Posted on 05/31/2011 5:19:03 AM PDT by SandRat
FORT HUACHUCA — Those who are called upon to defend America’s freedom overcome impossible odds and do extraordinary things, Brig. Gen. Gregg Potter said just before noon Monday.
And for many of them, their loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage were maintained by all who served — be it as soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines or Coast Guardsmen — by leaving “the safety of their sovereign soil to defeat tyrants, ensure justice and fulfill the promise of safety and security for our citizens and the global community,” Potter said.
The commander of the Intelligence Center of Excellence and Fort Huachuca made his comments to more than 400 people who attended the annual Memorial Day ceremony at the post cemetery.
“Their lives were dedicated not to conflict or death, but to compassion and to life,” he said.
All that is called upon for the citizens of the United States to do is to remember that in death, those who have served in America’s armed forces have given the nation a gift of liberty, Potter said.
Because of the uncertainty of today’s world, the nation must “be willing to strengthen ourselves for what lies ahead,” the general said.
For nearly a decade, America has been engaged in a struggle against violent extremism, Potter said.
Iraq is on a path toward democracy and “advances to ensuring a more secure Afghanistan” are being made, the general proclaimed.
But for the nation’s military, the realization “terror will not rest; violence will not sleep; evil will not die,” requires constant vigilance.
It has always been such and it means while honoring and remembering those who have served, “compassion will prevail, justice will triumph, and freedom will reign,” the general said.
Pointedly, he asked the audience, listening in silence occasionally broken by rustling leaves, the chirping of birds and the voices of children, to remember all in the nation’s military service “who stand shoulder to shoulder against terror and oppression to carry freedom’s torch in foreign lands.”
The remembrances are not only for the those serving in uniform, but also for their families, who saw them leave to go off to war and in some cases never come home, or to be listed as missing-in-action to this day, Potter said.
Since 1866, there has been an organized time to honor the fallen, he said.
While it was a way for the nation to heal after the Civil War, Potter said since then, Memorial Day has expanded to honor the country’s war dead from the Revolutionary War to the current battles to combat terrorism.
Potter’s speech was followed by a presentation by Francis H. J. MacDonnell, the past Arizona Department Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, who put a historical perspective to the ceremony. On behalf of VFW Post 9972 of Sierra Vista and other VFW posts, MacDonnell read General Order 11, written in 1866 by Gen. John Logan, the commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. Logan directed the creation of a day on which the graves of the Union Civil War dead would be decorated — hence causing the event to be called Decoration Day, which was changed to Memorial Day in the 1880s, eventually becoming a national holiday of remembrance for those who died in the nation’s defense during all wars.
Other members of VFW Post 9972, at MacDonnell’s direction, placed flowers and an American flag to symbolize decorating a grave.
A 21-rifle salute was fired by members of the Fort Huachuca Select Honor Guard and a bugler from the 36th U.S Army Band played the 24 mournful notes of Taps, after which the booming sounds of the honor guard’s Salute Battery, firing a 21-cannon salute to the nation, could be heard emanating from the fort’s Reservoir Hill.
Before MacDonnell spoke, wreathes were presented by Potter and his senior enlisted adviser, Command Sgt. Maj. Todd Holiday, representatives from the Widow Support Center and the fort’s Army Community Services.
As the most solemn portion of the ceremony took place, the military band softly played the old hymn “Abide with Me.”
As Potter said, throughout the nation’s history, those who answered the call to arms and their loss in combat has brought suffering to their families and friends who, too, have stood tall with resilience, dedication and commitment to their fallen; and the rest of America’s citizens can do no less.
It was President John F. Kennedy who said, “A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers,” the general stated.
CEMETERY facts
The Fort Huachuca Cemetery is the final resting place of cavalrymen, infantrymen, Apache Indian Scouts, pioneers. Teamsters, packers, wagon masters and today’s military and their families.
Initially the post cemetery was located elsewhere and held the remains of 16 people. All were exhumed and laid to rest a second time in what is now the fort’s cemetery.
In one mass grave are the remains of 76 unknowns brought to the post in 1928 from the now defunct Fort San Carlos.
The ranks of the military members buried in the cemetery range from private to major general, who served during the Indian Wars to today’s conflicts.
The cemetery holds the remains of slightly more than 3,000 known dead and nearly 100 unknowns.
For a number of years it has been the site of the annual public Memorial Day ceremony on the post.
Source: Fort Huachuca Public Affairs Office
Sierra Vista is a great community. Went there every 2 weeks for many years. Had lots of Ham friends at Ft. Huachuca.
I got the phone call last night that a young friend who had just been sent a few weeks ago to Afghanistan was killed. Very sad. Prayers to him, his family, and all those who serve.
Just want to send a very warm thank you to all the veterns and present servicemen who made our country strong. I also would like to dedicate this memorial day to my father , William Lee Brown who served in the US Army and was stationed in FT Hauchuca, Az. I was told a year ago that he died December 25, 1996. Memories of him will never ceased. I knew he served his country and fellowman proud.
Thanks for pic.
Have never been to the site of the cemetery.
I do have good memories of Sierra Vista.
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