Speaker: a time to remember brave souls

    “Nothing is more patriotic than laying down your life for the sake of your country. Today, Memorial Day, we remember those brave souls.”
    Those were some of the concluding words from Brian Hill of Denver, a 1987 graduate of Chase County High School and a U.S. Marine veteran.
    As guest speaker at Monday’s Memorial Day service at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Imperial, Hill highlighted the sacrifices not only from the men and women who have served, but their families, too.
    “There are very few chosen careers and professions where noble men and women put on a uniform at the beginning of their day and have no idea if they will be alive at the end of the day,” he said.
    It’s easy to forget the danger U.S. servicemen and women experience, he said.
    Hill cited two examples of bravery close to home—Marine Pvt. First Class Edward Gomez of Omaha and Marine Capt. Travis Ford of Ogallala.
    Gomez, who served during the Korean War, “didn’t run away when a grenade was thrown at him and his squad,” Hill said.
    He gave his life after covering the grenade with his body, saving his squad, and was later awarded the Medal of Honor.
    Ford was killed in 2003 when his helicopter crashed during combat operations in Iraq.  His brother Alex said this about Ford: “He died giving his life for the country. That is a tremendous sacrifice, but he did so willingly.”
    In referring to who really protects the freedoms in America, Hill said, “No politician’s words,whether spoken or written, have ever protected you or me or our freedom. It is the blood of our nation’s heroes that has ensured our freedom.”

    Hill said he’s noticed waning crowds at Memorial Day ceremonies, but hopes parents will encourage their children to attend in the future, along with their friends and coworkers.
    Gratitude is important, he said.
    “We owe our gratitude to the fallen soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines to keep their legacy and the meaningful traditions of Memorial Day alive,” he said.
    Monday’s program included the laying of flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the VFW Post’s Firing Squad and “Taps” played by trumpeter Joel Grosbach of Imperial.
    Flowers adorned many of the graves at the cemetery, and small American flags were placed at all graves of a U.S. veteran.
    The flags were placed last Thursday by volunteers and members of Imperial’s VFW Post 4688 and auxiliary, which coordinates the Memorial Day service each year at the cemetery.