Mike Parker: Remember the reason for Memorial Day
Today is Memorial Day, a day set aside to remember and reflect. In its beginning, this day bore the title “Decoration Day” because of the post-Civil War practice of decorating the graves of the fallen from that war.
Some claim Southern ladies who adorned the graves of those who fell at the Battle of Shiloh were the first to practice what became today’s tradition. Waterloo, NY, and Boalsburg, PA, each offer evidence to support the claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day.
According to an Act of Congress adopted in 2000, at 3 p.m. today, all of us should pause for a moment of silence to remember those who gave their lives for our nation. Sadly, we have reached the point where we need a legal reminder to do what this day was intended to do—remember and honor our war dead.
We mouth the words: “Freedom isn’t free.” Do we ever stop to consider what those words mean?
The Veterans Administration divides those who died for this nation during wartime into three categories: Battle Deaths, Other Deaths (In-Theater), and Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater). Through 1991, the figures for U.S. war dead from 1775 are:
The American Revolution: Battle Deaths – 4, 435. (If figures for Other Deaths are not given, then those figures are unavailable from the VA.)
The War of 1812: Battle Deaths – 2,260.
Indian Wars: Battle Deaths (est.) – 1,000.
The Mexican War: Battle Deaths – 1,733; Other Deaths (In-Theater) – 11,550.
The Civil War – Union: Battle Deaths – 140,414; Other Deaths (In-Theater) – 224,097.
The Civil War – Confederate: Battle Deaths – 74,524; Other Deaths (In-Theater) – 59,297.
The Spanish-American War: Battle Deaths – 385; Other Deaths (Non-Theater) – 2,061.
World War I: Battle Deaths – 53,402; Other Deaths (Non-Theater) – 63,114.
World War II: Battle Deaths – 291,557; Other Deaths (Non-Theater) – 113,842.
Korean War: Battle Deaths – 33,739; Other Deaths (In-Theater) – 2,835; Other Deaths (Non-Theater) – 17,672.
Vietnam War: Battle Deaths – 47,434; Other Deaths (In-Theater) – 10,786; Other Deaths (Non-Theater) – 32,000.
Desert Shield/Desert Storm: Battle Deaths – 148; Other Deaths (In-Theater) – 235; Other Deaths (Non-Theater) – 1,565.
From 1775 through 1991, nearly 42 million men and women served in the armed forces of this nation during wartime. Of that number, 651,031 died in battle. Another 308,800 died in the theater of operation. An additional 230,279 gave their lives in non-theater operations. The total of those who died during wartime for this nation is 1,190,110.
In the 216 years from 1775-1991, an average of 5,510 men and women have given their lives each year to ensure we remain “the land of the free and home of the brave.” To put a human face on that figure, 15 service personnel give their lives, on average, each day – roughly one death per 90 minutes.
No – freedom is not free. Freedom demands a constant price, and part of that price includes the willingness of a good number of our citizens to stand vigil and, when necessary, give their lives in our defense.
On this Memorial Day, let us remember and reflect on the price so many paid with their lives and blood to maintain our freedom.
I cannot think of a more effective way to ponder the value of our liberties than to reflect on those who willingly paid the ultimate price.
If we fail to remember and reflect, we belittle them and disrespect their memory and sacrifice.
Mike Parker is a columnist for the Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.
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