica.mil.
Also, to learn more about the World War II Memorial, visit http://www.wwiimemorial.com.
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