Editorial: Memorial Day not just a day off

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Jan Larson
McLaughlin

Monday, as Americans slept in, played catch, fired up the grill and squirted mustard on burgers, the
meaning of Memorial Day for many had been diluted into a day of vacation and family gatherings.
Not that there is anything wrong with days off and cookouts.
But when Memorial Day was first recognized in 1868, it was done to honor those who had lost their lives
in the Civil War. The war that divided the nation stretched across the four bloodiest years our country
had seen before or since.
Joe Fawcett, the speaker at Bowling Green’s Memorial Day program, told the crowd in Oak Grove Cemetery
that the Civil War was "unlike any other." The death toll was staggering, with some estimates
as high as 28 percent of the soldiers never making it home.
The Civil War touched every family in the nation – leaving many of them no longer whole when the war
ended.
A century and a half later, many families have only remote connections to anyone in military service.
Fawcett, a veteran of the Ohio National Guard, served his country at a time when an estimated 1 percent
of the nation served in the military.
But no matter the numbers, no matter the percentages, each lost life deserves to be remembered.
Memorial Day, originally declared "Decoration Day," was intended to honor those Civil War
soldiers who died by placing flowers at their graves. That tradition, along with parades and patriotic
speeches, continues today for those lost in every war fought by the U.S.
The solemn celebration is as relevant today as the day it was first declared in 1868.
Fawcett, who is assistant administrator of the Wood County Board of Commissioners, served two tours in
Iraq, the second as an adviser to an Iraqi army battalion.
In between those tours, his Guard unit was called upon to give humanitarian aid to an area hit by
Hurricane Katrina.
Fawcett, whose family has a long history of military service, marched in his first Memorial Day parade 15
years ago. Though the holiday has always held significance for him, it took on a whole new meaning after
serving during wartime.
"I joined because of patriotic zeal," he explained. "But I fought because of the guys to
my left and to my right."
Now for Fawcett, Memorial Day is a time to remember three fellow soldiers killed in Iraq, and the
countless other soldiers who gave their lives for their country.
"Those who are not fortunate enough to come home and tell their stories should not be
forgotten," he said, listing his friends by name. "May their names never fade into the
obscurity of time."
Throughout Wood County, the tradition continues – with nearly every community, big or small, holding
Memorial Day parades and services. Though many of the veterans are aging, the young also participate in
marching bands playing patriotic songs, and Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops waving flags.
So next year, if it isn’t already your tradition, consider watching your community’s Memorial Day parade
and showing respect for those who gave their lives … then fire up the grill and play a game of catch.

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