Memorial Day is a time to remember American service members who understood the responsibility that comes with freedom and died to keep America free.
Today is Memorial Day in the United States, a day to honor and mourn America’s fallen heroes, those who died while serving the nation in the U.S. Armed Forces. President Harry S. Truman said,
“American was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.”
American Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan defined the term hero.
President Truman’s description describes the members of U.S. Armed Forces who died in defense of the nation well. They embodied how Bob Dylan, American Nobel Laureate in Literature, defined hero.
“A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.”
American service members have understood that responsibility and they took ownership of it. Over time, many served the nation in its darkest hours and the darkest hours of humanity. They defended the nation with their energy, faith, and far too often, with their lives.
Memorial Day is more than an opportunity to take a long weekend off from work. We all have a chance to honor the memory of our fallen service members.
Memorial Day gives each American a special opportunity to do more than party, go to the beach, or take a vacation. It gives each of us a chance to honor the memory of our service members who gave their lives to ensure our nation’s safety and freedom.
By the time you have read this column, as is my custom to honor and remember those service members who died defending our nation, I will have visited Washington Square, Philadelphia, one of the five original squares laid out in 1682 by William Penn’s surveyor, Thomas Holme. In the Square, I will have stood in silent remembrance before the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier. Lying underneath the Square are more than a thousand unknown soldiers of George Washington’s Army.
At the memorial stands a statue of President George Washington and an eternal flame reminding us of the enduring spirits of those who gave their lives to free us from the tyranny of King George III.
At the Tomb, the plaque reads,
“Beneath this stone rests a soldier of Washington’s army who died to give you liberty.”
These men and women died to ensure that we can live our lives with the sweet breath of freedom. It is now up to us to honor them by being vigilant in our daily lives. We must ensure that every American enjoys the freedom and opportunities we have.
I recommend visiting four destinations to visit to remember and learn about American military history.
There are many travel destinations at which we can learn about America’s military history and the greatness of its heroes. Below are four historic U.S. military sites that I recommend every American visit to remember and learn.
Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknowns – Arlington, just across the Potomac River from Washington, DC, is the U.S.’ most famous military cemetery. It was established during the American Civil War on the former estate of the family of Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s wife, Mary Anna (Custis) Lee, a step-great-grand daughter of George Washington. The 624-acre cemetery is the final resting place of veterans and military casualties from each of the nation’s wars, from the American Civil War to the present day.
The Tomb of the Unknowns, a monument dedicated to American service members who have died without their remains being identified, is located within Arlington National Cemetery. In the Tomb are the remains of unknown soldiers from World War I and II, and the Korean War. The remains of the Vietnam War unknown were removed when he was identified by DNA analysis fourteen years after he was interred in the Tomb. That empty crypt was rededicated to all missing U.S. service members from the Vietnam War in 1999.
A special platoon of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment guard the Tomb 24/7, every day of the year. There is a moving “Changing of the Guard” ceremony conducted at the Tomb every half hour during summer months, and every hour during winter months, during the day.
Visiting the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor was one of the most moving travel experiences I’ve ever had.
USS Arizona Memorial – “Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy…” President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s speech began. The USS Arizona serves as the final resting place for many of the battleship’s 1,177 crew members who lost their lives on that day at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Looking down at the Arizona from the Memorial floating above, oil can still be seen rising to the water’s surface from its wreckage. Some swear that you can still smell the battle in that oil as they survey the harbor, where two battleships were lost, six others severely damaged, and more than 3,200 men and women were killed or wounded.
When I visited the Memorial for the first time, I was struck by the eerie quiet among the memorial’s visitors, even young children.
Valley Forge National Historical Park – No battle was fought at Valley Forge, but the Continental Army encampment was nonetheless instrumental in the American victory over the British. Valley Forge (just 25 miles from historic Philadelphia) was the site of the 1777-78 winter encampment of the Continental Army, led by General George Washington. The sacrifice and perseverance of the men, frequently chilled to the bone, and often wet and suffering from disease, encamped during that severe and snowy Philadelphia-area winter, brought honor to themselves during the extraordinary birth of the U.S.
As you walk the fields of Gettysburg, it’s important remember that almost 8,000 were killed during the three-day battle, Americans all.
Gettysburg National Military Park – This July will mark the the 161st anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, a major turning point of America’s Civil War. The Union victory at Gettysburg ended General Robert E. Lee’s second and most ambitious invasion of the North. The battle was the war’s bloodiest, with more than 46,000 casualties, including almost 8,000 killed.
The eerily named Cemetery Ridge, Pickett’s Charge, and Little Round Top, were all added to America’s lexicon during the Battle of Gettysburg. Four months after the battle ended, President Abraham Lincoln dedicated the Soldiers’ National Cemetery with his historic Gettysburg Address.
I hope you have a chance to visit at least some of these amazing places of American history this year. When you do, listen for the echoes of the voices of the men and women who sacrificed their lives for America.
(Image: Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary Soldier, Washington Square, Philadelphia, PA. Copyright © 2024 NSL Photography. All Rights Reserved.)
After many years working in corporate America as a chemical engineer, executive and eventually CFO of a multinational manufacturer, Ned founded a tech consulting company and later restarted NSL Photography, his photography business. Before entering the corporate world, Ned worked as a Public Health Engineer for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. As a well known corporate, travel and wildlife photographer, Ned travels the world writing about travel and photography, as well as running photography workshops, seminars and photowalks. Visit Ned’s Photography Blog and Galleries.
