[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 3, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E503-E504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING REMARKS BY UNITED STATES ARMY COLONEL JEFFERY R. McGEARY ON
MEMORIAL DAY 2025
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HON. BRIAN K. FITZPATRICK
of pennsylvania
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to include in the Record,
remarks given by United States Army Colonel Jeffrey R. McGeary at The
Revolutionary War Soldiers Gravesite at Washington Crossing Historic
Park on May 25, 2025 for Memorial Day:
A special thanks to the staff and friends of Washington
Crossing Historic Park. Thank you, Mr. Alex Robb, for the
invitation, and MAJ Garrison for your assistance. To our
attendees, I see a lot of familiar faces in the audience, it
is great to have you here. I truly appreciate this honor to
stand before you all today. I'm a native of Bucks County,
born and raised in Newtown (Council Rock High School). I
joined the Army to serve my country, at the influence too of
my Father who was a proud United States Navy veteran. I
thought I would serve my six years and punch out, but here we
are over 25 years later and still going strong. Humbled to be
here.
There are plenty of other places you could be, but you
choose to be here. I salute you.
This year is a special year, as we begin the 250th
anniversary events around our fight for independence many
years ago and the birth of our great Republic. It's also the
250th birthday of the United States Army!
Memorial Day is a day of national recognition to honor the
military men and women who died in service to the United
States of America during peacetime and war.
Over the span of 250 years, millions of our fellow citizens
have raised their right hand and taken an oath to support and
defend the Constitution of the United States against all
enemies, foreign and domestic. As we remember those who
fought and died for our country, we remember the Continental
Army's battle cry, which is also our theme for the
anniversary of our Army's founding ``This we'll defend,''
reminds us that our purpose is clear, ONE MISSION: To fight
and win the nation's wars.
We in uniform remain committed to honing our warfighting
skills, enforcing standards and discipline, and living the
values that have defined Western Civilization in this nation
for the past 250 years. On Memorial Day, we reflect on our
rich history and legacy of service, sacrifice and dedication.
From the Revolutionary War to present-day overseas operations
and defending our border right here at home, our service
members have consistently demonstrated their resolve to
defend freedom at home and abroad.
First observed after the Civil War, Memorial Day was
initially called ``Decoration Day'' because families gathered
to remember their loved ones by decorating gravesites with
flowers or flags.
This tradition continues across America today. Every
Memorial Day, the Soldiers from the Third U.S. Infantry
Regiment--the Old Guard--place American flags at every grave
marker in Arlington National Cemetery. In proclaiming that
first Decoration Day in 1868, General John Logan, National
Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, wrote that we
should not only remember those ``who died in defense of their
country,'' but also, ``renew our pledge to aid and assist
those whom they have left among us . . . the widows and
orphans.'' This is so true and so important.
We continue to honor those left behind who paid a personal
price for us and our Nation. I'm speaking of our Gold Star
families.
Would all the Gold Star Family members in the audience
please stand.
Allow me to express my appreciation to you on behalf of all
those present today and on behalf of our Great Nation. We are
humbled by your sacrifice, inspired by your resilience and
grateful for your continued service to your communities.
Looking back the first people to die in the service of
their country were fighting for what would become the United
States of America. They were not the disciplined,
professional Army and service members we have today. They
were farmers, shopkeepers, teachers and blacksmiths. They all
came together to fight for the right to govern themselves and
to live free, and to determine their own destiny on God's
green earth.
By 1775, the Revolution had been brewing for years. The
first shot was fired in Massachusetts in July, and a month
later, General George Washington was commissioned as
Commander in Chief of the Army. The month after he received
his commission, Washington expressed his concerns and
frustrations . . .
He'd been at an Army camp in Cambridge for a week. He wrote
``. . . we have but about 16,000 effective men in all this
department, whereas, by the accounts which I received from
even the first officers in command, I had no doubt of finding
between 18,000 and twenty thousand 20,000; out of these,
there are only 14,000 fit for duty.'' And getting an accurate
count of soldiers wasn't his only problem.
He didn't have the firepower. He didn't have the logistics.
He didn't have a command structure.
Yet, with his leadership and determination, he crafted an
Army out of disparate militias, haphazard supplies and
undisciplined freedom fighters. And with that Army, General
Washington marched into battle, in places like Lexington and
Concord, and Washington Crossing. In the winter of 1776,
right here on these grounds, General Washington and his
ragged Army had experienced setback after setback in the War
for Independence. As the harsh Pennsylvania winter set in,
the morale of the American troops was at an all-time low. A
series of defeats had forced Washington's troops to retreat
across New Jersey to Pennsylvania.
On Christmas Day 1776, he crossed right here, his men were
freezing yet resilient and determined. They pushed on. And
they pushed the British and the Hessians back, right here.
They said no more to tyranny. No more allegiance to a Crown
halfway around the world. We are patriots, we are Americans.
And we will fight and win.
We won the War for Independence, ensuring that citizens
today enjoy freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom
from want and freedom from fear.
By the end of the Revolution, at least 6,800 American
soldiers had given their lives in battle to ensure those
freedoms. 17,000 died of disease and nearly 12,000 died while
prisoners of war. Over the next few years, more died from
wounds sustained during the Revolution.
Many lived long lives with devastating wounds received in
those early battles of our Republic.
On Memorial Day, as remember those who first served our
country, we remember that, as the American Creed states, they
gave their lives and their fortunes for the freedoms we enjoy
today. We remember the service of all veterans, throughout
the history of our great Nation, who have defended our
Constitution and our country at all times, and from all who
would threaten it.
I would like to ask all military veterans to rise as we
thank you for your service and sacrifice to our Nation. You
are my brothers and sisters, and you answered the call when
your country needed you most.
I would now like all the veteran spouses and family members
to please rise, you know the real sacrifice of a husband or a
wife or a son or daughter deployed or overseas. The weeks and
months and sometimes years without seeing your loved one, yet
you maintain the home front and stand proudly behind your
service member. Thank you. A quick special thanks to my wife
Lauren, looking back we didn't anticipate this at the time,
but we actually had to speed up our wedding--two months after
we were married I was in Afghanistan. Army Strong, Army Wife!
From the Revolutionary War to present-day operations, our
service members have consistently demonstrated their resolve
to defend our sovereignty and freedom at home and abroad.
Our military also stands ready to assist in times of need,
such as disaster relief and recovery. We are focused on
ensuring that our Armed Forces remain the world's most
combat-credible fighting force capable of maintaining peace
through strength. One mission: If called upon, to fight and
win our nation's wars.
This Memorial Day, remember the common bond we have with
the Soldiers and service members who have gone before us, who
selflessly served our country and paid the ultimate
sacrifice.
We are here today because words like faith, family,
country, patriotism, sovereignty and freedom . . . mean
something. We are here because as Americans we believe the
unalienable--non-negotiable--rights granted to each and every
one of us in our founding documents will endure forever in
this land of the free and home of the brave.
Tomorrow, on Memorial Day, let us honor and remember our
Nation's battlefield heroes. We must remember what they gave
for us and honor them this day, and always.
God bless each of you, and Gold bless our great country--
the United States of America.
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