by On Memorial Day, President Barack Obama paid homage to American veterans. He participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns and then participated in a service at Arlington National Cemetery.During his address at the cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater he said,
“Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes that we can never fully repay. But we can honor their sacrifice, and we must. We must honor it in our own lives by holding their memories close to our hearts, and heeding the example they set.”
Obama Honors Fallen
He continued by saying, “And we must honor it as a nation by keeping our sacred trust with all who wear America’s uniform, and the families who love them; by never giving up the search for those who’ve gone missing under our country’s flag or are held as prisoners of war; by serving our patriots as well as they serve us – from the moment they enter the military, to the moment they leave it, to the moment they are laid to rest.”
Brotherhood and Sacrifice
Obama gave an individualized example of two roommates, Travis Manion and Lieutenant Brendan Looney, who became friends at the Naval Academy. They are buried next to each other at the national cemetery, having given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. He pointed out that their story of friendship reflects the true meaning of Memorial Day.Prior to his time at the cemetery, President and Michelle Obama hosted a breakfast at the White House for Gold Star families.
