Many Americans are be taking advantage of this three-day weekend to travel, fire up their grills or head to the beach. But Memorial Day is more than just the de facto start of summer. It was created to honor the sacrifices of the soldiers who died fighting to win and preserve our freedoms.
Memorial Day began after the Civil War, to honor the fallen. It was originally known as Decoration Day and celebrated on May 30. After World War I, it became a day to honor those who died in all American wars. A 1971 act of Congress made Memorial Day a national holiday, to be celebrated on the last Monday of every May.
This editorial page often rails against government expanding its reach beyond the intentions of the nation’s founders. But one of the primary and legitimate constitutional responsibilities of government is national defense. Americans need not always agree that every war should have been fought, but there should be universal awe and reverence for the bravery shown by men and women who serve in uniform — especially for those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
On Memorial Day, think of men like recent Medal of Honor recipient Leslie Sabo Jr., who died serving as a rifleman in the 101st Airborne Division in Se San, Cambodia, on May 10, 1970, during the Vietnam War. Sabo’s platoon was ambushed, and during the resulting firefight, according to an account on the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s website. “In order to re-supply ammunition,” the site recounts, “he sprinted across an open field to a wounded comrade. As he began to reload, an enemy grenade landed nearby. Specialist Four Sabo picked it up, threw it, and shielded his comrade with his own body, thus absorbing the brunt of the blast and saving his comrade’s life. Seriously wounded by the blast, Specialist Four Sabo nonetheless retained the initiative and then single-handedly charged an enemy bunker that had inflicted severe damage on the platoon, receiving several serious wounds from automatic weapons fire in the process. Now mortally injured, he crawled towards the enemy emplacement and, when in position, threw a grenade into the bunker. The resulting explosion silenced the enemy fire, but also ended Specialist Four Sabo’s life.”
If you get a chance this weekend, take the time to visit a local memorial or military cemetery and pay your respects. Or at least remember the heroism of those who paid the ultimate price for the United States of America.
