Dear editor,
As we all look ahead to the upcoming 3-day weekend of Memorial Day – May 25th, please remember our forward deployed troops serving in harm’s way defending our American values on orders from our commander-in-chief. Some have been killed in action during Operation Epic Fury that ended on May 6th. Prayers are that the peace will hold and diplomacy will provide a solution.
But like now, members serving in the military have served during America’s wars since the Revolutionary War 250 years ago. On the grounds of our Marlboro County Courthouse is a monument erected in 1920 to the memory of those who served in the War for American Independence. Also, there is a monument there in memory of Captain William White Palmer.
Captain Palmer was a Bennettsville-born WW-I fighter pilot who was awarded both the Distinguished Service Cross and the French Croix Gueere for extraordinary heroism in aerial combat. Our Marlboro County Community has much to be thankful for on Memorial Day as we remember our fallen war heroes.
On Veterans Day, we remember those who served, but on Memorial Day it’s about those who served and died on the battlefield. In the two Great Wars, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, our community suffered greatly the loss of 40 service members in WW-I, 55 in WW-II, eight in Korea, and 10 in Vietnam. These lives, and others, we honor and remember on Memorial Day.
Many of their families and friends remain in our communities and, without question, they suffer the loss of their loved ones every day.
We, as the beneficiaries of their sacrifices, get to live and enjoy everyday the freedoms they fought and died for on the battlefield. So, let us remember and honor their memory once again this Memorial Day by taking a moment of time from our 3-day Memorial Day weekend to give thanks for their warrior spirit and their sacrifice for America. These 113 lives are only some of those across America who were killed in action in these and other battles fought before WW-I and after Vietnam.
The wars in Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq saw many American lives lost in battle, too. Yes, let’s all have a great 3-day weekend over Memorial Day, but let’s take a moment to remember those we have lost in wars.
God bless our troops and God bless America.
John Harlow
Sergeant Major of Marines (Ret’d)
Vietnam War 1966-67/Gulf War 1 (ODS) 1990-91
Junior Vice Commandant of the Marine Corps League
Detachment 1219 Bennettsville SC
The Great Pee Dee Devil Dogs