Memorial Day deserves some reflection and humility

For many of us who grew up in the ‘70s and ‘80s, most of our experience with war consisted of what we read in history books and what we saw in films. We lived through a time of relative peace, even as we lived under the lingering threat of something called the Cold War.

It became easy to take peace for granted, because we assumed our safety was somehow assured. Ironically, most of us didn’t really think about how it was assured. Most post-Vietnam Hollywood depictions of war tended to advance the notion it was an accident born of chaos, madness and depravity.

Years of war in the Middle East have taught us differently. Whatever shortcomings the military may have that make it a target for criticism and ridicule, at its heart is a collection of extraordinary men and women doing extraordinary things. No one should ever take for granted that others would put themselves in harm’s way for us, and yet we do. Meanwhile, their sacrifices persist.

We’d encourage everyone to take some time and visit the Congressional Medal of Honor Society website at www.cmohs.org. Anyone who can spend more than 30 minutes reading the citations of the honorees and not be moved may as well stop reading this now. We’re not going to be able to add anything more interesting.

Here’s a random example, the citation for Army Staff Sgt. Marvin R. Young, a 21-year-old Texan who died in Vietnam:

“S/Sgt. Young distinguished himself at the cost of his life while serving as a squad leader with Company C. While conducting a reconnaissance mission in the vicinity of Ben Cui, Company C was suddenly engaged by an estimated regimental-size force of the North Vietnamese Army. During the initial volley of fire the point element of the 1st Platoon was pinned down, sustaining several casualties, and the acting platoon leader was killed. S/Sgt. Young unhesitatingly assumed command of the platoon and began to organize and deploy his men into a defensive position in order to repel the attacking force. As a human wave attack advanced on S/ Sgt. Young’s platoon, he moved from position to position, encouraging and directing fire on the hostile insurgents while exposing himself to the hail of enemy bullets. After receiving orders to withdraw to a better defensive position, he remained behind to provide covering fire for the withdrawal. Observing that a small element of the point squad was unable to extract itself from its position, and completely disregarding his personal safety, S/Sgt. Young began moving toward their position, firing as he maneuvered. When halfway to their position he sustained a critical head injury, yet he continued his mission and ordered the element to withdraw. Remaining with the squad as it fought its way to the rear, he was twice seriously wounded in the arm and leg. Although his leg was badly shattered, S/Sgt. Young refused assistance that would have slowed the retreat of his comrades, and he ordered them to continue their withdrawal while he provided protective covering fire. With indomitable courage and heroic self-sacrifice, he continued his self-assigned mission until the enemy force engulfed his position.”

There are hundreds of stories like this, and there thousands upon thousands upon thousands more who died in the ordinary course of duty, with far less recognition and fanfare.

It’s pretty sobering, if you think about it. If someone told you in the ordinary course of duty for your job, you may have to die, how quick would you be to sign up?

Of course, there are some, such as police officers and firefighters, who have made that very choice. But most us, we’ll venture, would be inclined to give it a second thought.

Today we celebrate a day whose roots go back to the end of the Civil War, with an observance called Decoration Day. The exact date and place of its birth are in dispute, but the observance involved honoring the war’s dead by placing flowers on their graves.

Some years later, after World War I, the scope was expanded to honor those who have died in all American wars. It wasn’t until 1971 that Congress declared Memorial Day, as it came to be called, a national holiday, celebrated on the last Monday in May.

As time has gone by, the holiday has come to be recognized as the unofficial start of summer. And that’s OK. Far be it from us to reprove family gatherings, afternoon barbecues or a day the beach. However, we do think it’s important to remember that the simple pleasures we may enjoy today came at the price of many lives.

Whether it’s visiting to a cemetery, displaying a flag or taking a moment to acknowledge the loss of someone whose loved one died in combat, we ask readers to find a way to ensure our heroes are not forgotten.