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Why we honor those who sacrificed for liberty

By Congresswoman Virginia Foxx

On June 6, 1944 Allied troops stormed the beaches of Nazi-occupied Europe.  In the bloody combat that ensued thousands of American soldiers gave their lives to restore freedom on that D-Day more than six decades ago. 

Each May we call to mind these war fighters and those who went before and after them, from the battlefields of Concord to the streets of Kandahar, willingly shedding their blood for our freedom.  As we observe Memorial Day 2010 my hope is that we will never forget the many who sacrificed in the countless struggles for liberty throughout our history. 

This year we also have an important duty to remember the lives lost in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.  In the midst of high unemployment and economic uncertainty it is possible to forget that our brave men and women in uniform are deployed in harms way around the world.

Let’s especially remember that North Carolina sends thousands of war fighters into combat each year, many coming from Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune.  These many deployments exact a sobering toll.  In fact, in the last year more than 20 paratroopers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division have died since the unit deployed from Fort Bragg, North Carolina to Afghanistan.

That’s why we must not forget the lives of these American patriots or the loved ones they leave behind.

Battles will wax and wane, and, unfortunately, as long as our troops walk patrols in hostile territory, there will be casualties.  But as our troops deploy to Afghanistan to combat extremist Taliban fighters and al-Qaeda terrorists, we owe to those who sacrifice a duty of vigilance. 

In August of this year the United States military presence in Afghanistan will reach its peak of nearly 100,000.  The conflict will likely intensify and the tragic truth is that more sons and daughters will give their lives to bring freedom to this region. 

And so we rightly mark a day of remembrance this May.  We live in a world beset with dark currents of oppression.  Yet we have the hope that as long as there are tyrants, there will be men and women standing in opposition to tyranny.  Some of those will even give their lives for the cause of freedom. 

Yes, a debate continues over how many troops should be deployed to Afghanistan and for how long.  But we should never allow this important discussion to distract us from honoring the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who do not shy from danger in foreign lands and who willingly risk their very lives so that we can live free.

Thomas Paine, one of America's founders, once said that “those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” 

Today we are fortunate be to richly endowed with men and women who took Paine’s wisdom to heart.  They stand willing to “undergo the fatigue of supporting” our long tradition of liberty.  We would do well this May to put aside our personal worries for a day and honor those who gave their ultimate support to freedom and passed on a proud, selfless tradition for us to remember and emulate.