[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 68 (Thursday, May 26, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 26, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      OBSERVING MEMORIAL DAY 1994

                                 ______


                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 26, 1994

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the men and 
women who risked and lost their lives to safeguard the democratic 
principles which we, as Americans, hold so dear. As we head into our 
annual observance of Memorial Day, we must pay homage to individuals 
who served with distinction and who faithfully devoted their lives to 
the preservation of our freedom.
  In 1868, Gen. John A. Logan, the Commander in Chief of the Grand Army 
of the Republic first issued the decree ordering that the graves of the 
Republic's war dead be decorated with flowers and other adornments. 
Although this was not the first time America had honored their war dead 
in this way, it marked the first official recognition of memorial by a 
national group. Up until that time, different communities celebrated 
Memorial Day on different days. The numerous ceremonies which we hold 
today have built upon this foundation laid by General Logan.
  Those of us who are not veterans of war will never know the deafening 
sound of shells, or the shear terror of battle. Moreover, we may not 
even know the feeling of losing a friend in combat, or risking our very 
lives for the rights we hold so dear. But I assure you, we do know 
speeches, prayers, and parades do not adequately serve to express our 
respect and gratitude to those who lost their lives while serving us so 
proudly. We perform these various acts not only out of respect for the 
sacrifice that our war dead endured, but out of responsibility that we 
as survivors have to keep their memories and deeds alive.
  We are a better and stronger country for the sacrifices borne by our 
war dead. For that reason we should remember them in the glory that 
they died. Let us not be sorrowful this day. We will continue to long 
for our friends and relatives who died on the field of honor. We will 
continue to wish that events could have been different, so that those 
who died so selflessly could be here now among us. All Americans stand 
proud in recognizing the sacrifices made by these fallen heroes and we 
fully acknowledge that our great country would not be what it is 
without them.

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