On Memorial Day, remember the young soldiers who thought they were immortal – Cape Cod Times (subscription)

By Ralph Negron

Memorial Day is an old and established American tradition that dates way back to the Civil War. Following the war, Union veterans began honoring their fallen comrades by taking time every spring to decorate their graves. Confederate veterans followed the tradition as well, ultimately resulting in the federal government designating the last Monday of May as an official holiday to remember all members of the armed services killed in the line of duty.

Observance of Memorial Day has morphed into a significant American holiday that has strayed far from its roots. Today many Americans associate Memorial Day with the running of the Indianapolis 500 and other festive events that signal the beginning of summer fun. In all the hoopla, the simple message seems to have been forgotten.

In addition, many people have difficulty differentiating between Memorial Day and Veterans Day in November. Nov. 11 is Veterans Day, a separate but important holiday honoring members of the armed services, present and past, for their service to our nation. It is understandable why Americans might be confused by both holidays since less than 1 percent of the American population is on active duty in the armed forces. According to the Veterans Administration, only 7 percent of the population has ever served in uniform. On Veterans Day in November, thank a veteran for his or her service. On Memorial Day, say a little prayer for the young men and women who gave their all for our nation.

Nobody ever goes to war thinking that they will never return; rather, to most young men and women, war is simply a digression from everyday life plans -- perhaps to marry a high school sweetheart, buy a new car, finish college, or buy a house and have kids. All these dreams are simply put on hold until they can get back home and resume their lives. Most young adults have a feeling of immortality as they march off to war. They are oblivious to death, an affliction suffered only by the old. The immortality of youth is not a novel idea. It has been a popular theme in literature going back to the first epic novel ever written in Western civilization -- Gilgamesh. At some point, the reality of war sinks in and the notion of immortality starts to wear thin. Perhaps it occurs when the first shots in anger are fired or when a buddy is killed.

As a young Marine lieutenant bound for Vietnam, I found reality as I waited with a group of fellow Marines at Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa for our flight to Danang Airbase in Vietnam. While we waited, we all paused in silence, perhaps the deepest silence I have ever experienced, to watch 12 or 15 coffins loaded onto an Air Force cargo plane. The early morning mist and the eerie silence captured for me one of those forever moments that you never forget. I recall that a young lance corporal in the group broke the silence by loudly exclaiming Holy ----, those are ------- coffins! He was absolutely right and was almost instantaneously shut up by a gunnery sergeant who wanted the rest of us to continue our meditative trance. I imagine others in the group had also reached their reality point. Our dreams for the future were now mixed with the stark reality that we may never see home again.

The real heroes of any war are those who never return home. They paid the ultimate price for a war that they did not start. Youth have not been around long enough to know the meaning of a lifetime. It is not until you have been through a lifetime that you can appreciate it. After 50-plus years of marriage and having nine grandchildren, I can now define a lifetime, and it saddens me to know just how much of it they missed. Old soldiers never die because its the young ones who do the fighting. Many never had a chance to marry, have kids, or even buy a new car. Their lofty and noble dreams, which we all take for granted, were shattered along with those of their family and friends.

This is why we observe Memorial Day. May they rest in peace knowing that a grateful nation keeps them in their thoughts and prayers and celebrates their memory on this their special day.

Ralph Negron, a Vietnam veteran, lives in Hyannis.

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On Memorial Day, remember the young soldiers who thought they were immortal - Cape Cod Times (subscription)