Stand before Arlington, Normandy, or any small-town veterans’ cemetery and the slogans die. What remains is the truth: America was preserved by sacrifice. Farmers, steelworkers, immigrants, ranchers, coal miners, sailors, Marines, soldiers, airmen, and guardsmen gave everything so the rest of us could worship, speak, work, vote, raise families, and argue freely. The Left teaches shame. The graves teach gratitude. The anti-American academy says our history is oppression. The dead answer with liberation, courage, and duty. Memorial Day asks one question: Will we remain worthy of them? Fly the flag. Teach the children. Keep faith with the fallen.
It is their responsibility but young parents today don’t know anything about this stuff. I have a lot millennials (younger cousins, neighbors, etc) who I know and they have no clue because it was never taught to them. Just last year on June 6 a millennial mother asked me “What’s DDay?” So that’s where we are. We have the Internet now so we may as well use it for the greater good and make sure these children learned actual and accurate American history.
My mother, father (Korea- Navy), and stepfather (Brig. Gen. Army) are all buried in Arlington National Cemetery. This is a day of remembrance and thanks to all those who serve and protect our great nation. I enjoyed your article.
I pray that 2026 will be remembered as the year we saved our Republic from future destruction. If we do NOT work to clean up the vote, future Memorial Days may remember our 250th birthday as our last as a free nation. Please, everyone, go to theelectorlist (dot) com, sign up for (free) ELLY and make good use of this NON-PARTISAN voter roll cleanup.
That’s been a HUGE sticking point for me my entire life. I learned from my parents as a very young child, before I was ever in school, never to say, “Happy” Memorial Day. And now whenever I hear someone say it I wanna cry and scream, “THERE IS NOTHING HAPPY ABOUT THIS DAY!!” but I don’t. I usually just politely correct them because intellectually I know they don’t know any better, but emotionally it stings a lot. Especially since the list of friends KIA and KIT gets longer every year.
I remember my father and the nuns in grade school always insisted that Decoration- Memorial Day was in honor of deceased military heroes! Nothing happy about it. Solemn occasion like a funeral.
Same!!! My father, mother, aunts, uncles and grandparents were very proud of our family’s military service since the Revolutionary War. But during the 1970s, we were never told that the Vietnam veterans were treated badly. My cousin was very seriously injured on Christmas Eve in Vietnam and was the soul Survivor of his platoon. My family made us know and be assured that my cousin is a hero and he is. In fact of this day every memorial day he says, “the week I was shot in Vietnam 500 other Americans were KIA. Think of them”. And another thing we were never allowed to do was watch a Jane Fonda movie. I’m in my mid 50s now and I’ve still never seen a single one of her movies. That would be a betrayal.
Interesting that you noted Donald Trump’s contribution to the Vietnam Veterans welcome home celebration in NYC. I was a participant in the festivities only because my brother wrote the opening letter in the book “Dear America, Letters Home From Vietnam” and an excerpt from that letter is on the downtown memorial. Fortunately, my brother returned home intact. Donald Trump hosted the book release at Trump Tower and my only disappointment was that the Donald couldn’t attend.
During the Spring Break of March 1970, my parents took myself and my brother and sister to Wash DC, it was also to visit friends of my late grandfather in Vienna, Virginia.
We went to the Capitol, up the Wash Monument, the Smithsonian, the Jefferson Memorial, the White House tour.
Standing before the Lincoln Memorial was a moving experience, it felt like the great man was really there.
We also went to Arlington on the bus tour.
The Vietnam War was at its height and the tour guide told us how they had to expand the cemetery into the hills because of it. There wasn't a dry eye on that bus.
We also saw the grave of JFK with its eternal flame.
My dad was in the Army during the Korean War; his brother was wounded on his Coast Guard ship by a German U-boat sub off the New England coast and spent almost 2 years in the hospital; my maternal grandfather was in the Merchant Marine at the Brooklyn docks.
My dad's sister was in the OSS and we never knew what she did there.
Stand before Arlington, Normandy, or any small-town veterans’ cemetery and the slogans die. What remains is the truth: America was preserved by sacrifice. Farmers, steelworkers, immigrants, ranchers, coal miners, sailors, Marines, soldiers, airmen, and guardsmen gave everything so the rest of us could worship, speak, work, vote, raise families, and argue freely. The Left teaches shame. The graves teach gratitude. The anti-American academy says our history is oppression. The dead answer with liberation, courage, and duty. Memorial Day asks one question: Will we remain worthy of them? Fly the flag. Teach the children. Keep faith with the fallen.
Too many people these days have no respect for those who died, at times giving all they possibly could so that others can have the freedom to live.
I personally believe that it’s the parents responsibility to teach their children to respect and honour others especially those who have died.
It is their responsibility but young parents today don’t know anything about this stuff. I have a lot millennials (younger cousins, neighbors, etc) who I know and they have no clue because it was never taught to them. Just last year on June 6 a millennial mother asked me “What’s DDay?” So that’s where we are. We have the Internet now so we may as well use it for the greater good and make sure these children learned actual and accurate American history.
My mother, father (Korea- Navy), and stepfather (Brig. Gen. Army) are all buried in Arlington National Cemetery. This is a day of remembrance and thanks to all those who serve and protect our great nation. I enjoyed your article.
I pray that 2026 will be remembered as the year we saved our Republic from future destruction. If we do NOT work to clean up the vote, future Memorial Days may remember our 250th birthday as our last as a free nation. Please, everyone, go to theelectorlist (dot) com, sign up for (free) ELLY and make good use of this NON-PARTISAN voter roll cleanup.
Today at mass the deacon greeted the people with “Happy Memorial Day.” I cringed as usual!
That’s been a HUGE sticking point for me my entire life. I learned from my parents as a very young child, before I was ever in school, never to say, “Happy” Memorial Day. And now whenever I hear someone say it I wanna cry and scream, “THERE IS NOTHING HAPPY ABOUT THIS DAY!!” but I don’t. I usually just politely correct them because intellectually I know they don’t know any better, but emotionally it stings a lot. Especially since the list of friends KIA and KIT gets longer every year.
I remember my father and the nuns in grade school always insisted that Decoration- Memorial Day was in honor of deceased military heroes! Nothing happy about it. Solemn occasion like a funeral.
Same!!! My father, mother, aunts, uncles and grandparents were very proud of our family’s military service since the Revolutionary War. But during the 1970s, we were never told that the Vietnam veterans were treated badly. My cousin was very seriously injured on Christmas Eve in Vietnam and was the soul Survivor of his platoon. My family made us know and be assured that my cousin is a hero and he is. In fact of this day every memorial day he says, “the week I was shot in Vietnam 500 other Americans were KIA. Think of them”. And another thing we were never allowed to do was watch a Jane Fonda movie. I’m in my mid 50s now and I’ve still never seen a single one of her movies. That would be a betrayal.
Inspiring post, thanks!
Interesting that you noted Donald Trump’s contribution to the Vietnam Veterans welcome home celebration in NYC. I was a participant in the festivities only because my brother wrote the opening letter in the book “Dear America, Letters Home From Vietnam” and an excerpt from that letter is on the downtown memorial. Fortunately, my brother returned home intact. Donald Trump hosted the book release at Trump Tower and my only disappointment was that the Donald couldn’t attend.
It always brings me to tears
Excellent article!
Thank you for this beautiful tribute.
During the Spring Break of March 1970, my parents took myself and my brother and sister to Wash DC, it was also to visit friends of my late grandfather in Vienna, Virginia.
We went to the Capitol, up the Wash Monument, the Smithsonian, the Jefferson Memorial, the White House tour.
Standing before the Lincoln Memorial was a moving experience, it felt like the great man was really there.
We also went to Arlington on the bus tour.
The Vietnam War was at its height and the tour guide told us how they had to expand the cemetery into the hills because of it. There wasn't a dry eye on that bus.
We also saw the grave of JFK with its eternal flame.
My dad was in the Army during the Korean War; his brother was wounded on his Coast Guard ship by a German U-boat sub off the New England coast and spent almost 2 years in the hospital; my maternal grandfather was in the Merchant Marine at the Brooklyn docks.
My dad's sister was in the OSS and we never knew what she did there.
You skipped one. Everybody does. This has has always bothered me.
https://x.com/Philip_Mundhen3/status/2058998300314136697
Wonderful article Mr. Stone, and thank you for sharing this with us. It Is a solemn day to remember the great sacrifice