Americans should not let vacations and trips to the lake overshadow the true meaning of Memorial Day, said Michael Coles, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate. “Busy schedules, vacations and commercialism sometimes fog its (Memorial Day’s) true meaning,” Coles said Saturday at Rome’s Myrtle Hill Cemetery. Coles spoke at the foot of the grave of the “The Known Soldier.” Charles Graves was the last known soldier whose body was identified and returned from World War I, officials said. “Memorial Day was started to pay tribute to our country’s men and women who fell In the line of duty ... and sacrificed all ... for our basic freedoms and rights as Americans,” he added. Coles was the guest speaker at the ceremony, held to pay tribute to men and women who have served in the 10 wars in which America has been involved. Coles said the ceremony serves as a reminder to older Americans to never let younger generations forget the price that was paid for the freedoms we now take for granted. “We come together to insure that future generations will not forget,” he said. “The freedoms and rights we take for granted, we got because of those who gave up their lives. “They were fighting to protect values . . . we hold sacred,” he added. “Without the courage and valor of those that lost their lives for our country, the ability to move forward as a state and as a nation to meet new challenges would be lost.” Memorial Day is officially celebrated today. Another service in Rome was scheduled to be held at 11 a.m. today at the Memorial Garden Cemetery on Cotton Avenue. The event was sponsored by the Grady Mabry Post 506, American Legion. Coles said that Americans have a duty to make sure the graves of all soldiers are not neglected so that “the passing of time will not reflect to a younger generation that we have forgotten. “We stand before this flag, not as Republicans or Democrats, but as Americans . . . (remembering) those who died and paid the true price of freedom,” Coles said. A parade Saturday on Broad Street that preceded the graveside ceremony included uniformed representatives of all 10 wars. The uniformed participants placed American flags at Graves headstone, surrounding a memorial wreath that was placed there by Audrey Karlovich, the Georgia state president of the Dames of the Court of Honor. The flags represented all the wars in which Americans have served and included: the Revolutionary War; the War of 1812; the Mexican-American War; the War Between the States (one flag each for the Union and the Confederacy); the Spanish-American War; World War I; World War II; the Korean War; the Vietnam War; and the Gulf War. |
