America must pause to honor all who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
Our nation must be reawakened by igniting a fire of respect, reverence, and remembrance in our souls.
Honoring all who have offered the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom is not only a privilege, but a sacred responsibility.
There must be a renewal of respect in the heart of America.
America must eternally heed the words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt:
“Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.”
America’s Flag: Symbol of Respect
As we honor Memorial Day, respect for America’s flag must be integral.
Our flag is the symbol of America, deserving of reverence, respect, and dignity.
In traditional observance of Memorial Day, the flag is raised briskly to the top of the mast. Then, it is reverently lowered to half-staff where it remains till noon. For the remainder of Memorial Day, it is raised to full-staff.
The half-staff flag solemnly honors well over one million men and women who have died to preserve our freedom.
At noon, their memory is honored with a full-staff flag, symbolizing that their sacrifices are not in vain.
The Flags of Arlington National Cemetery
At Arlington National Cemetery, one of America’s national cemeteries and the hallowed ground for more than 14,000 veterans, our flag holds a special place of honor.
On the Thursday before Memorial Day, over 1,200 soldiers of the 3rd U.S. Infantry place an American flag at each of over 260,000 gravestones at Arlington.
Afterwards, these soldiers patrol the cemetery, 24 hours per day, throughout the weekend, to insure that the flags remain standing.
America’s flag is inseparable from honor for all who have offered the ultimate sacrifice.
Perhaps these words of an unknown author best articulate honoring our fallen and our flag:
“Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.”
There are countless stories of the fallen, of which these two inspire respect.
U.S. Marine 2nd Lt. August Sacker Jr.
During World War II over 400,000 Americans made the ultimate sacrifice to save civilization from tyranny.
