Let
Us Remember
The
following speech was delivered by SFC Houston D.
Wedlock at Midland Cemetery on May 29, 2004, on the occasion of the
Friends of Midland Eleventh Annual Memorial Day Service. At the
request of many who attended this service, and as a service to everyone
who could not attend, we are printing SFC Wedlock's stirring speech
here. SFC Wedlock has kindly consented to the reproduction of this
speech, for which we offer our sincere gratitude. Click
here for a biography of SFC Houston D. Wedlock.
EVERY
MEMORIAL DAY, I TRY TO DO SOMETHING TO HONOR OUR FALLEN HEROES. AS A YOUNG BOY, I LEFT HOME AND JOINED THE
UNITED STATES ARMY. THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER'S BECAME MY HEART. I WAS A LEADER OF MANY YOUNG MEN IN THE
VIETNAM WAR AND I LOST SOME VERY CLOSE FRIENDS. MEMORIAL DAY IS NOT JUST A DAY BUT A DAY THAT BRINGS BACK THE MANY
MEMORIES OF SOME VERY FINE MEN THAT DID GET THE CHANCE TO RETURN HOME TO THEIR
FAMILIES. AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY TO HONOR THESE FALLEN HEROES IN MIDLAND
CEMETERY, STEELTON, PA. ARLINGTON
NATIONAL CEMETERY AND THE THOUSANDS OF OTHER BURIAL SITES ACROSS THIS NATION,
GIVE THANKS FOR YOUR LIFE; GIVE THANKS FOR WHAT YOU HAVE, BECAUSE IT WOULD
NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE IF THERE WAS NO CAUSE FOR THIS DAY.
THANKFULLY,
OUR FORCES NO LONGER FACE THE PROSPECT OF WAR WITH THE SOVIET UNION. TODAY, WE
ARE COOPERATING WITH RUSSIA'S EVOLVING DEMOCRACY AND WITH OTHER FORMER FOES
AGAINST THE 21ST-CENTURY DANGERS COMMON TO ALL NATIONS. TODAY’S DEADLY THREATS COME FROM ROGUE POWERS
AND STATELESS NETWORKS OF EXTREMISTS, WHO HAVE NOTHING BUT CONTEMPT FOR THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE AND FOR THE PRINCIPLES CIVILIZED NATIONS HOLD DEAR.
I DO
NOT KNOW OR CARE WHAT TERRORISTS AND TYRANTS MAKE OF OUR MONUMENTS TO DEMOCRACY
AND MEMORIALS WE DEDICATE TO OUR DEAD. WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS WHAT THE MONUMENTS
AND MEMORIALS SAY TO US. THEY CAN TEACH
US MUCH ABOUT THE IDEAS THAT UNITED US IN OUR DIVERSITY, THE
VALUES THAT SUSTAIN US IN TIMES OF TRIALS, AND THE DREAMS THAT INSPIRE
GENERATION AFTER GENERATION OF ORDINARY AMERICANS TO PERFORM EXTRAORDINARY ACTS
OF SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY. IN SHORT, OUR MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALS TELL US A
GREAT DEAL ABOUT AMERICA'S COMMITMENT TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF
HAPPINESS FOR ALL.
THE
HAUNTING SYMBOLISM OF THE 168 EMPTY CHAIRS AT THE OKLAHOMA CITY NATIONAL
MEMORIAL, THE HEARTBREAKING PILES OF SHOES IN THE U.S. HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL
MUSEUM, THE CAREFULLY TENDED HEADSTONES BEARING CROSSES, CRESCENTS AND STARS OF
DAVID STANDING ROW-ON-ROW IN ARLINGTON AND OUR OTHER NATIONAL CEMETERIES- ALL
SPEAK TO THE VALUE WE PLACE ON HUMAN LIFE.
THE
VIETNAM WOMEN'S MEMORIAL OF THREE SERVICEWOMEN AND THE WOUNDED GI; THE KOREAN WAR VETERANS MEMORIAL'S
HAGGARD, WINDBLOWN PATROL TRUDGING UP THE RUGGED TERRAIN, AND THE MEMORIAL OF
THE FLAG-RAISING ON IWO JIMA DO NOT GLORIFY WAR-- THEY TESTIFY TO THE GLORY OF
THE HUMAN SPIRIT.
THE
CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELDS AND THE MONUMENT IN BOSTON TO ROBERT GOULD SHAW AND HIS
54TH MASSACHUSETTS REGIMENT OF NEGRO SOLDIERS WHO RODE TOGETHER INTO
THE JAWS OF DEATH FOR THE CAUSE OF JUSTICE TELL US THE PRICE PAST GENERATIONS
HAVE PAID, SO WE MIGHT LIVE IN A PERFECT UNION. THEY REMIND US ALSO OF THE WORK
OUR GENERATION MUST DO.
THIS
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, WE WILL JOIN IN CELEBRATING THE OPENING OF THE NATIONAL
WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL HONORING THE GREAT GENERATION OF AMERICANS WHO SAVED THE
WORLD FROM FASCIST AGGRESSION AND SECURED THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY FOR HUNDREDS
OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.
TODAY,
THEIR DESCENDANTS ARE FIGHTING THE GLOBAL WAR AGAINST TERRORISM, SERVING AND
SACRIFICING IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ AND AT OTHER OUTPOSTS ON THE FRONT LINES OF
FREEDOM.
THE
LIFE OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM IS PRECIOUS TO THEIR LOVED ONES AND TO OUR
NATION, AND EACH LIFE GIVEN IN THE NAME OF LIBERTY IS A LIFE THAT HAS NOT BEEN
LOST IN VAIN.
ALL
OF US LEAD BUSY LIVES, WE HAVE LITTLE TIME TO PAUSE AND REFLECT. BUT I ASK OF
YOU: DO NOT HASTEN THROUGH MEMORIAL DAY. TAKE THE TIME TO REMEMBER THE GOOD
SOULS WHOSE MEMORIES ARE A BLESSING TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. TAKE YOUR CHILDREN
TO OUR MEMORIAL PARKS AND MONUMENTS. TEACH THEM THE VALUES THAT LEND MEANING TO
OUR LIVES AND THE LIFE OF OUR NATION.
ABOVE
ALL, TAKE THE TIME TO HONOR OUR FELLOW AMERICANS WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR LAST FULL
MEASURE OF DEVOTION TO OUR COUNTRY AND FOR THE FREEDOMS WE CHERISH.
SFC
Houston D. Wedlock
May 29, 2004
WE
ARE ON THE MOVE. WON'T YOU JOIN US?
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