Remembering the Fallen: A Memorial Day Tribute

              "It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God such men lived." — Gen. George S. Patton

              "For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue." — James A. Garfield

              "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." — John 15:13

              Memorial Day.  The official, official kick-off of summer.  School is out, and the sun is up.  Hot dogs and hamburgers are on the grill.  The boats have finally hit the water.  And that campsite you booked last year is primed and ready for your arrival. 

              Summertime.  And the livin’s easy…

              Well, for some of us anyway.    

              As this Memorial Day weekend comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on two things I heard that have stuck with me since they first tunneled their way through my ears, burning their way right into my brain…probably forever.

              The first one that comes to mind is something that I heard about fifteen years ago.  I was sitting at a truck stop in a small town in Southern Illinois.  I was with a friend of mine, and we had met up with a few of his friends to have coffee.  Both of the guys we were meeting for coffee were quite a bit older than my friend and I, and both had served in Vietnam. 

              Late afternoon coffee turned into evening drinks and evening drinks turned into late night veteran drunkenness.  And while I don’t remember everything from that night, there is one brief exchange of a few one-liners between the veterans that, as I said above, will always stick with me. 

              After they had spent a few hours exchanging literal war stories from a land they had both survived, there was a brief, solemn silence.  One man looked at the other one, the previous humor and fond light gone from his eyes and said, “You know we’re going to Hell, right?”.

              Without missing a beat, the other man looked back at him and replied, “Man, what makes you think we haven’t already been?”. 

              My bumps still get goosed every time I think of that night.      

              The second thing that I think will remain with me forever was something I heard just a few months ago.  I had an opportunity to cover an event where the guest speaker was Jeff Struecker, the inspiration behind the movie Black Hawk Down.  He told the harrowing, real-life story of that whole experience, and as he was concluding what was probably one of the greatest speech’s I’ve ever had the privilege of hearing, he said something I'll never forget. 

Referring to the radical change of policy made by the Clinton administration during that time, Struecker said with such conviction, “I stood on that airfield with the blood of my buddies still in my uniform asking the question: What was it all for then?”.

Again, bumps…goosed.  Because the only thing I can think of that’s worse than losing my own life in battle—would be watching my brothers or sisters lose theirs.

As I was reflecting on the true significance that comes with this weekend, these two memories came to mind, and I couldn’t help but think of the soldiers that came before me and the ones who died so bravely while in uniform.  And as a veteran myself, I am reminded that I have so much more to be thankful for because of that.   

              Yes.  I am beyond grateful that these brave men and women gave their lives for my family, my freedom, my future, and my country.  Other than Jesus Christ, I can’t think of a single person that would give their life for mine.    

              But I can’t help but feel a heavy ache in my chest each time I think of the path these brave souls carved. Their sacrifice wasn’t just for me—it was for every soldier who would follow in their footsteps. They cleared the way, cutting through the thorns and blazing a trail so that those who came after them could face a slightly fairer fight.

              They learned things the hard way, so we wouldn’t have to. And here's what I mean by that...

              While bayonets were typically only used during charges, close combat, and even psychological impact, it wasn’t until late World War I that their use became less effective, due to trench warfare and machine gun superiority. 

              The soldiers who served before me had to learn the hard way that you can’t bring a knife to a gun fight.

              By the end of World War I, there were huge leaps in gear upgrades that included gas masks, steel helmets, trench coats, and better load-carrying systems. 

              It wasn’t until World War II that standard-issued semi-automatic rifles, walkie-talkies, improved helmets, and personal gear tailored for different combat environments were introduced. 

              The Cold War era brought forth the introduction of ballistic vests, night vision, and early electronic communications gear. 

              And drones and robotic support systems didn’t enter the chat until the Post 9/11 era. 

              Every advancement came at a cost—hard lessons learned through trial, error, and the sacrifice of countless lives. My equipment was better because they discovered, in the harshest way possible, that what came before wasn’t enough. Because of their courage and sacrifice, my life was saved more than once—perhaps in ways I’ll never fully grasp. And for that, I will always be grateful.

              To the Gold Star Families, who are also the heroes of this weekend, you are not alone in your grief.  And the memory of your loved one will live on, not only in those who miss them so dearly, but also in those who still boldly wear the uniform and defend the flag and everything it stands for.   

              From all of us at 931Go, we extend our deepest gratitude to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. May their legacy always be honored. We also wish our fellow community members a safe, blessed, and meaningful Memorial Day.