Memorial Day: A tribute to those who served

Ava Marinos Opinion Co-Editor @TheNDBCatalyst

Memorial Day, observed in the United States on the last Monday of May every year, serves as a day for American citizens to take time and reflect on the various sacrifices that soldiers have made to promise us a better future. Rather than just seeing it as a day off from school, people should use this day to look back and remember the history of our country, and understand the several contributions the military has made.

To commemorate Memorial Day, there are a variety of ways to keep the lives of America’s soldiers close in our minds and in our hearts. One of my favorite ways to celebrate the contributions of soldiers is to visit the USS Hornet Museum. There, World War II artifacts and living veterans with memories of those who have passed away help to keep the memory of honorable soldiers alive. Without engaging in this remembrance, the meaning of Memorial Day fades. Just recently, Ken Potts, one of the last remaining survivors of a Pearl Harbor warship sinking, died at age 102. 101-year- old Lou Canter is now the only other remaining survivor from the ship, called the USS Arizona. Although this generation is leaving us, their long-lasting impact shouldn’t, which is why keeping the history of WWII alive is crucial to understanding their acts of bravery.

According to a bar graph developed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, the surviving WWII veterans for 2024 are estimated to be less than 2,000. This is an alarming decrease in the population. We should embrace American history not just for the fact-based education, but to kindle a personal connection to the subject through humanizing the millions of veterans who have served our country.

While this era of people is passing on as time progresses, we cannot forget the lasting impact fallen soldiers have made on our nation. Memorial Day continues to be a time set aside to commemorate the lives lost due to war, and celebrate the veterans who live on today, honoring all these individuals’ their selflessness during a time of great uncertainty. Remember that

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EDITORIAL POLICY each time you sing the National Anthem, take school off for Memorial Day, or visit a war museum, you are not passively remembering the war effort or misrepresenting the meaning of the day, but rather actively paying homage to their sacrifice.