Remembering the Sacrifice
Imagine the sharp rattle of machine gun fire pinging off the steel hull of a U-boat. Imagine the cold surge of fear coursing through your veins. Imagine the cries of your brothers as they leap into the surf, charging toward a shore lined with uncertainty and death. Yet, despite all of it, the Soldiers of the Greatest Generation stormed the beaches of Normandy.
To the frozen mountains of the Korean Peninsula…
To the sweltering jungles of Vietnam…
To the burning oil fields of Desert Storm…
To the streets of Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom…
To the rugged terrain of Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom… And in many more conflicts that history may not widely remember, but which demanded just as much bravery and sacrifice.
For more than 200 years, the United States has faced countless conflicts in the name of liberty.
From the determined patriots of the Revolutionary War who risked everything to found a nation.
Today, across quiet fields and solemn memorials, rest the brave souls who fought and died for our freedom—freedom we often enjoy without a second thought.
On Memorial Day, many gather with friends and family, firing up the grill, casting a line, or simply relaxing in the warmth of a well-earned day off. These joys are made possible by those who gave everything.
Let us never forget why this day exists.
Let us never forget those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Let us honor them—not just with flags and parades, but with gratitude etched into our everyday lives.
SGT Kenny Gibson was a Soldier in my company and a friend. He was killed in action on August 10, 2008, in Tarmiyah, Iraq. These photos were taken at his memorial at the Joint Security Station. - Son Tao
