Every headstone in cemeteries across our nation and around the globe tells a story.
The letters etched upon those stones are the names of mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, daughters, and sons. Far too many lived short lives fighting and dying for the peace, freedom, and opportunities we enjoy as Americans.
Denis McDonough
Opinion
Whenever I walk through the sacred grounds of our national cemeteries, I pause and read the names aloud, my way of ensuring I never forget the ultimate sacrifice these patriots gave in defense of freedom.
On Memorial Day, my wish is that all Americans take the time to remember the sacrifices of these heroes by saying their names aloud. Saying the names of these men and women keeps their memory alive the memory of their service, commitment, dedication, and love of country. It reminds their families that we continue to stand with them.
My most humbling career experiences have been the privilege of meeting our men and women serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, visiting and seeing firsthand the resilience of those wounded and recovering, and sharing my deep condolences and grief with military families when their loved ones came home in a flag-draped coffin.
Related Story: What Memorial Day Means to Me, a Combat Veteran
They arent just names. They are our families and friends, our neighbors and fellow citizens. These men and women have so many stories of bravery and valor to tell.
Today, and always, I remember our fallen heroes and say their names. I ask you to join me in saying their names in honor, reflection, and recognition of a grateful nation.
Wood National Cemetery in Milwaukee is the final resting place of four Civil War Medal of Honor recipients, Buffalo Soldiers, and Michelle Witmer, the first woman from the Wisconsin National Guard killed in war in 60 years. She served in Iraq with her sisters, Charity and Rachel.
Army Private David Bennes Barkley is buried in San Antonio. He earned the Medal of Honor in World War I after he volunteered to cross a river to observe enemy positions and drowned on the return trip.
Air Force Lt. Col. Ellison Onizuka, killed in the Challenger space shuttle explosion, is buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
In 2006, Air Force Tech. Sgt. Alfred Hill, who was missing in action for 62 years, finally returned home and was laid to rest at the Fort Sill National Cemetery. He and eight crew members were on a B-24 bomber that disappeared on a mission during World War II.
A relative of Specialist 4 Donald Sargent wears his dog tags at the unveiling of a monument to honor the military passengers of Flying Tiger Line Flight 739, Saturday, May 15, 2021, in Columbia Falls, Maine. Sargent was among those killed on the secret mission to Vietnam in 1962. (AP/Robert F. Bukaty)
Those who read the book We Were Soldiers Once and Young (by Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway) or saw the movie will recognize the name of Medal of Honor recipient Army Capt. Ed Too Tall Freeman, buried in the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery. A helicopter pilot who volunteered to fly food and supplies to soldiers fighting in Vietnams Ia Drang Valley under heavy enemy fire, Capt. Freemans bravery allowed hundreds to return home to their families.
And theres Jesse LeRoy Brown, who earned the Distinguished Flying Cross the first Black naval officer to complete the Navys basic flight training program and the first Black naval officer killed in the Korean War. He was killed trying to save Marines trapped at the Chosin Reservoir. His body was never recovered, and his family was left without a grave to honor and remember him.
The Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial is the final resting place for 7,861 servicemen who died liberating Italy from the Nazis.
Many more heroes from all our wars rest in hallowed grounds around the world.
We cant lose sight of what Memorial Day means for our nation and families who continue to grieve the loss of a soldier, sailor, airman, Marine, or Coast Guardsman.
For these Americans, Memorial Day may not be a day of celebration. It may be a deeply personal and somber day. Remember them in your prayers and recognize that we are free because of their sacrifices.
President Biden told me that my job as VA secretary is to fight like hell for veterans. He also said that there is no more sacred duty than to care for our nations vets who have given us so much.
As our caring colleagues in the National Cemetery Administration maintain their solemn mission to watch over those no longer with us, we know many more veterans came home with wounds both visible and invisible. My promise is that all of us in VA will selflessly serve those men and women who served and sacrificed so much for all of us.
Today, and always, I remember our fallen heroes and say their names. I ask you to join me in saying their names in honor, reflection, and recognition of a grateful nation.
About the Writer
Denis McDonough is secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.
Read this article:
We Must Say Names of Heroes Who Gave All Defending Freedom - gvwire.com
- Opinion | U.S. religious freedom effort gets an unwelcome message in Saudi Arabia - The Washington Post - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Freedom Caucus urges GOP to reject government funding deal without border reforms - The Hill - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- The Equal Justice Initiative's soon to open Freedom Monument Sculpture Park - Montgomery Advertiser - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Freedom school district to go to referendum April 2 for capital improvements totaling $62.5 million - Post-Crescent - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Press freedom in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda: what journalists have to say about doing their jobs - The Conversation Indonesia - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- She bought an animal testing site and turned it into a rehab sanctuary - The Washington Post - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Young Americans for Freedom said UW-Madison's security fees were 'unprecedented.' Records show that's not the full ... - Daily Cardinal - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Responds to Outcome in Ohio GOP Senate Primary - Reproductive Freedom for All - Reproductive Freedom for All - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Biden Redefines Freedom and Democracy - AMAC Official Website - Join and Explore the Benefits - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Freedom snaps three-game streak of wins at home - MaxPreps - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- DePauw Faculty Talks Merit Pay, Academic Freedom, Donor Funds, and Event Planning at Monthly Meeting - The DePauw - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- SC governor: Proposed Medical Freedom Act could place innocent lives at risk - Live 5 News WCSC - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Li Yilei recaptures the freedom of childhood through sound - The FADER - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- The massive copper mine that could test the limits of religious freedom - Grist - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Netflix Is Rethinking Employee Freedom, a Core Tenet of Its Vaunted Culture - WSJ - The Wall Street Journal - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Freedom Caucus touts bill banning Ranked Choice Voting - Pelican Post - Online Newspaper - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Proposed TikTok ban is an affront to economic and personal freedom - The Hill - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Chase Freedom Encourages Cardmembers To Celebrate With Family, Given and Chosen, With Q2 2024 Quarterly ... - Yahoo Finance - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Baseball Game Recap: Freedom Patriots vs. East Bay Indians - MaxPreps - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- 'The veils and the women': Can we really advocate for freedom when we are banning them? - LSE Home - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Freedom wins going away against Brandon - MaxPreps - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Protect the founder of WikiLeaks for the future of press freedom - The Baylor Lariat - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Applauds Confirmation of Judge Nicole Berner to Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals - Reproductive Freedom for All - Reproductive Freedom for All - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Five Themes Discussed at Princeton's Workshop on Decentralized Social Media - Freedom to Tinker - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Meghan Markle Unveils New Brand on Poignant Date with Prince Harry - PEOPLE - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Freedom set to open the 2024 season against Torrey Pines (CA) - 69News WFMZ-TV - March 20th, 2024 [March 20th, 2024]
- Texas A&M Creating A Task Force To Work On Academic Freedom - Navasota News - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- H.S. BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Freedom teams advance to Christmas tournament title games - Morganton News Herald - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Gow cites freedom of expression in defending porn videos which led to his firing as UWL chancellor - WIZM NEWS - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Sound Of Freedom: All Updates & Controversies Since It Released - Screen Rant - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Im ready for freedom, Gypsy Rose Blanchard says as she gets early release from jail after role in moms... - The US Sun - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Turkish Airlines Hasn't Applied For Permission to Operate Crucial Fifth-Freedom Flights From Singapore to Australia - paddleyourownkanoo.com - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- New ballot language submitted for proposed changes to Arkansas Freedom of Information Act - Mountain Home Observer - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- The SRFOE calls on States to guarantee freedom of expression as a fundamental right for gender equality and the ... - Organization of American States - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Irene Crcoles releases 'Closet', a single that screams freedom - WECB - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Sound of Freedom Is Now Streaming: Heres Where to Stream the Controversial Crime Thriller Online for Free - Hollywood Reporter - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- FIA consider more freedom in technical regulations - The Judge 13 - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Texas A&M Academic Freedom Task Force Is Nearing Completion Of Its Recommendations - WTAW - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- 2023 was a dire year for freedom of speech on campus, says this organization. Will next year be any better? - Fox News - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- The Spellbinding Freedom of Baldur's Gate 3 - The New York Times - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Stream It Or Skip It: Sound of Freedom on Prime Video, the Child-Trafficking Movie That Became a Culture War Flashpoint And Box Office Sensation -... - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Rare Mammoth Specimen Unearthed at Freedom Mine near Beulah, North Dakota - Net Newsledger - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Frontlines of Freedom TV Ep. 1 | 2023 Year In Review | Gaza | Ukraine | Trump RDI - Renew Democracy Initiative - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- We need more freedom of speech on campus, but that can't include advocating for genocide - Minnesota Reformer - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Freedom, first and last Sonoma Sun | Sonoma, CA - Sonoma Valley Sun - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Home for the holidays, from wrongful imprisonment - Star Tribune - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- The Freedom to Dress Cannot Be Overstated - Highsnobiety - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Freedom Town Column: Selectmen's meetings have resumed at the town office - Conway Daily Sun - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Did Disney own the rights to Sound of Freedom? - Dexerto - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Freedom Fitness 615 is ready to take on new year's resolutions - Lebanon Democrat - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Expressing the freedom of self-expression for Holocaust Memorial Day - North Kesteven District Council - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Airdate: Jamie Lee Curtis: Hollywood Call of Freedom - TV Tonight - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Harry Belafonte Used Fame to Fight for Freedom - The New York Times - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Abducted Anambra truck driver regains freedom - Punch Newspapers - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- OP-ED: Kwanzaa, Freedom, Justice and Peace: Principles and Practices For A New World - Black Press USA - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Webinar to give overview of Arkansas Food Freedom Act - Searcy Daily Citizen - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Statement to Mark 25th Anniversary of International Religious ... - USCCB - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Freedom of Information Act - Health.mil - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- 'Freedom' to be featured on GS merchandise - Statesboro Herald - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Freedom students say they feel safe on campus; social media ... - thepress.net - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- What kind of freedom? | News, Sports, Jobs - Marshalltown Times Republican - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Woman has few hopes for freedom in shaken bay death conviction - Mississippi Today - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- MFRR Monitoring Report 575 media freedom violations in the first ... - European Centre for Press and Media Freedom - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Michigan's Freedom of Information Act Must Be Significantly Reformed - Mackinac Center for Public Policy - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Freedom without justice - IPS Journal - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Free speech concerns arise in wake of journal editor Eisen's firing - STAT - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Salman Rushdie calls for defense of freedom of expression as he ... - Spectrum News 1 - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Governor Murphy Sounds the Alarm on Incoming GOP Assault on ... - InsiderNJ - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Soloviev Group Announces Affordable Housing Units in Freedom ... - New York YIMBY - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- North Macedonia Curbed Roma Citizens' Freedom of Movement ... - Balkan Insight - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- NCT 127: We are limitless but that freedom also has a lot of ... - NME - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Academic freedom or state control: Court hearing will consider blocking key higher ed law in FL - Florida Phoenix - October 23rd, 2023 [October 23rd, 2023]
- Salman Rushdie calls for defense of freedom of expression as he receives German prize - Euronews - October 23rd, 2023 [October 23rd, 2023]
- It's Cold War II, and the enemies of freedom are lining up to forge a new world order - The Telegraph - October 23rd, 2023 [October 23rd, 2023]
- Freedom Caucus Urges GOP Leaders To Remain in Washington ... - The Messenger - October 23rd, 2023 [October 23rd, 2023]
- Statesboro: 'Freedom' the Eagle now has his own merchandise - WJCL News Savannah - October 23rd, 2023 [October 23rd, 2023]
- Escaping North Korea: 'Beyond Utopia' documents one path to ... - The Christian Science Monitor - October 23rd, 2023 [October 23rd, 2023]
- PRH, WNDB Launch Freedom of Expression Award - Publishers Weekly - October 23rd, 2023 [October 23rd, 2023]
- Carbondale branch of NAACP hosts 46th Freedom Fund Banquet - The Southern - October 23rd, 2023 [October 23rd, 2023]
- 'Herald favored our freedom of speech' The Durango Herald - The Durango Herald - October 23rd, 2023 [October 23rd, 2023]