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Carlisle Community Honors Fallen Service Members at USAHEC Memorial Day Ceremony
CARLISLE, Pa. — Soldiers, veterans, Gold Star families, and local residents gathered on May 26 at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC) to honor the legacy of those who gave their lives in service to the nation. The Memorial Day ceremony, hosted by USAHEC, reflected a solemn tradition of remembrance and demonstrated the strength of military and civilian partnership in the Carlisle community.
The ceremony opened with the national anthem and the presentation of colors by Soldiers from the Carlisle Company of the Harrisburg Recruiting Battalion. It concluded with the 108th Field Artillery Regiment, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, rendering a 21-gun salute to honor the fallen.
The Carlisle Brass Band provided musical accompaniment throughout the event. The band's continued support of military ceremonies highlights its longstanding relationship with the U.S. Army War College and the USAHEC.
Retired Gen. Stephen Townsend delivered the keynote address, reflecting on the meaning of service, sacrifice, and the importance of legacy. He emphasized the need for today's Soldiers to carry forward the traditions and duties of those who came before them.
"For any of us who are in the business of defending the nation, we have to remember what our predecessors have done — defending the nation for the last 250 years," Townsend said. "By doing that, our Soldiers today strive to live up to their legacy. They did what the nation needed them to do during their time. It's now our turn to do what the nation asks of us in our time. It's on our shoulders to do it today."
Townsend also spoke about the significance of institutions like USAHEC in preserving military history and making it accessible to service members and civilians.
"So well, it's right there in the title U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, they maintain that heritage, they curate that heritage, and they educate not only service members but the public," he said. "I see when I drive by here; I see people out on these grounds. The American public's learning about what their armed forces have done for them in the past and what they do for them today."
Dr. Kate C. Lemay, director of USAHEC, echoed the importance of remembrance and emphasized how the event aligns with the center's mission of education and connection.
"Memorial Day is about honoring the women and men who sacrificed themselves while serving our country. Every one of them has a story. In fact, we are honoring several Gold Star Families during today's ceremony, and each of them has a story, too," Lemay said. "Part of our mission here at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center is to share the experiences of American Soldiers to connect them to the American public. This ceremony connects those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, their stories, and their families' stories, with the American public. Sharing that connection is how we honor our fallen Soldiers today."
The grounds of USAHEC filled with visitors, including many civilians who took the opportunity to explore exhibits and walk the Army Heritage Trail. Lemay noted that everyday places often hold unseen reminders of sacrifice.
"Memorial Day honors the women and men throughout our history, and across generations, who had the passion, valor and patriotism to give their lives not just for our country but also for the safety and security of civilians in other nations," she said. "We see reminders of these sacrifices everywhere—think of the Harrisburg State Street Bridge, for example, which was built to commemorate the Soldiers and nurses of our national armed forces and of Pennsylvania who died during the Great War. It is a key transportation route for many in the area, but of course most of us don't take the time during our commutes to pause and reflect on what that sacrifice means. Memorial Day gives us that time and space to think about the ways in which sacrifice has affected us, our state, and our nation."
Support from the Carlisle Fire Department and the presence of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and Army recruiters highlighted the enduring bond between Carlisle's civilian community and the U.S. Army. Lemay emphasized that strengthening this connection is central to USAHEC's work.
"I want them to not just reflect but connect," she said. "I hope that our ceremony allows for that connection, and for our audience to feel like Army history is American history."
The ceremony concluded with a wreath laying, a moment of silence, and the playing of Taps. Townsend offered a final message as attendees prepared to leave the grounds or attend the Gold Star Family Reception.
"First of all, the freedom that we enjoy is not free. There's a cost associated with it," he said. "That cost has been borne by millions of Americans — generations of Americans before us. This is their day, a time to remember the cost of the freedom we enjoy, and to recognize that it's now on today's and future generations of Americans to uphold and defend that freedom, that liberty, and that democracy."
| Date Taken: | 05.27.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.03.2025 11:37 |
| Story ID: | 498998 |
| Location: | CARLISLE BARRACKS, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 22 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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