Speeches

Memorial Day Commemoration Ceremony

Today is a day of both remembrance and gratitude. It is a day to acknowledge the price that was paid for liberty and to honor those who have served and continue to serve this great nation.

It is a day to remember with pride and compassion the nearly 43 million men and women who have served in the 12 wars fought by our country.

As you look out across this memorial park, you can see the markers that designate the graves of the many relatives, friends, and neighbors who proudly served our nation. They sleep eternally in the land they made free. Etched on these markers are the names that illuminate not only the history of Centre County, but the rich history of Pennsylvania and this nation as well. The courageous and the committed; the patriots and the heroes; the valiant and the honorable.

Deeply rooted Centre County families, all inextricably tied to one another by the role they played in history and by their unwavering devotion to freedom. We must be grateful not only to those who gave so much of their personal freedom in life for the broad ideal of freedom, but also to their families and friends who shared the many sacrifices that such service entails.

Like thousands of other Americans across the country, we gather to remember and honor our service men and women.

Along with remembering those who have died, we also remember those who live. Many who have proudly served and protected our nation are with us today. To all of the veterans and their families who are here for this Memorial Day service, I offer my sincere gratitude and appreciation for everything you have done for our nation. Thank you for your willingness to serve and for your steadfast dedication to preserving the liberty and independence that we enjoy today and often take for granted.

On this day, in particular, we must also think of those Americans who are currently serving our nation. We fight to keep not only America safe, but other countries as well. We are fighting against terrorism and hatred, reminded that freedom is a precious part of our society that must vigilantly be preserved and protected.

Since the Civil War, more than 1.1 million veterans have lost their lives in service to America. The liberty that we currently enjoy has been hard won and we must continue to solemnly reaffirm from year to year that the sacrifices of so many were worth it, and that they have not been forgotten.

Within this memorial park, there are 2,171 veterans laid to rest -- nearly 30 percent of all of those interred here and more veterans than in any other cemetery in the county.

In the words of Union General John A. Logan, who ordered his posts to decorate the graves of their fallen comrades, "We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance --Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic."

The tradition of honoring the men and women who have fought to preserve our nation and its freedoms is said to have begun not many miles from here in the village of Boalsburg. In recent decades, the custom of honoring those who have died has grown, and many families now decorate the graves of all departed loved ones on Memorial Day. It is a tradition that crosses many faiths and is a visible symbol of our loss.

So as we commemorate America's 138^th Memorial Day, let us remember those who have died, but let us also think of the living and celebrate this great nation and its extraordinary people.

Let us honor the memory of those whose sacrifices have meant a better life for us and give thanks for the liberty and independence we so freely enjoy every day.

Let us relish our freedom, express our solemn gratitude to all veterans, and pray for permanent peace.