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I'M COMMANDER OF THE VFW OF POST NINE 12 IN BAYTOWN, TEXAS.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO OUR MEMORIAL DAY PROGRAM THIS YEAR, PUT ON BY THE VFW AND THE BAYTOWN PARKS AND WILDLIFE AND QUIET SERVICES ACROSS OUR COUNTRY.
THIS MEMORIAL DAY, WE COME TOGETHER AS A NATION TO REMEMBER THOSE LOST IN OUR COUNTRY'S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM.
TODAY WE WILL HONOR THE MANY SACRIFICES MADE BY SO MANY FOR ALL OF US.
AS WE ENJOY LIVING IN THIS LAND OF THE FREE.
WE MUST CONTINUE TO REMIND AMERICANS THAT THERE IS NO FREEDOM WITHOUT BRAVERY.
AND THOSE WE HONOR TODAY WERE BRAVE WHEN IT COUNTED THE MOST.
THESE MEN AND WOMEN WHO BELIEVED THEY WERE JUST DOING THEIR DUTY, THEY HAD STRENGTH WHEN THE SITUATION DEMANDED IT.
DETERMINATION, WHEN EVERYTHING FELT LOST AND DEVOTION, COURAGE, AND PATRIOTISM WHEN OTHERS LOOKED TO THEM FOR GUIDANCE.
GENERATION AFTER GENERATION HAS BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO REAP THE BENEFITS PAID FOR BY THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT FREEDOM IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR AND IS NECESSARY DYING FOR IN CEMETERIES ACROSS AMERICA AND AROUND THE WORLD.
TODAY, PEOPLE WILL PAUSE TO SPREAD FLOWERS ON THE GRAVES OF THOSE LOST IN MORE.
BUT TODAY SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT SORROW AND NOT ABOUT MOURNING.
WHAT IT SHOULD BE ABOUT WAS BEST EXPRESSED BY GENERAL GEORGE PATTON BACK IN 1944 AT A MILITARY CEMETERY IN FRANCE, LOOKING OUT ACROSS THE FIELD FILLED WITH ROWS OF CROSSES, MARKING THE GRAVES OF MEN WHO JUST DAYS BEFORE HAVE BEEN PART OF HIS ARMY.
PATTON SAID, WE SHOULD THANK GOD THAT SUCH MEN LIVED, AND THAT IS WHAT THIS VERY SPECIAL DAY IS ALL ABOUT.
BEING THANKFUL THAT SUCH BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN HAVE LIVED AND TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THOSE HEROIC PATRIOTS WHO BRAVE BRAVELY ROSE UP AND FOUGHT FOR SOMETHING GREATER THAN THEMSELVES, PROTECTING A HOME TO WHICH THEY NEVER RETURNED.
WHAT WE REALLY MUST DO TO HONOR THEIR SACRIFICE IS TO LIVE WHAT THEY DIED FOR.
THEY DIED FOR A COUNTRY OF FREEDOM, EQUALITY, OPPORTUNITY, AND UNLIMITED PROMISE.
HOPE THAT WHAT THEY GAVE US WILL LAST FOREVER, AND THAT FREEDOM AND OPPORTUNITY WILL FIND ALL WHO SEEK IT.
WE MUST LIVE TO PRESERVE THEIR LEGACY.
EDUCATING ALL THAT MEMORIAL DAY IS NOT JUST ANOTHER HOLIDAY, AND WE MUST PASS ALONG OUR KNOWLEDGE TO THE NEXT GENERATION, SO THEY MAY DO THE SAME.
WE MUST ENSURE THAT THE YOUTH OF TOMORROW UNDERSTAND THE TRUE COST OF FREEDOM.
JASPER D ICK, ROBERT R TUCK, WORLD WAR II, TOMMY KING, JOHN ALMAN, GERALD C PAXTON, BARNEY, ALSBROOK, CONRAD SERRANO, THOMAS J. HILL, WILLIAM C MATSON, LEE BAYLESS, JOHN P*****K, DUDLEY QUAS, NORLAN TIPTON, JEROME LENE, MIKE KERN, DOUGLAS W MALLORY, JIM BEARDEN, ARMSTEAD.
ALFONSO PONSE, EARL BLANTON, LEON HUDU, JAKE SIMS, W MARVIN BAKER JR.
JW SKIING, FERRIS W MUELLER, ALVIN.
S REED, B, BEMAN, E HALTON, FRANCIS METZGER, JACK BURTON, QUINCY
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A, METS, LE MOINES WILLIAMS, ARCHIE ZAMORA.HARRY BOLSTER, ROBERT F LEMON.
JOHN R. GRANT, CURTIS C WASHBURN.
T WILSON GRIFFIN, GEORGE HARGIS.
C SLANDER LEOND, J LEBLANC, JAMES W.
SAMPLE PIERCE BLUM, JOHN W LEBERT, FRANK E. CLARK, MARVIN N MCBRIDE, EMMETT H, GARRETT BARR, DERWOOD BROWN, CARL GAN, ARTHUR NEWMAN, HOLLIS, WILSON AND SMO.
ALBERTO GARCIA, DUDLEY LEMON, BETHEL, E.
WALTER F. WOLF, GEORGE REYES, Q POWELL, L RAY, HENDERSON, THURMAN, GRAY.
J EDWARD SANDERS, JV HILL, EARL.
BARDEN, MORRIS, J BERGERON, DONALD, O DANIELS, VINCENTE, C NIETO, EARL, J EVERLY, VIRGIL, E DALEY, ASTOR N SANDERS, HARRY KILGORE, JR.
KOREA, MINTER, C, TERRY, KLEIN SHANNON, WILLIAM.
ROGER FORTENBERRY, ROBERT, LS JEFFERSON, JOE W. WALKER, MIA, RICHARD, B JOHNSON, QUIEL, OLA, CHIA, MIA, BERT SINGLETON.
DONNY E BAKER, DONIS, E, RODIN, VIETNAM.
DONALD R IRVING, CECIL O BONDAGE.
ALVIN V DARBY, ROYAL C FISHER, JR.
VICTOR L HUMPHREY THURSTON, C ROBERTS, DELMAR DYER.
RONALD F. WILDER, CHARLES LINBERG,
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ROGER W SELZER, WILLIS CORMIER.HEY, WAR ON TERROR, AFGHANISTAN.