Memorial Day

I do not normally agree with Andy Rooney, but last night during his closing statement for 60 Minutes he made a powerful and accurate statement. I'll paraphrase it here. 'Those who died did not "give" their lives. Their lives were taken from them.'
That is a truth that only those who serve seem to understand. Nobody makes an "ultimate sacrifice". They are robbed of their future. Their potential is finished. Their future children will never be born. Everything they could have been, everything thing they could have done, every hope, every dream dies with them in the bloody mud of war. Nobody does that willingly, yet many still put on that uniform and go to other lands to fight for ideals they struggle to continue to believe in.
Honor the dead. Then thank a vet.
Don't forget what Memorial Day is all about.

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*Smith, Paul R.
Rank and Organization: Sergeant First Class, United States Army
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty: Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with an armed enemy near Baghdad International Airport, Baghdad, Iraq on 4 April 2003. On that day, Sergeant First Class Smith was engaged in the construction of a prisoner of war holding area when his Task Force was violently attacked by a company-sized enemy force. Realizing the vulnerability of over 100 fellow soldiers, Sergeant First Class Smith quickly organized a hasty defense consisting of two platoons of soldiers, one Bradley Fighting Vehicle and three armored personnel carriers. As the fight developed, Sergeant First Class Smith braved hostile enemy fire to personally engage the enemy with hand grenades and anti-tank weapons, and organized the evacuation of three wounded soldiers from an armored personnel carrier struck by a rocket propelled grenade and a 60mm mortar round. Fearing the enemy would overrun their defenses, Sergeant First Class Smith moved under withering enemy fire to man a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on a damaged armored personnel carrier. In total disregard for his own life, he maintained his exposed position in order to engage the attacking enemy force. During this action, he was mortally wounded. His courageous actions helped defeat the enemy attack, and resulted in as many as 50 enemy soldiers killed, while allowing the safe withdrawal of numerous wounded soldiers. Sergeant First Class Smith’s extraordinary heroism and uncommon valor are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Third Infantry Division “Rock of the Marne,” and the United States Army.