Memorial Day Reflections
“Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.” (Author unknown)
Their sacrifices give us the privilege to walk, talk, and breathe with FREEDOM.
Central to the life of the Christian is the virtue of gratitude. Gratitude puts us squarely in God’s will. Throughout the Scriptures, we see a ceaseless charge to be grateful and offer up thanksgiving as a measure of our faithfulness. It is in this same spirit that we, as a university, practice this virtue by extending our thankfulness to those who lost their lives while serving this country. There is a great deal to be thankful for, as over the years our troops have ceaselessly answered the calls—from the battlefields of Europe to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—for our nation to respond where help was needed.
So, on this Memorial Day, walk looking to the sky with an attitude of gratitude in your hearts for those who gave their lives for our freedom. Take one minute to pause and honor those who have died in military service. Remember to memorialize those who lived and died to preserve liberty and freedom in our nation and in the world. May the Lord our God remember those whose sacrifice gave this nation its greatness, progress, and riches. May our memory of those who served in the armed forces be an honorable one, full of thanksgiving to the Lord. Remember with much love those who died in the service of our Country, whether in the air, on the land or in the sea.
Lord, be with us and provide us with your grace and mercy as we acknowledge the price paid with selfless courage and unconditional bravery through the sacrifices of our U.S. soldiers and their families.
Every Memorial Day, I think about family & friends I lost during the Vietnam war. Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than he who lay down his life for a friend.” A family member of mine did just that during the Vietnam War. He is memorialized as “Andino” on the Black Granite Wall in Washington D.C.
Take a moment to the remember men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to secure the freedom we enjoy.
Nelson Andino
Private First Class
B CO, 4TH BN, 21ST INFANTRY, 11TH INFANTRY BDE, AMERICAL DIV, USARV
Army of the United States
New York, New York
November 07, 1950 to August 13, 1969
(Incident Date August 06, 1969)
NELSON ANDINO is on the Wall at Panel W19, Line 28
