Celebrating Memorial Day 2005
A talk by Francis Gray, Councilman
Town of Rochester, Ulster County
May 31, 2005
This was prepared using excerpts from writings or speeches of President Bush, November 11, 2003 at Arlington National Cemetery; Father Dennis Edward O’Brien, USMC; Rear Admiral Linda J. Bird; Brittney Musick
ON THIS EMOTIONAL DAY, LET US BEGIN WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR OUR COMRADE, BROTHERS, AND SISTERS WHO HAVE DIED FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM
I am honored to join in this ceremony to honor the Town of Rochester’s fallen heroes. And, I wish to express my appreciation to the Accord Fire Company and to Bruce Schoonmaker for giving me this privilege. I also wish to expand the scope of my talk to include comments for all of our veterans.
Memorial Day is a day to honor the supreme sacrifices that generations of Americans have made to defend our country and to support freedom throughout the world. It is a day to reflect on the courage and bravery of our soldiers. They have paid the ultimate price; it is a day to remind ourselves of the tremendous sacrifices veterans have made to maintain the strength, the freedom and the independence of our great nation.~ We owe them the life we know today; all Americans must show them the respect they command, and to make them aware they have our lasting gratitude.
Wars have always caused dissension in our country because we have the freedom to protest. There have been protests to all the wars our country has been in - from the Revolutionary war to today's war in Iraq, something that we need to remember today. That is why it is so important for us to know our history. We should not repeat the mistakes of the past.
While it is okay to protest a war, as one of our rights as Americans, no one has the right to be against the individual soldier. He joined to fight for his country and as a soldier cannot choose the wars nor the way engagements within wars are fought, regardless of personal opinions.
Vietnam was an excuse for patriotism to fell out of favor in the United States and we became a country of people who did not believe in serving their country, a country of people only interested in what they could get - an attitude centered on themselves. Our country suffered because of this 'me first' attitude. It took Sept. 11 to change that. All of those victims had to die to arouse the citizens of America to what they had and what could be lost in the blink of an eye.
Government records indicate 48 million men and women have served in the military since the founding of the United States. Remember, Americans who were in uniform when the guns of World War I were silenced was only 87 years ago, a very short historical time-frame. We must also remember those who served in World War II and the price they paid for freedom in the world. More than 4 million living Americans served in World War II. They are now passing away at the rate of 1,000 a day. More than 11 million men and women served from the conflicts of Korea and Vietnam, even though the nation’s gratitude was slow in coming those veterans certainly earned this nation's gratitude and respect, especially after September the 11th.
Today is a day to make sure that we are living up to the promise we make to all veterans – a promise that President Lincoln described as, "to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan."
Remember, except in parades, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem. You can't tell who's a veteran just by looking.
A veteran is a man or woman who went away one person and came back another - or didn't come back at all.
A veteran is someone who takes a few years out of their lives, offering to die for their country just so their friends could be here today to celebrate Memorial Day.
A veteran is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket.
A veteran, not the reporter, gave us freedom of the press.
A veteran is someone who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag.
A veteran is the three unknown heroes in the Tomb of the Unknowns, at the Arlington National Cemetery to forever preserve the memory of all the unknown heroes who die unrecognized on the battlefields or on the oceans.
Today and every day, 365 days a year the prayers of the American people are with those who wear our country's uniform. But, as we all know, freedom does not come free.~ We owe them the life we know today. I ask all of you to remember veteran sacrifices. It may help to recall the statement engraved on a wall at the Korean War memorial in Washington, D.C., that states "Freedom is not Free." You all must convey, constantly, to all veterans that we thank them for their service and contributions to the freedom of this country."
All veterans pay for our freedom. ~Those that died defending our freedom paid the ultimate price.~ Many have suffered terrible physical and mental injuries in defense of freedom.~ We owe them more than we can ever give them for their sacrifice. However, there is one simple way every one of us has the power to accomplish. It doesn’t involve special programs, or parades or grand announcements.~ Simply offer them your hand and thank them for their service.~ It is the best way for you to let them know that you recognize what things they have done and that their sacrifices will never be forgotten.
MAY GOD BLESS ALL VETERANS TODAY AND EVERY DAY IN THIS TENSION FILLED, DIFFICULT TIME
That concludes my talk, but please allow me to continue for another minute.
The T/Rochester no longer offers a veteran’s honor roll that had displayed all Town veterans from WW I and WW II. However, about 20 years ago, someone chose to remove the honor roll and place it in storage.
I feel that is an insult to all local veterans and strongly disagree with the removal. As a Councilman I have asked for and received permission from the Town Board to pursue the cost estimates for the reconstruction of a medium that will honor all Town veterans from WW I to the present terrorist wars and those in the future.
This is what is needed - a volunteer work group to help me make this become a reality. Because our Town has so many talented folks, an idea is to have a contest to develop a concept that will honor, by name identification, all our veterans whether in the form of our own “Wall of Heroes”, a display similar to the old honor roll or some new and exciting way to list the names of Town veterans. See Bruce or Steve Schoonmaker or myself to volunteer.
Thank you.
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