Honor Their Sacrifice

The San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Monday 30 May 2005

With daily dispatches of car bombings, helicopter crashes and deadly clashes with insurgents, this Memorial Day brings with it more vivid reminders than many such days of the past. For all the celebrations that mark this heartfelt American holiday, the harrowing duties being carried out by U.S. troops overseas offer a stark picture of the grim realities of war.

In times of peace and prosperity, it is easier to forget the great valor and personal sacrifice of the millions of Americans who have died in combat. Today, with the aftermath of war raging in Iraq and Afghanistan, the price of the dedication of soldiers in harm's way is impossible to overlook.

For each generation looking back on its own war, the meaning of death never changes, just the reasons for why they occurred. But the politics and purpose behind each conflict do not diminish the bravery and suffering of soldiers lost.

Whether remembering family members lost in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf or the wars of today, the soldiers we commemorate deserve our lasting respect for their ultimate sacrifice. When we see the fresh flowers on the graves, the flags blowing in the wind, the parades and official tributes, it's important to remember that those casual images mark what Shakespeare called a "fellowship of death." No matter if we agree with the reason for the fight -- or the vision of those who would justify it -- the dead cannot be dishonored.

Our veterans will note that this is the 137th Memorial Day celebrated in this country since it was inaugurated to pay tribute to Union soldiers killed in the Civil War. Time may fade the memory of the oldest wars, but it never obscures the meaning of true duty and a greater purpose.