Take a moment today to reflect on the price of freedomBy: J. Stryker Meyer - North County Times
It's Memorial Day again.
And what a somber day it is, as the number of American casualties in the Operation Iraqi Freedom approaches 1,700 service members killed in action.
Thursday evening, I visited the 1st Marine Division Headquarters at Camp Pendleton a few hours after more than 800 Marines and family members attended an emotional memorial service for the 336 Marines, 69 Army soldiers, 10 sailors and 5 British troops who were attached to the division and were killed in Iraq between March 2004 and March 2005. At least 204 of the Marines were from Camp Pendleton or Twentynine Palms.
Although the service had ended, the air still seemed to have an emotional tinge to it from the day's earlier event.
During Thursday's memorial service, 1st Marine Division Commander Maj. Gen Richard Natonski reminded everyone of the fundamental human side to today's sacrifices when he said that the troops were all "fathers, husbands, sons, brothers and our neighbors ... they were ordinary people living ordinary lives, asked to make extraordinary sacrifices."
Sgt. Nicholas Maloney, 23, told the North County Times that the service members killed in action "gave everything they had ... they made a sacrifice that not everyone is willing to make."
As to the personal anguish and sorrow, Emily Dieruf of Kentucky explained that "nothing prepares you" to confront the death of a loved one. Her husband, Cpl. Nicholas Dieruf, 21, was killed in Fallujah on April 8, 2004. She described her proud Marine husband as a "tall, broad-shouldered, square-jawed ... exemplary Marine. He certainly did not want to leave us. ... But he thought that they were over there doing the right thing."
Such can be said about every veteran who served our country during its brief 230-year history.
As North County residents go about enjoying Memorial Day with holiday pursuits, I hope that somewhere during the day people will stop for a moment to reflect upon this fact: everyone is free to enjoy this holiday thanks to the supreme price soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guard service members have made in defense of this country since 1775. For without those sacrifices, we would not have the freedom that we all enjoy today and often take for granted.
Since Jan. 1, my family, friends, neighbors and complete strangers have voiced support and prayers for my son serving in Iraq today, which demonstrates why and how North County has many compassionate people who do appreciate our freedoms.
Remembering our fallen war heroesBy HILARY NUTTING
Memorial Day weekend, the last weekend in May, spurs images of smoking barbecues, the aroma of hamburgers sizzling on the grill, picnics in the park and a rollicking game of Frisbee.
While family-oriented activities are a large part of Memorial Day celebrations today, there is a solemnity to this holiday that is largely forgotten by the current generation. Memorial Day's roots are not in perfecting the barbecued hot dog but in remembering those who have died in service to the nation.
There are varied stories of Memorial Day's origins, but the holiday was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868, by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic and first observed May 30, 1868. Flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery to remember those who died fighting in the Civil War.
In 1873, New York became the first state to officially recognize the holiday. By 1890 it was recognized by all northern states, with some southern states abstaining.
Today, Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday of May in most all states. Some southern states have additional days designated to remember fallen Confederate soldiers.
Memorial Day was traditionally celebrated May 30, until 1971. Congress changed its observance to the last Monday in May, not always May 30, with the passing of the National Holiday Act.
The act ensured a three-day holiday weekend for federal holidays, a change which spurred controversy. Some believed creating a three-day weekend diminished the holiday's true meaning. A bill was introduced in the House of Representatives in 1999 to restore Memorial Day to a May 30 celebration, but has not developed further.
Ways to celebrate the more traditional aspects of Memorial Day include the wearing of a red poppy. The tradition stems from Moina Michael, who in 1915 began wearing a red poppy to honor those who died serving the nation during war.
Michael was inspired by John Mcrae's 1915 poem "In Flanders Fields," which tells of poppies blowing between crosses marking soldiers' graves. She responded with a poem of her own:
We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.
Michael was the first to wear a red poppy on Memorial Day, then sold poppies to others, using proceeds to benefit servicemen in need. Some of today's observers still wear read poppies on Memorial Day.
In Big Bear, there is a Memorial Day observance Remember Our Soldiers at Meadow Park 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, May 28. All event proceeds go to AnySoldier.com. Call Mel and Kathy Frese for information, (909) 584-9340, or visit AnySoldier.com.
Other ways to honor fallen servicemen on Memorial Day:
€ Visit cemeteries and place flags or flowers on graves of fallen servicemen.
€ Visit memorials.
€ Fly the U.S. Flag at half-staff until noon.
€ Fly the POW/MIA Flag.
€ Observe the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day to think about the holiday's meaning.
€ Play "Taps."
€ Renew a pledge to aid the widows, widowers and orphaned of fallen servicemen and to aid disabled veterans.
