remember me I am the fallen soldier sailor Airman and marine I am the one
that held the line sometimes I volunteered
sometimes I went because I was told to go but when the nation called
I answered in order to serve I left behind the family friends and freedom
that so many take for granted over time I used different weapons a sword a
musket a bayonet a rifle a machine gun
often I marched into battle on foot countless miles across whole continents
I had little water and even less food but it did not matter we had a job to do
other times I rode to battle on horseback or in wagons sometimes on
trains later in tanks or jeeps or Humvees in early Wars my ships were made
of wood and powered by the wind later they were made of steel and powered by
diesel fuel or the atom I even took to the air and mastered the sky in planes
helicopters and jets the machines of war evolved and changed with the times but
remember that it was always me the warrior that had to fight our nation's
enemies I fought at Lexington and Concord as our nation was born I crossed
the Delaware on Christmas Day in 1776 freedom was on our side I defended the
Chattahoochee River in the war of 1812 I would stand again
in the Civil War I fought with my brothers and against my brothers at
Gettysburg and Shiloh and Bull Run I learned that we must never again divide
in World War one I marched on the Marne and held the line at Bella wood the war
to end all wars they called it I just called it hell in World War two
I fought everywhere from the beaches of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge to
the sands of Iwo Jima and the hell of Guadalcanal
I stood against tyranny and kept darkness from consuming the world in
Korea I landed at Inchon and broke out of the Chosun reservoir they called it
the Forgotten War but I never forgot in Vietnam I went and I fought in the
Mekong Delta and an IED rang and Khe Sanh and hamburger hill some say my
country wavered but I did not waver ever
in the recent past I fought in Grenada Panama Somalia and other desperate
places around the globe and finally I have fought in Iraq in Afghanistan in
Baghdad and Fallujah and Ramadi in Kunar and Helmand and Kandahar as technology
advanced I use night-vision goggles and global positioning systems and drones
and lasers and thermal optics but it was still me a human being that did the work
it was me that patrolled up the mom's or across the desert or through
the streets it was me that suffered in a merciless heat and the bitter cold it
was me that went out night after night to confront our nation's enemies and
confront evil face to face it was me
remember me I was a warrior but also remember that I was not only a warrior I
was not just a soldier sailor Airman or marine remember also that I was a son a
brother a father I was a daughter a sister a mother I was a person like you
a real person with hopes and dreams for the future I wanted to have children I
wanted to watch my children grow up I wanted to see my son score a touchdown
or shoot the winning basket I wanted to walk my daughter down the aisle I wanted
to kiss my wife again I wanted to grow old with her and be there to hold her
hand when life grew hard when I told her I would be with her until the end I
meant it when I told my children I would always be there for them I meant it
but I gave all that away all of it on that distant battlefield on some
godforsaken patch of dirt amongst the fear and the fire and the bullets or in
the sky above enemy territory filled with fatal flak or in the unforgiving
sea where we fought against the enemy and against the depths of the abyss
there in those awful places I held the line I did not waver and I did not
hesitate I the soldier sailor Airman or marine I stood my ground and sacrificed
my life my future my hopes my dreams I sacrificed everything for you this
Memorial Day remember me the fallen warrior and remember me not for my sake
but for yours remember what I sacrificed so you can truly appreciate the
incredible treasures you have life liberty the pursuit of happiness
you have the joys of life the joys that I gave up so that you can relish in them
a cool breeze in the air the gentle spring grass on your bare feet the warm
Summer Sun on your face family friends that freedom never forget where
it all came from it came from sacrifice the supreme sacrifice don't waste it
don't waste any of your time on this earth live a life that honors the
sacrifice of our fallen heroes remember them always and make every day Memorial
Day