[00:00:02]
THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING THIS YEAR'S JEFFERSON PARISH MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY.MY NAME IS MATT BAILEY AND I'M HONORED TO SERVE AS THE MC FOR TODAY'S CEREMONY.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A QUICK RUNDOWN AND THEN WE'LL GET STARTED.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR JEFFERSON PARISH EAST BANK, CONSOLIDATED COLOR GUARD WITH US TO PRESENT THE COLORS, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, CONDUCTED BY THE JEFFERSON PARISH EAST BANK, CONSOLIDATED FIRE CHIEF CHARLES HUDSON.
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM WILL BE PLAYED BY THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 3, 7 7 BAND FROM KENNER.
AND FOLLOWING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, WE WILL HAVE AN INVOCATION BY JEFFERSON PARISH, SHERIFF'S OFFICE HEAD CHAPLAIN KATHY RADKEY STORY.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL GET STARTED WITH THE CEREMONY.
I ASK EVERYONE TO STAND AND REMAIN STANDING.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
READY? FOUR, IF YOU WOULD BOW YOUR HEADS WITH ME IN PRAYER.
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TODAY TO GIVE THANKS AS WE PAUSE TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE BRAVELY SERVED OUR NATION IN TIMES OF WAR, AS WELL AS TIMES OF PEACE.
BLESS AND STRENGTHEN THOSE IN OUR ARMED FORCES WHO RISK THEIR LIVES DAILY.
GIVE THEM COURAGE TO FACE THE EVILS THAT COME AGAINST THEM, AND GRANT THEM A SENSE OF YOUR ABIDING PRESENCE AND PROTECTION WHEREVER THEY GO.
WE REMEMBER TODAY THOSE WHO HAVE PAID THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND GIVING THEIR LIVES FOR THE FREEDOMS WE ENJOY.
WE PRAY YOUR BLESSINGS ON THEIR FAMILIES WHO HAVE SUFFERED SUCH LOSS AND BRING COMFORT TO THEM FOR YOUR WORD SAYS, BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO MOURN, FOR THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED.
AND THE LORD YOU ARE NEAR TO THE BROKEN HEARTED.
WE ASK YOU TODAY TO HAVE MERCY ON OUR WOUNDED WARRIORS WHO HAVE RETURNED HOME IN PAIN AFTER GIVING THEIR ALL FOR THEIR COUNTRY.
BLESS THEM, RESTORE THEIR SOULS, HEAL THEIR BODIES, AND BRING SPIRITUAL COMFORT AND PEACE TO THEIR MINDS.
AND FATHER, WE ASK YOU TO BLESS THE FAMILIES OF OUR MILITARY WHO STAY BEHIND WHILE OTHERS, THEIR LOVED ONES SERVE, KEEP THEM SAFE, AND PROVIDE FOR THEIR NEEDS ACCORDING TO YOUR ABUNDANCE.
AND WE ALSO ASK TO ANOINT THE CHAPLAINS AND OTHERS WHO BRING YOUR WORD TO OUR MILITARY, BLESS THEIR MINISTRY AND MAKE THEIR EFFORTS FRUITFUL.
WE ASK YOU TO PRESERVE THE LIVES OF OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM AS THEY DEFEND OUR CITIZENS, PROTECT THEM AS THEY PROTECT US.
AND MOST OF ALL, WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD TURN THE HEARTS OF ALL MILITARY AND
[00:05:01]
CIVILIAN TO YOU, AND MAY WE FIND TRUE PEACE AND COMFORT FOR OUR SOULS.AND KNOWING THAT YOU OWE GOD ARE OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, A VERY PRESENT HELP AND TIME OF TROUBLE.
WE ASK ALL THESE THINGS IN THE NAME OF YOUR SON, JESUS CHRIST.
IT'S AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL TO CELEBRATE MEMORIAL DAY IN HONOR ALL THOSE WHO PAID THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INVITE JEFFERSON PARISH PRESIDENT CYNTHIA LEE SHANG UP TO THE PODIUM TO SHARE A FEW WORDS FOLLOWED BY THE PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE WITH US TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THIS YEAR'S JEFFERSON PARISH MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY.
AS WE GATHER TO HONOR AND REMEMBER THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO GAVE EVERYTHING IN SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY, MEMORIAL DAY IS THE TIME FOR US AS A PARISH, AS NEIGHBORS, AS AMERICANS, TO PAUSE AND REFLECT ON THE TRUE COST OF OUR FREEDOMS. THE LIVES LOST, THE FAMILIES CHANGE FOREVER, THE SACRIFICES THAT CONTINUE TO ECHO THROUGH GENERATIONS HERE IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
WE ARE DEEPLY PROUD OF OUR VETERANS AND ACTIVE SERVICE MEMBERS.
MANY OF OUR FAMILIES HAVE STRONG TIES TO THE MILITARY AND SOME KNOW FIRSTHAND THE PAIN OF LOSING A LOVED ONE IN UNIFORM TO THOSE FAMILIES.
PLEASE NOTE WE STAND WITH YOU TODAY AND EVERY DAY YOUR LOVED ONES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.
AS WE GATHER IN THIS CEREMONY, WE REMEMBER THOSE WHO NEVER MADE IT HOME.
THEY WERE MOMS AND DADS AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS, SONS AND DAUGHTERS, FRIENDS AND COWORKERS.
AND WHILE WE CAN NEVER REPAY WHAT THEY GAVE, WE CAN HONOR THEM BY HOW WE LIVE.
LET TODAY BE MORE THAN JUST A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE.
LET IT BE A REMINDER TO LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER, TO STAND UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT AND TO GIVE BACK WHEN WE CAN.
THAT'S HOW WE KEEP THEIR SPIRIT ALIVE IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING PART OF THIS REMEMBRANCE.
MAY WE CONTINUE TO LIVE IN A WAY THAT HONORS THEIR LEGACY, NOT JUST TODAY, BUT EVERY DAY.
WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOME OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WITH US HERE TODAY.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE THEM TO SHARE A FEW WORDS.
WE HAVE OUR CHAIRMAN, COUNCILMAN SCOTT WALKER, UM, COUNCILMAN HANS BURG, WHO IS IN THIS DISTRICT THAT HE REPRESENTS AND COUNCILMAN JENNIFER VAN RANK, AND I INVITE THEM TO COME UP.
IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU HERE ONCE AGAIN.
UH, I'M GLAD THAT WE GET TO DO THIS TWICE A YEAR, ONCE ON MEMORIAL DAY, OBVIOUSLY, AND ONCE ON VETERAN'S DAY.
AND THIS DAY IS ABOUT REMEMBRANCE.
REMEMBERING THE SACRIFICES, REMEMBERING THE, THE PEOPLE WHO FOUGHT FOR THE FREEDOMS THAT WE ENJOY TODAY.
AND REMEMBERING NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN SERVICE, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL WITH US, WHO FOUGHT ALONGSIDE OF THEM AND LOST FRIENDS.
SOME WHO WERE LIFELONG FRIENDS, SOME FRIENDS THAT WERE MADE IN THOSE TRENCHES.
AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS LASTED FOR THE DURATION.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN TO THIS COUNTRY.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO ENJOY THE FREEDOMS THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN EVER SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH.
AND THIS IS A SMALL TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR OUR COUNTRY OVER THE YEARS.
UM, THANK YOU ALL WHO HAVE SERVED FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE A PART OF THIS CELEBRATION.
UM, AS, AS, AS THE CHAIR JUST SAID, THIS IS NOT REALLY A CELEBRATION.
IT, IT'S MORE OF A REMEMBRANCE.
UM, PLEASE, I WOULD ASK EVERYBODY MONDAY AT 3:00 PM THAT'S A NATIONAL MOMENT OF REMEMBRANCE.
UM, THINK ABOUT THOSE THAT HAVE SERVED AND AND DIDN'T COME BACK.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO ECHO MY THANKS FOR, FOR ALL OF YOU THAT ARE HERE.
UM, AND, AND THOSE THAT AREN'T.
UH, I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY TO REMEMBER ALONGSIDE OF YOU.
CERTAINLY PROUD OF MY DAD WHO SERVED IN THE ARMY, NATIONAL GUARD, UM, AND, AND ALL OF THE, UH, THE MEMBERS OF OUR SERVICE WHO ARE HERE.
I REMEMBER AS A CHILD GROWING UP, MY PARRAN, MY UNCLE NICK, UM, LOST HIS DAD IN WORLD WAR II.
AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE BLESSING THAT MY DAD HAS BEEN TO OUR FAMILY, UH, AS A GRANDFATHER TO, UM, MY TWO NEPHEWS, UM, IT WAS ALWAYS A, A PAINFUL REMINDER, BUT, BUT A PROUD ONE FOR OUR FAMILY TO KNOW, UM, THAT MY UNCLE NICK, UM, YOU KNOW, HIS DAD SERVED AND GAVE THE ULTIMATE PRICE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN BE HERE TODAY AND ENJOY THE FREEDOMS THAT WE DO.
[00:10:01]
UM, WHO OF OUR LARGER MILITARY FAMILY WHO NEED US AT ANY POINT IN THE YEAR, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT BECAUSE WE ARE HERE TO REMEMBER AND TO BE THERE AND TO HONOR THE SACRIFICES, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.I'M COUNCILWOMAN ARENA BOHANNON.
UH, I'M THE DAUGHTER OF A SOLDIER MYSELF, AND MY DAD SERVED 25 YEARS.
I'M AN ARMY BRAT, SUPER PROUD OF THAT, MADE ME WHO I AM, BUT HE SERVED BECAUSE HIS UNCLE SERVED.
AND, UM, YOU EITHER HAVE A SERVANT'S HEART OR YOU DON'T, AND OUR SOLDIERS DO.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.
SUPER PROUD TO BE PART OF, OF YOUR FAMILY.
I AM NOW HONORED TO WELCOME TODAY'S GUEST SPEAKER COLONEL PETER CRANE.
COLONEL CRANE IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF EDUCATION AND ACCESS AT THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MUSEUM, AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT ASPECTS OF THE MUSEUM'S MISSION.
PRIOR TO HIS ARRIVAL IN 2017, COLONEL CRANE SERVED AS DIRECTOR OF THE US ARMY HERITAGE AND EDUCATION CENTER AT THE US ARMY WAR COLLEGE IN CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA.
THE A HEC INCLUDES THE ARMY'S HISTORICAL ARCHIVE, ITS LARGEST LIBRARY, AND ONE OF THE LARGEST MUSEUMS ALL FOCUSED ON TELLING THE ARMY STORY ONE SOLDIER AT A TIME AS AN ARMY OFFICER.
WITH NEARLY THREE DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN MULTIPLE DEPLOYMENTS, COLONEL CRANE HAS AN EXTENSIVE RECORD OF SERVICE AS A LEADER IN LOGISTICS AND ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES.
HE HOLDS A MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT FROM THE FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND A MASTER OF STRATEGIC STUDIES DEGREE FROM THE US ARMY WAR COLLEGE, WHERE HE WAS ALSO A GRADUATE OF THE ADVANCED STRATEGIC ARTS PROGRAM.
PLEASE WELCOME COLONEL CRANE, MADAM PRESIDENT COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND ESPECIALLY THE MAN OF THE HOUR, MR. LINCOLN BRENNAN, WORLD WAR II AND KOREA VETERAN.
THANK YOU SIR FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND EVEN MORE THIS RESPONSIBILITY TO COME ON OUT HERE TODAY TO HONOR THOSE WHO FELL IN SERVICE FOR OUR COUNTRY.
YOU KNOW, AMERICA IS UNIQUE IN THE WAY THAT WE TREAT OUR VETERANS AND OUR MILITARY.
UH, IF YOU GO TO CANADA, IF YOU LOOK AT CANADA, IF YOU LOOK AT GREAT BRITAIN, YOU LOOK AT AUSTRALIA, THEY HAVE ONE DAY REMEMBRANCE DAY IN NOVEMBER, THE 11TH OF NOVEMBER, THE 11TH HOUR OF THE 11TH DAY OF THE 11TH MONTH, WHEN WORLD WAR I CAME TO AN END.
BUT IN THE UNITED STATES, WE HAVE THREE.
LAST WEEKEND WE CELEBRATED ARMED SERVICES DAY, THE DAY WHERE WE HONOR THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN UNIFORM.
AND THEN IN NOVEMBER, OF COURSE WE'LL SERVE, WE WILL HONOR THE, OUR VETERANS, THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED.
BUT THIS WEEKEND, THIS MONDAY, WE HONOR THOSE WHO FELL IN SERVICE TO OUR NATION.
WE ARE UNIQUE AMONGST COUNTRIES IN DOING THAT IN MAY, WE ARE UNIQUE IN OTHER WAYS AS WELL.
THE DEFENSE, POW AND MIA ACCOUNTING AGENCY, PART OF OUR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WILL NEVER GIVE UP TRYING TO FIND THOSE WHO ARE STILL MISSING FROM WORLD WAR II ALONE, THERE ARE ALMOST 70,000 AMERICANS STILL MISSING.
AND THE D THE DPAA WILL NEVER STOP LOOKING FOR THEM.
AS A SOLDIER OF 30 YEARS, IT MEANT A LOT TO ME.
EVERY TIME I WENT TO IRAQ OR AFGHANISTAN OR BOSNIA, KNOWING THAT IF THE WORST HAPPENED, I WOULD BE BROUGHT HOME TO MY FAMILY.
THAT'S THE COMMITMENT THAT OUR COUNTRY MAKES.
SO WHY US? WHY DO WE HAVE THIS COMMITMENT? WELL, IT'S THE COST OF, OF VICTORY.
IT'S THE COST OF DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM.
414,920 AMERICANS DIED IN WORLD WAR II, ALMOST 415,000, THE CIVIL WAR.
WE WILL NEVER KNOW HOW MANY AMERICANS DIED.
THE ESTIMATES ARE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 620,000 AND 750,000.
THE NUMBERS ARE SO LARGE AND INCONCEIVABLE THAT THEY ARE ROUNDED TO TENS OF THOUSANDS.
BUT EACH ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE, EACH ONE OF THOSE FALLEN SERVICE MEMBERS WAS AN INDIVIDUAL, A PERSON WITH A STORY, WITH A BACKGROUND.
THEY CAME FROM US, THEY CAME FROM OUR COMMUNITIES, THEY WENT TO OUR SCHOOLS.
[00:15:01]
LET'S GET AWAY FROM THE LARGE NUMBERS FOR A MOMENT, BECAUSE EACH ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WAS A PERSONAL TRAGEDY FOR SOME, SOME FAMILY, SOME FAMILY WAS FOREVER CHANGED, FOREVER BROKEN BECAUSE OF THAT MISSING SERVICE MEMBER.SO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN DOWN RANGE HAS GHOSTS FOR ME.
THERE'S A CARD ON MY OFFICE WALL WITH THE NAME, WITH EIGHT NAMES ON IT.
THEIR CARLOCK, THEY'RE SANFORD, SERGEANT HART, SERGEANT ELAM, SERGEANT ROWE, MAJOR SCHRAM, MAJOR PATTERSON, MAJOR LONG.
THOSE GHOSTS ARE NOT GHOSTS OF HORROR MOVIES.
THEY'RE NOT CARTOON GHOSTS OF HALLOWEEN.
THEY'RE THE VOICE THAT SPEAKS TO MY EAR EVERY DAY.
AND LIKE THAT WONDERFUL SCENE IN SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, WHERE THE DYING CAPTAIN PULLS RYAN CLOSE AND SAYS TWO WORDS.
HE SAYS TWO WORDS, EARN THIS, EARN THIS.
THAT'S WHAT MY BUDDIES ARE SAYING TO ME EVERY DAY, EARN THIS.
SO I COULD TELL YOU EACH ONE OF THEIR STORIES.
BUT WE WOULD BE HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND THAT'S FOR THE VFW AND THE AMERICAN LEGION POSTS.
AND WHILE WE'RE, UH, WHILE WE'RE SHARING AN ADULT BEVERAGE, BUT I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF THEM.
HE WAS THE FIRST SOLDIER IN MY BATTALION THAT WAS KILLED IN 2003 IN THE INVASION.
WE WERE, WE WERE DOING FUEL MISSIONS.
WE HAD FUEL TRUCK CONVOYS ALL OVER IRAQ FROM KUWAIT UP TO NORTH OF BAGHDAD.
SERGEANT ROWE DID NOT NEED TO BE THERE.
SERGEANT ROWE WASN'T EVEN FROM ORIGINALLY THE UNIT THAT CAME ON OVER.
IT WAS A NATIONAL GUARD UNIT OUT OF TENNESSEE.
HE HAD, HE WAS ACTUALLY IN ANOTHER UNIT, BUT WHEN THAT ORDER, THEN THAT UNIT CAME DOWN ON ORDERS TO GO.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH DRIVERS.
WELL, SERGEANT ROWE HAD SERVED IN, IN THE VIETNAM WAR, AND HE KNEW THAT THESE YOUNG GUYS GOING OVER NEEDED SOMEONE WHO HAD BEEN THERE.
SO HE VOLUNTEERED, WHO SHALL I SEND SEND ME? SO HE WAS IN A TRUCK THAT DAY ON MSR JACKSON, AND HE WAS KILLED, A PERSONAL TRAGEDY, A GRANDFATHER WHO DID NOT EVEN NEED TO BE THERE, BUT HE CAME BECAUSE OF A, AS SHE SAID, HAD A HEART FOR SERVICE.
THE OTHER ONE, ALMOST EVEN MORE INCREDIBLE, WAS MY BUDDY STEVE LONG.
STEVE LONG WAS KILLED IN THE PENTAGON ON NINE 11.
HE WAS IN A CONFERENCE ROOM RIGHT NEXT TO THE, UH, THE LIEUTENANT GENERAL WHO RAN PERSONNEL FOR THE ARMY, THE G ONE OF THE ARMY, UH, WHO WAS ALSO KILLED THAT DAY WHEN THE PLANE HIT, THEY TOOK OUT THE GENERAL'S OFFICE.
STEVE WAS THERE FOR, HE WAS IN A PERSONNEL UNIT.
HE WAS THERE AND HE ALSO DIDN'T NEED TO BE THERE THAT DAY.
BUT THE WOMAN WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GOING TO, IT WAS HER TURN TO GO, UH, HAD ANOTHER EVENT THAT DAY.
SO STEVE SAID, IT'S OKAY, I'LL TAKE YOUR PLACE.
WELL, THE CONFERENCE ROOM, EVERYONE IN THAT CONFERENCE ROOM SURVIVED EXCEPT TWO.
WHEN THE PLANES HIT AND THE ROOM FILLED WITH DARK SMOKE, EVERYONE HIT THE FLOOR AND YOU COULD ONLY SEE ABOUT THE FIRST FOOT FROM THE FLOOR.
AND THEY STARTED CRAWLING OUT OF THE ROOM.
WHEN THEY WENT OUT THE DOOR, ALL BUT TWO PEOPLE TURNED TO THE LEFT AND LIFE STEVE TURNED TO THE RIGHT TOWARDS THE FIRE.
NOW A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON STEVE.
EVERYONE SAYS, WELL, WE DON'T KNOW WHY HE TURNED RIGHT.
I KNOW WHY HE TURNED, RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHO STEVE WAS.
SOMETHING HAD JUST HAPPENED AND STEVE WAS GONNA GO HELP.
THAT'S WHY STEVE DIED THAT DAY.
NOW THE STORY GETS EVEN MORE INCREDIBLE IN THAT THE SERGEANT MAJOR WHO WAS IN THE OFFICE WITH THE GENERAL WHEN THE PLANE HIT AND WAS ALSO INSTANTLY KILLED, WAS A GUY NAMED, UH, SERGEANT MAJOR STRICKLAND.
SO GO BACK 18 YEARS BEFORE THAT AND THE INVASION OF GRENADA, STEVE WAS A 17-YEAR-OLD RANGER.
IN FACT, WE USED TO CALL HIM THE LONG RANGER STEVE LONG.
SO THE LONG RANGER WAS 17 YEARS OLD, HAD JUST BARELY GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, WENT STRAIGHT TO BASIC TRAINING AND WANTED TO BE AMONG THE BEST.
SO HE JOINED THE ARMY RANGERS.
HE WAS IN THE RANGER BATTALION
[00:20:01]
THAT WENT INTO GRENADA.HE WAS SO YOUNG THAT HE WASN'T EVEN A MACHINE GUNNER.
HE WAS THE MACHINE GUNNER'S ASSISTANT.
HE BROKE HIS BACK IN THE CRASH.
HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT AT THE TIME.
RANGERS FIGHT ON THROUGH ADVERSITY.
SO HE CRAWLED OUT FROM THE WRECKAGE AND ATTACHED HIMSELF TO ANOTHER MACHINE GUNNER WHOSE, UH, WHOSE ASSISTANT GUNNER WAS WOUNDED.
AND TOGETHER THEY FOUGHT OFF A COUPLE OF CUBAN, UH, BMPS.
WELL, EIGHT, 18 YEARS LATER IN THE PENTAGON, ON NINE 11, STEVE DIED NEXT TO THAT OTHER MACHINE GUNNER.
THAT OTHER MACHINE GUNNER WAS SERGEANT MAJOR STRICKLAND.
THEY FOUGHT TOGETHER SIDE BY SIDE BY FATE IN THE INVASION OF GRENADA.
AND THEY DIED TOGETHER IN THE PENTAGON, ONLY FEET AWAY.
EACH ONE OF THOSE 414,920 MEMBERS WHO WERE KILLED IN WORLD WAR II, THE MORE THAN 50,000 WHO DIED IN VIETNAM.
AND THE THOUSANDS WHO HAVE DIED IN OUR WARS SINCE HAVE UNIQUE STORIES LIKE SERGEANT ROWE AND STEVE LONG.
NOW THEY WHISPER, EARN THIS AND THAT IS THEIR MESSAGE TO ALL OF US.
IT IS UP TO US TO LIVE A LIFE WORTHY OF THEIR SACRIFICE, TO BE COMMITTED TO OUR COMMUNITIES, TO BE LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES, TO EDUCATE THE NEXT GENERATION TO, TO INCULCATE THE AMERICAN SPIRIT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M REMINDED OF THE POEM, THE YOUNG DEAD SOLDIERS BY ARCHIBALD MCLE.
SO I'M NOT GONNA READ THE WHOLE THING TO YOU, BUT WHAT I TALKED ABOUT IS EARN THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, OFTEN YOU HEAR THE DISCUSSIONS, WAS THE WAR WORTH IT? WAS VIETNAM WORTH IT? WAS AFGHANISTAN WORTH IT? WAS IRAQ WORTH IT? WELL, I'LL LEAVE THAT TO HISTORIANS AND POLITICIANS, BUT ARCHIBALD CLEESE POEM TALKS ABOUT THIS.
HE SAYS, OUR DEATHS, THOSE WHO DIED IN UNIFORM, OUR DEATHS, THEY ARE NOT YOURS.
THEY WILL MEAN WHAT YOU MAKE THEM.
THEY WILL, THEY MEAN WHAT WE MAKE OF THEM.
THEY SAY WHETHER OUR LIVES WERE FOR PEACE AND A NEW HOPE OR FOR NOTHING.
WE CANNOT SAY IT IS YOU WHO MUST SAY THIS.
SO THE MEANING OF THOSE WARS, THE MEANING OF THEIR DEATHS, THAT'S FOR US TO SAY, THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
THEY ALREADY GAVE THEIR LESSON, THEY DID THEIR PART, AND NOW IT'S UP TO US.
SO I GIVE YOU A CALL TO ACTION.
WE'RE NOW FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 3 77 BAND PERFORM AN ARMED FORCES MUSICAL TRIBUTE.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU, I THINK THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE SERVED KNOW HOW, KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN, UH, YOUR SERVICE SONG IS PLAYED, STAND UP PROUDLY AND BE RECOGNIZED.
AND THEN RIGHT AFTER THAT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE PLAYING OF TAPS AND WE'LL HAVE EVERYONE STAND FOR THAT.
[00:27:47]
WE NOW HAVE THE PLAYING OF TAPS.IF EVERYONE COULD STAND, YOU MAY BE SEATED.
HERE IN JEFFERSON PARISH, WE'RE BLESSED TO HAVE MANY FAITH-BASED LEADERS.
FATHER LENNON AR ARROYO WILL NOW SAY THE CLOSING PRAYER.
LET US ACKNOWLEDGE THE BLESSING OF GOD WITH US.
GRACIOUS GOD, ON THIS MEMORIAL DAY, WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO COURAGEOUSLY GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM, MADE EXAMPLE OF THEIR SACRIFICE IN SPITE IN US, THE SELFLESS LOVE OF YOUR SON, OH LORD JESUS CHRIST, BLESS THE FAMILIES OF OUR FALLEN SOLDIERS AND FILL THEIR HOMES AND LIVES WITH YOUR STRENGTH AND PEACE IN WITH PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL OF ALL, ALL NATIONS.
ENCOURAGE US TO ANSWER THE CALL, TO WORK FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE AND THUS SEEK AND END TO VIOLENCE AND CONFLICT THROUGH ALL THE WORLD.
WE AS THIS IN JESUS HOLY NAME AIMING ME,
[00:30:08]
YOU MAY BE SEATED.WE WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY AT THIS MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY.
I WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED, OUR JEFFERSON PARISH ELECTED OFFICIALS, THE JEFFERSON PARISH DEPARTMENTS WHO HELPED WITH SET UP LAKESIDE SHOPPING CENTER FOR BEING A WONDERFUL HOST, CHAPLAIN KATHY RADKEY, STORY, FATHER LENNON ARROYO, THE EAST BANK CONSOLIDATED FIRE CHIEF CHARLES HUDSON, THE JEFFERSON PARISH FIRE DEPARTMENT, COLONEL PETER CRANE WITH THE WORLD WAR II MUSEUM, AND OF COURSE, THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 3 7 7 BAND.
THIS CONCLUDES TODAY'S CEREMONY.
THE BAND WILL PLAY AND WE INVITE YOU ALL TO JOIN US FOR COFFEE AND DONUTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.