“The United States and the freedom, for which it stands, the freedom for which they died, must endure and prosper. Their lives remind us that freedom is not bought cheaply. It has a cost; it imposes a burden. And just as they whom we commemorate were willing to sacrifice, so too must we — in a less final, less heroic way — be willing to give of ourselves.”

—Ronald Reagan

A nation can be forged and molded by great men. For sure, that is the beginnings of our nation.

These men receive the glory and the fame and are quoted on a daily basis.

But the true measure of a nation’s strength is its military, which is composed of equally great men and women, men and women who put duty, honor and country first. They receive no glory — except an occasional welcome home party, or the sad mournful sounds of taps breaking the still air around their flag-draped coffins.

Every person who has ever put on a uniform to defend the principles that our founding fathers set forth in order to establish this nation were and are heroes.

Every drop of blood that has been shed by these heroes has made it possible for us to live in a free society, and for that we are grateful on this Memorial Day.

We salute every one of our readers who has been or is a hero, and we thank you for your service.