Memorial Day, 2024

Memorial Day, 2024 Today in church our pastor played a video voiceover of Ronald Reagan's 1985 Memorial Day address. It was a beautiful piece. One aspect of it in particular stood out to me. Reagan observed that most of those who have died in service to our country were quite young, in their teens and 20s. He pointed out that they really gave up two lives: the one they were living at the time and the one they would never get to live. This was true of my great uncle, Harold Brown. He was the sibling that was closest to my grandmother. Harold enlisted in 1918 and was in D Company of the 308th Infantry Regiment. In October of 1918 he volunteered to participate in the fourth and final attempt to reach a portion of the regiment that had been cut off and surrounded. The first three had failed. He volunteered knowing that it would probably cost him his life. Tragically, it did. For his valor, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest honor our country can bestow on its service people. Reagan's words were certainly true in Harold's case. He sacrificed the life he was living. In addition, he gave up the life he would have lived. He left behind a young bride and a daughter he never met. He never got to have a career or be a grandparent. His commitment to his comrades and his country prompted to put it all on the line. Though I never met him, I am so proud to be in his family line. It is for him, and hundreds of others like him that we have Memorial Day. May we never forget them. Casualty Info Home Town Bakersfield Casualty Date Oct 04, 1918 Cause KIA-Killed in Action Reason Unknown, Not Reported Location France Conflict World War I Location of Interment American Cemetery - Commune of Binarville, France