VICE PRESIDENT PENCE: ‘Their duty was to serve. Our duty is to remember’.

IMPRIMIS: Sacred Duty.

Every headstone at Arlington tells a story. These are tales of heroes, I thought, as I placed the toe of my combat boot against the white marble. I pulled a miniature American flag out of my assault pack and pushed it three inches into the ground at my heel. I stepped aside to inspect it, making sure it met the standard that we had briefed to our troops: “vertical and perpendicular to the headstone.” Satisfied, I moved to the next headstone to keep up with my soldiers. Having started this row, I had to complete it. One soldier per row was the rule; otherwise, different boot sizes might disrupt the perfect symmetry of the headstones and flags. I planted flag after flag, as did the soldiers on the rows around me.

Bending over to plant the flags brought me eye-level with the lettering on those marble stones. The stories continued with each one. Distinguished Service Cross. Silver Star. Bronze Star. Purple Heart. America’s wars marched by. Iraq. Afghanistan. Vietnam. Korea. World War II. World War I. Some soldiers died in very old age; others were teenagers. Crosses, Stars of David, Crescents and Stars. Every religion, every race, every age, every region of America is represented in these fields of stone.

Tom Cotton's Imprimis speech is taken from his book Sacred Duty: A Soldier's Tour at Arlington National Cemetary describing his tour with the Old Guard.

UPDATE & BUMP TO TOP: Tom Cotton's sacred duty.

THANK YOU, WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA: Rolling Thunder offered $200k donation to help continue famed DC motorcycle ride.

Donate, please. I am.

MICHAEL RAMIREZ explains Memorial Day.

SEEN AT A LOCAL CHURCH:

Enough said.

“IF YOU WANT TO THANK A SOLDIER, be the kind of American worth fighting for.”

Found at this Instapundit post.

PJ MEDIA'S MORNING BRIEFING: Memorial Day Edition.

Among all this links, the top two involve Rolling Thunder. I hope President Trump can keep his promise for 2020.

AMERICA'S HONOR: PowerLine has reposted a 2007 Wall Street Journal observance of Memorial Day. It's a worthy read once again.

MEMORIAL DAY 2019:

Remember the sacrifices; fly the Stars & Stripes.