Tomb of the Unknown

"Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic," excerpt from General John A. Logan's General Order No. 11 on May 5, 1868. First, the notion of a day set aside as a day of remembering came as an order from the national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic for army veterans to reverence the graves of Union and Confederate casualties following the tragic Civil War. Gradually, state by state, it was observed by all the Northern States, and then the entire nation officially observed the day following WWI as a day to remember all American war dead.

Photo from http://www.civilwarphotos.net/ Union dead at Gettysburg

Memorial Day is a day of American reflection, not celebration. I can not say it better than General Logan, to quote again from his General Order No. 11, "Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan." As I read this passage, I must admit to not have done my duty sufficient to remove pangs of guilt. Perhaps, that is the purpose. Perhaps that inner reflection prevents us from ungrateful forgetfulness in thought, word, and most significantly, deeds. We must have a day of Memorial.

Above our small bookshelf sits a glass encased American Flag. It had lain on Tiffany's Grandpa Staples' casket on the day of his burial. Grandpa Staples served in the US Navy aboard the USS Wichata in the Pacific theater during WWII in which he endured the three dimensional terror of war at sea, from submarine threats to Kamikaze attacks. My Grandpa Burr, who we're blessed to still have with us, flew bombing missions as a bombardier aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress in the hostile skies over the fiercely contested European theater of the War. Both men returned and raised their families honorably. As with the hosts of their fighting brethren, they would have preferred to have been left alone, but they answered the call of duty, and served.

Contemporary pop culture, which sadly has the lion's share of influence on American psyche, has caricatured, maligned, and at welcomed seldom intervals, honored the American Fighting Man, but it, and those of us who rely upon it for our understanding of sacrifice and duty, do a grave injustice to these men and those who lie quietly in marked and unmarked graves. Arguments, whether overtly levied in the halls of Congress or insinuated in a screen play, of jingoism, xenophobia, imperialism, expansionism, Wilsonian "arsenal for democracy" etc all are philosophical word battles that could not be fought were it not for the GI, the Marine, the Airman, or the Sailor. These who must not only suffer the horrors of war, but live with the harrowing reality of inflicting such horrors upon their fellow man make such debates by self important people possible.

I came across a pivotal moment in American history while reading David Hackett Fischer's book, "Washington's Crossing" which, to me, is indicative of the prevailing spirit of the majority of those who served and serve in the armed forces under the the Star Spangled Banner. New Jersey, December 31, 1776. Days following the Continental Army’s successful assault (first victory in fact) against the Hessian garrison at Trenton, that involved the famous Delaware crossing, the enlistments of the Continental Army were to expire. The men were exhausted and worried about their homes and families with good reason. This was a pre WalMart age. Food had to be sown and herds looked after for the largely agrarian society to survive. Perceiving this deserved desire to go home and the impact it would have on the War, Washington agonized over how to convince his army to reenlist for continued service in “The Glorious Cause” of independence.

He promised money and pressed upon the men's sense of duty to stay and press on, but when “the drums beat for volunteers…not a man turned out.” (Washington’s Crossing 272). It is difficult for us, living behind walls guarded by the most feared and efficient military on earth, to imagine the stab of disappointment wrought in the heart of the American Commander in Chief, George Washington, as he unsuccessfully urged with the might of his soul for men who then constituted the Continental Army to continue the fight against England rather than assume someone else would take their turn and carry on.

One may ask why “The Cause” was so urgent in Washington’s mind. Certainly, if the fight was lost, he would indeed be tried for treason against the Crown and loose his life and property. Motivation enough, one may suppose, to plea in such sincerity. Yet, it seems unreasonable to assume that selfish motivation would inspire men to continue in such tribulation. In the words of a Continental sergeant, Washington then “wheeled his horse about,” and said, “My brave fellows, you have done all I asked you to do, and more than could be reasonably expected; but your country is at stake, your wives, your houses, and all that you hold dear. You have worn yourselves out with the fatigues and hardships, but we know not how to spare you. If you will consent to stay one month longer, you will render that service to the cause of liberty, and to your country, which you probably can never do under any other circumstances.” (Washington’s Crossing 272-273)

This call to arms struck a deeper chord which touched the souls of the men who stood among the ranks of that ragged, ill fed army. When the drums rolled again, the formations were manned and resolved to carry on, every tired man in his duty to “The Cause.“ This willingness to serve came at tremendous cost to many of them. Historical records estimate the number of casualties among these men at fifty percent killed in combat, by the elements, or in the writhing agony of disease, such as small pox and dysentery.

“These are the times that try men’s souls: the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it Now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” Thomas Paine, December 1776 “The Crisis.” The words would ring as hollow as a political campaign promise if men then and now didn’t live them in actual form and take up arms in defense of their country.

The stories of men who exemplified the spirit of "The Crisis" over the course of our Nation's history are legion. I'll add one more story of a great patriot who suffered great injustice at the hands of the ungrateful fools in pop culture. His name was James Stockdale. Political junkies may recognize him as the running mate of Ross Perot. In researching for a small essay I came across James B Stockdale and recalled the SNL skits caricaturing him as a mean faced, white haired stick in the mud who only would say, "Gridlock!" In my no nothing late teens/early twenties I thought the skit was funny, and that's all I knew of this man for some time.
Sadly, it would take me over a decade to ask, "Who was this guy?" If you'd like to know, go to http://www.achievement.org/ and get a brief bio on this great patriot and veteran of the Vietnam War. The picture below is of Mr. Stockdale seeing his family for the first time after seven years of torture, starvation, solitary confinement, and unyielding refusal under the most extreme, repetitive mistreatment to discredit his beloved country. I can't look at this man's gentle eyes in this photograph and not be grateful to the God of Heaven that Our Nation should be blessed with such Men. We have a duty to never forget.

"O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife. Who more than self their country loved, And mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine Till all success be nobleness And every gain divine!"

Third Verse, "America the Beautiful"
Katharine Lee Bates