This is Memorial Day — the “official” day on which we, throughout our nation and in many foreign fields, remember and express our appreciation for the men and women who have given their lives and military service to keep our great country free.
We say this is our “official” day, because we also remember and honor our service men and women “every” day we enjoy freedom.
Many patriotic Americans will fly U.S. flags today. In Chattanooga, motorists passing along Holtzclaw and Bailey avenues will see in our beautiful National Cemetery many thousands of American flags beside the white gravestones of men and women who have served in our military forces to keep us free.
On the other side of the world today, many thousands of our fellow Americans are engaged in war — in Iraq and Afghanistan.
They are serving at great sacrifice, discomfort and danger. Some are suffering wounds and death.
We, here in peace at home, enjoy our freedom in safety. We owe tremendous debts to millions of Americans who have served us all in many ways over more than two centuries of glorious American freedom.
We salute them all on this Memorial Day, 2010, in “the land of the free” — because they have proved this is also “the home of the brave.”
Let us remember them and their honorable, patriotic military service for the American people and our beloved United States.