Photo By Tech. Sgt. Hailey Haux | Airmen from the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard prepare to present the colors for the...... read more read more
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WASHINGTON – Memorial Day is often clouded by commercials, newspaper ads and billboards offering a number of car sales, great furniture deals and that much needed three-day weekend.
The smell of barbeque in the air with ice cold drinks and a dip in the pool could be considered the norm for some; however, to others it hits closer to home. It’s a chance to honor those who have given everything in service to their country.
Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force, James A. Cody, gave the keynote speech during a Memorial Day wreath laying ceremony at the Air Force Memorial May 25.
“[On] May 30, 1868, where just north of us at Arlington National Cemetery, 5,000 Americans decorated the graves of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there,” Cody said. “While American men and women across the expanding country had always paid respect to their brothers and sisters, sons and daughters who had fallen on the battlefields, this was the first major observance in honor of those who had risen their hand, who had given their all, and who had paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
Whether it is a wreath laying ceremony, parade or flag folding, all around the world the tradition of remembering those fallen heroes continues.
“[The] fields of green that honor our fallen men and women hold stories and memories that stir our hearts and minds, yet bring us silent reflection,” Cody said. “Silence to consider the greatness of their gallantry; silence as we solemnly stand in awe at the number [of men and women] we’ve lost; silence because words will never be strong enough to comfort those left behind. In these silent moments, we honor the sacrifice of these heroes and aspire to live up to their courageous example of selflessness.”
During his speech Cody named a few Airmen who gave their lives for the freedom of many.
“We honor these Airmen today, just as we honor the more than [one] million men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the freedoms we enjoy, and the 4,300 Airmen who died supporting military operations and armed conflicts from the Korean War to today,” Cody said. “All of them are part of a legacy of valor and a tradition of honor that, God willing, will never end. Some of you may know their names, others may share their names, but as a nation we can never forget their names. We must honor their names and sacrifice, and continue to carry their legacy forward.”
Cody mentioned that more than 75 percent of the men and women in an all-volunteer Air Force joined after 9/11.
“They have never known a peacetime force,” Cody said. “They have fought, valiantly, in the longest sustained combat operations in the history of our nation. They fight because they believe in what our nation stands for, they are proud of the Airmen who stand by their side, and they honor those who have fallen in the trenches.”
Quoting Gen. George Patton, Cody said, “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.”
“So today we do not mourn the fallen, we celebrate their courage and praise them for their selflessness,” Cody said. “We hold them in our hearts and celebrate them in our words. They give us [cause to] cheer, and we are thankful.”
The sound of taps spilled from the trumpet, filled the air and was carried by the wind as everyone stood still, some saluting and some with tears in their eyes as they, perhaps, recalled a loved one, friend or co-worker who paid the ultimate price.
| Date Taken: | 05.25.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 05.25.2015 13:47 |
| Story ID: | 164455 |
| Location: | ARLINGTON, DC, US |
| Web Views: | 64 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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