In last year’s Memorial Day Word of Encouragement, I recounted the impact of my visit in 2018 to Normandy, France, and stepping on the sands of Omaha and Juno Beaches. As the troops got off of the transport carriers, they had to sense that this could be their last day on Earth. In fact, I learned that the Americans landed 34,000 troops and suffered 2,400 casualties on D-Day. There were thousands of casualties and thousands of deaths among the Allied ground and air forces.
As part of that trip, we also visited the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, where 9,388 soldiers are interred. Every day, the American national anthem is played at 10:00 am to honor our soldiers. It’s a profoundly solemn and emotional experience to contemplate the sacrifices that were made so that we could enjoy the freedom and prosperity that we experience today.
Coming home from Normandy, I dusted off a story that was sent to me several years ago. It highlighted the loss of U.S. Army Spc. James M. Kiehl of Comfort, Texas. He lost his life in Iraq when his convoy was attacked. He left behind a 22 year-old pregnant widow who was due with their first child within weeks of his death.
Initially listed as MIA, his friends in Comfort set up a memorial that grew as friends and visitors learned of his plight. On the day of his funeral, many of the citizens from Comfort lined the streets of his funeral procession with U.S. flags in hand to honor their friend and fallen soldier.
His aunt, Vicki Pierce, wrote about this and included pictures from his 17 year-old cousin. And she noted that “the military presence ... at least two generals, a fist full of colonels, and representatives from every branch of the service, plus the color guard which attended James, and some who served with him ... was very impressive and respectful, but the love and pride from this community who had lost one of their own was the most amazing thing I've ever been privileged to witness.”
Personally, with the nation becoming increasingly vaccinated and life slowly beginning to “go back to normal,” it can be tempting to take things for granted and overlook the impact that the coronavirus has had on millions of people around the globe. And that is why this article, or any article that highlights the sacrifices made by soldiers—or during the COVID crisis, the health care workers, law enforcement, truckers and many other front line workers who kept our country moving—helps to remind us that there are people who willingly sacrifice on our behalf.
But Memorial Day commemorates an especially significant event where we get to honor those who paid the ultimate price by sacrificing their lives for our great nation. The meaning of this Day was beautifully captured in “They Gave Two Lives”, the speech that Ronald Reagan gave in 1985. It is short and eloquently expresses the magnitude of the debt and gratitude we owe to our fallen soldiers who truly reflect the spirit from the Gospel of John: “Greater love hath no one than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
Years ago, a friend of mine and a Veteran sent me a note and he closed his note with a powerful reminder: Of all the gifts you could give a U.S. Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine & others deployed in harm's way, Prayer is the very best one! And then he asked me to join with him in offering this prayer:
Prayer
"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they
protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they
perform for us in our time of need. I ask this in the name of Jesus, our
Lord and Savior. Amen."
I told him I’d be honored to do so. Perhaps this weekend, you can take a moment and offer your own prayer in the traditions of your faith and honor those who have fallen in service to our country.
