Thousands gather to honor fallen patriots

American flags snapped in the soft breeze that rolled through Quantico National Cemetery on Monday as a crowd several thousand strong gathered for the 26th annual Memorial Day ceremony.

The sharp retort of a 21-gun salute, the somber strains of "Taps" and the silent prayers of those gathered on the cemetery's lawn brought the meaning of the day -- honoring and remembering the nation's war dead -- home to those who attended the solemn remembrance.

"All across America a grateful nation comes together today to honor these men and women, some celebrated, others quite unknown, each a patriot and hero," said Wayne Dearie, chairman of the Potomac Veterans Council, the group that sponsors the ceremony.

Retired Marine Master Gunnery Sgt. Joe Venable said the ceremony is a simple way that people can honor those who have paid the ultimate price for the freedoms we enjoy.

"Respect for those who never got to wear their medals and ribbons while alive," he said.

Quantico Marine Corps Base Commander Col. Charles A. Dallachie thanked those who took time out of their holiday weekend to attend the observance.

"There's probably many places you could probably be right now, but you chose to be here honoring our veterans, honoring those who continue to serve, and that's important," he said.

Dallachie said that even though the nation is deeply divided over the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; bailouts for the auto industry; and whether enhanced interrogation techniques should be used, there is one thing that most American's agree on:

"What gives us the right and what gives us the freedom to make those decisions and gives the rights and freedoms to be divided as we are is the young men and women who serve," he said. "Make no mistake about it, today is about those who serve and one thing that none of us are divided on is the fact that the young men and women who serve -- especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice -- need to be honored today."

Courage redefined

In his address, Marine Brig. Gen. Timothy C. Hanifen, deputy commanding general of Marine Corps Com-bat Development Command at Quantico Marine Corps base, said that Webster's Dictionary defines courage as facing danger or risk without fear.

"Those of us who have served or supported veterans or family members who have served know that Webster's Dictionary has it wrong," he said. "It's not facing danger or risk with-out fear. It's facing them with your fears and going ahead and moving forward and doing the right thing at the point of action where [you're] needed most."

Hanifen then said the cemetery is filled with the graves of service members and their families who exem-plify just that kind of courage.

"They moved forward when the nation asked them," he said. "They didn't ask what was in it for them. They went to the scene of action. They fought. They formed new bonds as family members that only those on a battlefield understand. They shared risk and danger."

Cost of freedom

Hanifen also saluted the courage of parents, spouses and children who wish their service member, "God speed, safety, and success in everything they do and hope and pray every night they will be one of the fortunate ones who come home, and that's courage, too."

The biggest worry that many veterans have is whether their sacrifice was worth it, he continued.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your presence here, the safety and security, the peace that our fellow Ameri-cans, our family members and our loved ones enjoy each day says it was worth it," he said. "Thank God such men and women live, thank God they hear the call to colors when the nation needs it most."

Hanifen also thanked the allied nations who have sent their sons and daughters to fight alongside American troops in battles from the Revolutionary War to the present.

"It's a lonely world out there if it's just Americans, and so we have our partner nations and stalwart allies who have served alongside and we alongside them in every war. As we remember our loss, let us remember them," he urged.

'Going home'

Hanifen called coming to Quantico National Cemetery "going home." His son, who died at birth, is buried there and Hanifen and his wife will also rest there one day.

"Fifty years from now, I expect to be standing off into the woods, as the thousands of our loved one are standing, silently listening to hopefully a better speech, and more celebrations of courage, of hope, of life and life everlasting for our people, our nation and our world," he said.

More than 700,000 service members have fallen in battle since the nation's founding in 1776, Dearie noted.

"Today, we often hear the phrase 'Freedom isn't free,'" said Linda Flook-Birnbaum, assistant to Quantico National Cemetery Director Karl MacDonald. "It's not a cliché. It's not a slogan more suited to bumper stickers. To the men and women who rest here in Quantico National Cemetery, freedom is not fee is the banner under which 4 million Americans have fought and more than one million of our sons and daughters have died since the days of the Revolu-tion."

Staff writer Julia LeDoux can be reached at 703-369-5718.