Memorial Day: Honoring the Fallen

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"As a Combat Veteran, Memorial Day has special significance to me. It is a day for all of us to commemorate the brave men and women who sacrificed to serve with honor and courage for what they believed in while defending our great country. This is an important day for us not to forget the sacrifices paid by those who gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy. As FDR once said, "Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men and women have died to win them.” 

My family takes time to reflect on and honor those who served our nation and are no longer with us. To truly honor these heroes, we must share their stories with others and ensure their memories live on. I remind my kids that heroes never die because they will live on in the souls of those who follow in their footsteps. 

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On Memorial Day, I honor the legacy of my brothers and sisters in arms who I served with in war and who were not as fortunate as me to return. I also pay tribute to all those who died in service of our country for it is their sacrifice that can never be repaid, and I strive to be worthy of their legacy. 

I have been able to give Memorial Day speeches for different organizations over the years. It is always an honor and privilege to share these stories of the brave soldiers who gave them all and remind everyone of the true meaning of Memorial Day. I also visit my grandfather’s grave on this day. He was a WWII Veteran and my hero growing up, also why I joined the Marine Corps."

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"On this day, I pay my respects to those who have passed away, including family members and friends I have lost while serving. The fallen heroes remind me of why I can do what I do today. They sacrificed their lives for the freedom we enjoy, but they are no longer here to experience it. As a way of honoring them, I offer my prayers and keep an empty chair for their absence, as is tradition.

To me, Memorial Day is remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Those who have paved the way for American freedoms. To honor the ones whose loyalty never waived in the face of danger while serving. It is also a day to remember those who served and are no longer with us, for without these brave men and women throughout our history and a part of the most effective military in history, the world would be a much different place. As a veteran, Memorial Day is the most honorable day bestowed upon the military community."

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"Since WWII, the United States has not officially declared war. However, it still has been involved in numerous hostile conflicts requiring the Nation to send its brave Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines into harm’s way. Unfortunately, this means that the men and women serving in the U.S. military have continued to make sacrifices, including giving up their lives for the Nation.

I would like to reflect upon those fallen U.S. servicemen and women who have given their lives, since WWII:

• In the Korean War, we lost 36,574.
• 58,220 – died in the Vietnam War.
• We lost 382 in Operation Desert Storm.
• During operations in Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Somalia, and Haiti, we lost another 331. 
• And more recently, 7064 U.S. Servicemen & women died during the Global War on Terrorism.

These are a lot of numbers, but behind each number is a name, a life, a story. All were sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, brothers, and sisters. Memorial Day is a day of remember each of them.  

Let’s take the time to do just that and remember all of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines who have given their lives for our Nation. Do not let their memories be lost or their sacrifices be forgotten."

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"Remembering the men and women whom I had the pleasure to serve and fight with during Desert Shield/Desert Storm who gave the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.

I am honoring all my brothers and sisters in uniform who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

I with several other American legion Members will lay wreaths at veterans’ monuments and set up a missing man table every year around town in designated places."

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"Often, it feels like we go through the year without taking the time to acknowledge the accomplishments of our society. However, Memorial Day is a perfect opportunity to pause and intentionally recognize the veterans who have selflessly sacrificed for the greater good. As the saying goes, 'All gave some, some gave all.'

Every Memorial Day weekend, we retrieve boxes of silk flowers out of storage and rearrange them into bouquets that can be planted in the cemetery lawns. The kids make extra bouquets to decorate the graves of unknown soldiers. We then pack four generations of family into an SUV and drive to the nearest national cemetery where we decorate the graves of our Veteran relatives. We listen to our eldest relative tell stories about the things she remembers from the WWII and Vietnam Eras. A 93-year-old memory can be fleeting, so we learn something new each year.

We talk about self-sacrifice, grab a bite to eat, and then head back home. For the rest of the weekend, we participate in a group service project of some sort. Memorial Day provides an excellent opportunity to teach children the importance of sacrificing for the greater good and to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, loved ones, and future generations."

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"I remember the men and women with whom I served to protect our coasts and help those in need. As a member of the American Legion, we always leave an empty chair during our meetings to remember those who are Prisoners of War or Missing in Action. Today, I remember all those brave men and women who served their country with honor."

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"As a fourth-generation veteran, Memorial Day is special in my heart. It's a time to reflect on the sacrifices made by my family members and my brothers and sisters-in-arms in the wider military community. We honor those who gave their lives for our country and did not make it home. As combat arms specialists, we are keenly aware of the dangers of our profession, and we understand the gravity of our duty to defend our Constitution, our freedoms, and our way of life. We do so not only for ourselves but also for our friends and allies around the world.

Many who served did not return, and many who did … returned wounded. They made this sacrifice willingly, but it can never be fully repaid. We can only honor their sacrifice. Memorial Day is a time to reflect on the true meaning of service and sacrifice for a cause greater than oneself.

We must share the burden borne by our service members and veterans. We can volunteer to help veterans and their families, work with our representatives to ensure our military and Allies have what they need to be successful and appeal to our better angels. Above all, we must honor their sacrifice that gave us the opportunity to live freely in a dangerous world.

On Memorial Day, take a moment to reflect on what this day means to you and your family. Visit a parade or cemetery to honor the sacrifices made by our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines. Let's live our lives in a way that honors their legacy and ensures their sacrifice was worth it."

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"In January 1991, I was a second-class petty officer assigned to the USS Ranger, CV-61 intelligence center. We had just arrived at the station in the Persian Gulf, relieving the USS Independence, and combat operations started about 24 hours later. Our job in Chemical-Terrorism Vulnerability Information (CVIC) was basically to brief pilots on where to go and what to blow up.  Ranger carried two A-6 attack squadrons.  We had briefed VA-155 on a mining mission against the Um Qasr naval base in southern Iraq at the mouth of the Euphrates River. The ship turned into the wind, we launched the strike package, and we all returned to work on the next thing.  No one really thought about what we just did.  Just what we were going to do next.

Hours go by, and the strike team starts coming back. The commanding officer approached the 1MC (the ship’s PA system, for you non-sailors) and announced, “Jackal 404 failed to report in.” And I’ll never forget that. It was a first dose of reality regarding what we were doing out there, and it was sobering.

We (along with the Air Force) spun up a search-and-rescue mission, but the aircraft and aircrew were lost. Their remains were returned to the US by the Iraqi government three months later.

Jackal 404 was piloted by Lt. William “Tom” Costen, with Lt. Charlie Turner in the Weapons System Operator (WSO) seat. I didn’t know either of those men personally, and I never met them outside of my role in getting their final mission airborne. But those are the guys I think of on Memorial Day."

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"Every year, on Memorial Day, I take a moment to remember my visit to Arlington National Cemetery many years ago. I was a college student then, and I hadn't even decided to serve our nation yet. That visit inspired me and made me appreciate the sacrifice of thousands of servicemen and servicewomen who gave up their lives to protect our freedom. Seeing their headstones was a sobering experience. It reminds me that I can enjoy a nice holiday and the start of summer because of their sacrifice. It's a privilege to be typing this email, and I'm grateful for it, knowing that others can no longer do so.

I am reminded today of a couple of friends I used to socialize with in Hurlburt Field, Ft. Walton Beach, Florida when I was in my mid-20s. They went to Afghanistan a few years later but unfortunately did not return. Now, they rest in peace at Arlington National Cemetery. I am grateful to them and all the other brave soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for our country."

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"For me, Memorial Day is a day to be thankful for the selfless sacrifice of the men and women who have lost their lives while serving our country. It’s a day that reminds me, even on my worst days, that I got to come home from Afghanistan and see my wife and family; we got to start a family of our own and have a kid. I got to go to school and get an education. I was lucky that life went on for me, but I am reminded every day, especially today, that others weren’t so lucky.

I’m honoring four men, three who lost their lives in the Global War on Terrorism and one whom I served with in Afghanistan who elected after his service to continue the fight for freedom abroad.

On June 20, 2014, in Helmand Province in Afghanistan, we lost three United States Marines to the Global War on Terrorism:

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Corporal Brandon Garabrandt, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion

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Corporal Adam Wolff, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion

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Staff Sergeant David Stewart, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion

On July 20, 2017, in Raqqa, Syria, serving in the Kurdish People’s Protection Unit, we lost:

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Lance Corporal David Taylor, 1st Battalion 2nd Marines, USMC /YPG  

On this day, I hold my loved ones closer by hugging my wife tighter, giving my parents a call, and reaching out to my fellow soldiers I served with."

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"Memorial Day, known as Remembrance Day in the United Kingdom, is indeed a time for reflection and remembrance. I have many reasons to take the time to reflect on many family members who were involved in numerous conflicts including WWI & WWII among others. But more recently, I have a genuine hero in my family, my baby brother-in-law, and my friend.

USMC SSgt Louie F Cardin. Louie was a brave and dedicated artilleryman who served with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, out of Camp Lejeune, NC. He had been deployed to Iraq once and Afghanistan three times, and his military honours include the Presidential Unit Citation (Navy), three Afghanistan Campaign medals, an Iraq Campaign Medal, and three Sea Service Deployment ribbons.

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In March of 2016, about 50 miles outside of Mosul, Iraq, the sirens began to sound warnings about rockets being launched in the area. Louie was outside ensuring that his soldiers made it into the bunker first, when an ISIS rocket tragically took Louie's life. Last weekend would have been his birthday.

Every year on Louie’s birthday, his sister and I visit "Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem" pub in Nottingham, an ancient crusader rest-stop (1186 AD). It was one of the last places we took him before his final deployment and little did, I know that the next time we went, his name would be on the "Armed Forces Memorial Board" in the cellar caves."

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"On Memorial Day, I take the time to honor and remember my fellow service members who fought alongside me in Operation Enduring Freedom.

• I reflect on the physical and mental scars we faced during our time in service and the challenges we faced after returning home.
• I pay tribute to all the fallen veterans who sacrificed for our country, whether in combat or during training.
• I acknowledge the staggering statistic that 22 veterans take their own lives every day due to the invisible wounds of war.

We must never forget their sacrifices and continue to support those who have served. Each year, I visit the local Veteran Cemetery to pay respect to my family and friends' graves, and then I hang out with veterans."

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"I like to have a quiet day to reflect on Memorial Day's purpose - to remember those who have lost their lives and will never return home. I personally pay tribute to my friends who have passed away, many of whom were not combat casualties. Although some of them were, it is a part of the job's inherent risk, and I miss them all. 

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Commander Patrick Dunn was a friend and classmate I met first at the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island. He was a great guy. Pat was killed while on duty in the Pentagon’s Navy Command Center on September 11, 2001, when American Flight 77 was hijacked by terrorists and flown into the building. He left behind his wife of 23 months, Stephanie Dunn, who was pregnant with their first child. Nothing more to say there.

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Jim Lazevnick was my kind and gentle mentor during my sophomore year. Sadly, he passed away on July 30, 1987, in a helicopter crash while serving as co-pilot aboard USS La Salle (AGF 3) in the Persian Gulf. James, a member of Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 2, and three others lost their lives that day. A classmate nearby recounted how Jim's helo crashed, rolled off the deck and sank into the Gulf. Salvage crews recovered the helicopter and crew sometime later. I will always remember Jim and his bravery in service to his country.

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Rick Dempsey was my second-semester squad leader. He was funny, fair, and a good leader. One morning during physical training my plebe year, he asked us to sweat it off for him since, as a favor to us, he had a couple of pitchers of beer with friends the night before. Richard, the radar intercept officer, along with his pilot, were flying from San Diego to New Orleans as members of Fighter Squadron (VF) 114 when their plane crashed. It is believed that oxygen deprivation may have been a contributing factor to the crash.

And I remember the Bianchi brothers…Robert, Kevin, and James, all helicopter pilots in the Navy.

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Robert Bianchi, On March 23, 1987, the HH-46 Helicopter he was piloting crashed on the Bucao River in the Philippines, approx. 32 miles north of Subic Bay Naval Air Station.

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Kevin Bianchi was lost on July 16, 2003, when the MH-53 Sea Dragon helicopter he was piloting crashed near Sigonella, Sicily. Three others aboard were also killed; they were members of Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 4. Kevin was executive officer of the squadron.

As a parent and a human being, I cannot even imagine the pain of receiving devastating news from a military officer at my doorstep, let alone having to experience it twice. The fact that their third son, James Bianchi, is also a military helicopter pilot makes me wonder how they manage to get any sleep at night. It's hard to fathom the emotional turmoil they must be going through, especially on Memorial Day."