Memorial Day Speech: “The Cost of Freedom”

Good morning,

Welcome to today’s ceremony, and thank you for being here. It is both an honor and a solemn responsibility to speak with you on this sacred day—Memorial Day—a day when our nation pauses to remember those who have laid down their lives in military service to the United States.

Today is not about politics. It’s not about personal accomplishments. It’s about something far greater—duty, honor, and country—and the men and women who gave everything to protect the ideals those words represent.

Forgetting and Remembering

We humans are forgetful creatures. Life moves quickly. We have jobs to do, bills to pay, families to care for. In the rush of daily life, it's easy to take things for granted—especially freedom.

That is why we are here today: to remember. To remind ourselves, and each other, that freedom has a price—and that price has been paid in blood by more than 1.3 million Americans since the founding of this country.

Among us are Gold Star Families—those whose loved ones gave their lives in service. Their grief is a permanent reminder that freedom is not free. For them, every day is Memorial Day. And for us, this one day must never be enough.

Take a moment to look around you. You’ll see over 750 American flags placed on the graves of service members buried here. Each flag is a symbol of service. Each flag marks a life given in defense of something greater than self.

“May we never forget our fallen comrades. Freedom isn’t free.” — Sgt. Major Bill Paxton

A Day of Remembrance with Deep Roots

Memorial Day began as Decoration Day after the Civil War, the deadliest war in American history. It was a time when families, veterans, and communities would gather to decorate the graves of fallen Union soldiers with flowers, flags, and ribbons.

It was not a day of celebration, but of solemn reflection—a community act of grief and gratitude. That tradition continues today.

But Memorial Day is often misunderstood. Let’s be clear:

• Memorial Day honors those who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

• Veterans Day honors all who served.

• Armed Forces Day honors those currently serving.

I saw a graphic on Facebook that summed it up nicely. “Armed forces day is for those still in uniform, Veterans day is for those who hung up their uniform, and Memorial day is for those who never made it out of their uniform.”

Each of these days matters—but today is reserved for the ones who never came home.

Ordinary People, Extraordinary Sacrifice

“The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them—glory and danger alike—and yet, notwithstanding, go out to meet it.” — Thucydides

The men and women we honor today were not superheroes. They were ordinary Americans from all walks of life—farmers, factory workers, teachers, teenagers, immigrants, neighbors. Many didn’t ask to go to war. Many didn’t volunteer. But when their country called, they went.

They didn’t go because they loved fighting. They went because they loved what they were defending. Their courage, integrity, and selflessness are what we remember. They served something greater than themselves, and they paid the ultimate price.

“For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue.” — James A. Garfield

Since the Revolutionary War, over 1.3 million Americans have died in uniform:

• In the Civil War, over 620,000 died—an average of 425 per day.

• In World War II, over 400,00o died an average of about 200 per day.

• On September 17, 1862, during the Battle of Antietam, nearly 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or went missing—the bloodiest single day in American military history.

These are not just numbers. These are lives. These are families. These are sacrifices we dare not forget.  We may not know their names. We don’t know them all, but we owe them all.

The Power and Purpose of Memorials

It’s not enough to set aside a day. As a nation, we have also built monuments—stone and steel memorials—physical places where memory becomes visible.  Our Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building is just that a living Memorial. A place for the community to gather and remember.

Perhaps the most haunting is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. Carved into its polished black granite are the names of over 58,000 Americans who died or went missing in Vietnam. There are no ranks, no distinctions—just names. Each name is a life cut short, a story unfinished.

People visit that wall every day. They bring flowers. They leave dog tags, medals, letters, photographs. They trace the names with trembling fingers. And in that quiet moment, they remember. The wall doesn’t glorify war. It doesn’t explain it. It simply honors the fallen and makes their absence known.

We build memorials not just to remember the past—but to remind the living that what was sacrificed must be protected. These memorials stand as a challenge to us: How will you live in light of their sacrifice?

Local memorials matter just as much. A statue in a town square. A plaque on a courthouse wall. Flags at a cemetery. These are sacred spaces. They are where a community says, “We will not forget.” We remember the best of us, who sacrificed for the rest of us.

The Debt We Owe

“A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.” — Bob Dylan

“This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.” — Elmer Davis

President Obama once said:

“Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we can never fully repay.”

And he was right. We can never repay it. But we can honor it:

• By living lives worthy of their sacrifice.

• By protecting the freedoms they died for.

• By telling their stories, and teaching our children the value of what was given.

To do this we must take time to remember. That is why we are here today, and why we will be here next year, and the year after that. It is why the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building has stood for a century in downtown Brentwood and for the century to come.

Call to Remembrance

Later today, as you gather with friends and family—maybe for a BBQ or a picnic—take a moment. When you enjoy that burger or hot dog, ask yourself: Will I remember the price paid for this freedom?

All gave some, but at least 1.3 million gave all.

“One flag, one land, one heart, one hand, one Nation, evermore!” — Oliver Wendell Holmes

We must never allow their sacrifice to be reduced to a date on the calendar or a sale at a store. Their memory lives on not just in monuments, but in the hearts of a grateful nation.

Let us speak their names.

Let us walk among the flags.

Let us live lives worthy of their gift.

I want to take a moment to speak about my dear friend—a man who was like a father to me. He served bravely in Vietnam, and during a skirmish, his best friend died in his arms. That moment marked him forever. When he returned home, he was met not with honor, but with silence—or worse, scorn. He carried a deep and abiding sense of survivor's guilt, a weight that never truly left him. And yet, every year, he would be out here—at ceremonies like this one—standing tall, remembering. It wasn’t easy. In fact, it was often excruciating. But he believed it was necessary. Necessary so that his friend would never be forgotten. So I ask you, as you leave this sacred site today, remember that for many veterans and Gold Star families, remembrance is not easy—but it is sacred. It is necessary. And it is our duty to join them in that remembrance.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

Donald E. Hester

Commandant Delta Diablo Det. 1155 Marine Corps League