Iowans' stake on Memorial Day

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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Every Memorial Day reminds us of friends and family we have lost and will never forget. It should also remind us to appreciate those many Americans who made the greatest sacrifice for their country, whether we knew them or not.

Iowans certainly are reminded this Memorial Day weekend. Three of our 2,800 National Guard soldiers deployed in Afghanistan were killed in April.

Iowa's deployment is scheduled to come home in July. That's also when the United States will begin reducing our force of 100,000 stationed in Afghanistan, President Obama has said. Some in Congress, including 1st District Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, last week called for accelerating withdrawal from the nation's longest-ever conflict. They argue that U.S. forces have largely achieved the goal of capturing or killing those believed responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, including the infamous Osama bin Laden - gunned down in Pakistan last month.

Yet there remains much disagreement about the timing and scale of withdrawal. If U.S. intentions remain to help Afghanistan reach the point where its military, police and government can withstand terrorist activities and provide stable leadership, there's a long way to go.

However one stands on that debate, we all do well to honor Memorial Day and its purpose.

First known as Decoration Day, it took root in 1868, with Union Army Major Gen. John A. Logan's order: “The 30th day of May is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country ...,” noting the half-million lives lost in the Civil War. Memorial Day was expanded after World War I to recognize all U.S. war dead. In 1971, Congress designated it an official national holiday to be held on the last Monday in May.

All told, more than 1.2 million members of American military forces have died in service to our nation since 1775. Ideally, that number stops increasing - a day we hope comes sooner than later. Either way, every generation must understand why Memorial Day should always be observed.