The Latham Report: Remembering Those Who Paid the Supreme Sacrifice
Washington,
May 26, 2008 -
Memorial Day is a special day that provides us with an opportunity to remember—and acknowledge—the memory of the men and women who made the supreme sacrifice for our country.
It is not just another holiday, but a special commemoration, first observed as “Decoration Day" on May 30, 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers.
The formal recognition came from Gen. John Logan, Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, who suggested that “Decoration Day” should be observed every year, in May, to honor the Civil War veterans of both sides.
Memorial Day is a day where Americans must put aside all that might otherwise divide the country to honor those who brought glory upon themselves, their families and our nation.
There is no doubt that this Memorial Day will be especially difficult for the families of our heroes who have fallen over the past year. Each of them died fighting for the possession that we as Americans believe is a God given right: freedom. We must remember their courage, and acknowledge that their sacrifice was not made in vain… but to transform our world into a better place. This is truly what Memorial Day should be; a day of reflection, commemoration, honor and celebration of all the American heroes, throughout our nation’s history, who have died in the name of freedom.
We should gather with friends, family members and neighbors to remember our heroes. Visit their gravesites, join a memorial service sponsored by a local veterans group, or discuss with a child or grandchild why Memorial Day means so much more than a vacation day or the big department store sale.
We owe it to our fallen heroes to take this one day to pause from our routine so we may respectfully honor, through remembrance, their lives and sacrifice for liberty and freedom. One day… just one day to remind those who have been touched by the pain of war that the lives they mourn were not offered in vain. So little to ask when they have given so much.
