×
X logo

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox.

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)

You may opt-out anytime by clicking "unsubscribe" from the newsletter or from your account.

Honoring Those Who Died for Us

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

From the book of St. John, it is one of the most well-known of Jesus’ teachings related in The Bible. It has special significance today, as we observe Memorial Day.

Time and again, asked why they risked their own lives while in service to our country, veterans explain their heroics were not for some lofty goal such as patriotism, or for a general’s goal of capturing this town or that hill.

They did it for their comrades in arms, the veterans say most of the time.

It happened at Valley Forge, when one of the Continentals gave up his own slim ration to help a sick comrade.

Again on a ship of war when a young sailor threw himself between his captain and a Barbary pirate’s sword.

And again at Fort McHenry, as a brave soldier fell at his gun rather than allow another to bear the British fire, while Francis Scott Key watched at a distance.

It occurred as Americans charged the Citadel in Mexico, then just a few years later as the very same men fought each other under different flags at Gettysburg.

Rough Riders charged up San Juan Hill not to liberate Cuba from Mexican rule, but because their comrades were following Teddy Roosevelt, too.

Men went over the top in France not to capture machine gun nests, but to support buddies in danger.

A young man from West Virginia charged a machine gun in Germany because he saw his platoon being mowed down and wanted to stop the slaughter.

Marines in Korea risked their own lives on the frozen battlefield because they refused to leave the bodies of their dead behind.

In Vietnam, soldiers were known to throw themselves on live grenades to save the lives of friends.

Men went on dangerous missions in Iraq and Afghanistan to rescue individual comrades.

And during recent years, one group that won a great victory in the war against terrorism became known as the Band of Sisters.

The devotion so many of our fallen heroes have shown to brothers and sisters in arms is reason enough to honor them this Memorial Day.

But there is something else. They knew full well that while the battle might be for one’s comrades, the war itself was for us.

On countless occasions, our fallen servicemen and women were owed a great debt by those who stood shoulder to shoulder with them.

But we at home owe them our very way of life. Our America would have come into being and would not continue to exist — and yes, grow in freedom — had they not shown a greater love for us.

May God bless and keep them.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.73/week.

Subscribe Today