It is a genuine honor to be in the presence of partiotic men and women who have endured so much for their country. Your courage in the face of adversity is the raw energy that heroes are made of. Rest assured that the spirits of our loved ones who offered up the ultimate sacrifice that we might live free from tyranny are watching over these proceedings with glad hearts.
My Grandfather, Andrew Claud WIlson, whose name and rank is on the Freedom Wall, was my example of selfless service. He lived his life that way, and before he passed away, 44 years ago, he told me about his service from 1919 to 1922 on the highy seas abroad two great battleships, the U.S.S. Wyoming, and the U.S.S. California.
President Abraham Lincoln coined it best in his Gettysburg Address 81 years ago/ "We have to come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. And the brave men , living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our por power to add or detract. The world will little not, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here."
Our founding fathers framed "The Great Experiment", founded upon the ideas grown out of the beat minds of the 18th century. The United States Constitution " prtovided for the common defense", and God-fearing men and women rose up without reservation to answer that sacred call defending their union, their property, their families, and their way of life. The Evidence of thier dedication is all around us.
Remebering back to the year 1779, a seventeen year old young man and his uncle John, armed only with flintlocks and bedrolls, joined the Revolutionary War effort defending fellow settlers against the red coat army of King George III,the "Tories", and the Cherokee Mohawk, Creek, and Iroquois nation. Fighting continued for five years until, on September 1, 1781, the patriots marched to Little Yor to reinforce Gener George Washington's main army at the Grand Camps, where they wtinessed Lord Cornwalls surrender at Yorktown oN October 19, 1781.
In conclusion, Memorial Day is a communal ceremony with roots dating back 2,500 years. You are nowpart of that history by virtue of you observance . May god bless you for your dedication to the extended family of man. For those who suffered in silence at home, waiting and watching along the widow's walk, hoping beyond hope, peace of mind, and a sense of your sanctification. As those who have gone before us heroes, so to, you are heroes, all of you, for your love and you devotion. Once again, thank you for your participation