Recognizing the years since the end of World War II, Korean, Vietnam, Gulf War, Afghanistan, Iraq wars, and those veterans present, Ken Locke, Memorial Day speaker, combined seriousness with humor at the John C. Peterson Post 49 and James W. Sittler VFW Post 1126 Memorial Day ceremony in Warsaw Monday morning.

Held inside the chapel at Oakwood Cemetery due to impending rain showers, which did fall throughout the ceremony, veterans from all branches of service and the general public gathered for the ceremony.

Locke questioned why we should remember, bother to celebrate Memorial Day. “It seems like we live in a day when these kinds of things are arcadic or vintage,” he stated. Americans serving in the military today make up less than 1 percent of the population he noted, currently 7.3 percent of the population has served or currently serving. “In reality the population of the United States is a relatively, as far as veterans, small number. But I think the answer to the question is we should remember because we are free today.”

He stated Memorial Day is observed because of freedom and freedom is not free. It has been paid with a high cost. Locke stated over 1.3 million Americans have died in combat since the Revolutionary War. Over 1.5 million wounded in action, not including the emotional and spiritual wounding. Over 40,000 are still missing in action even back to World War I.

Memorial Day is also celebrated because there are still enemies of liberty ” … The greatest threat to the United States are enemies both foreign and domestic, who wish to harm us and our way of life and the constitution of the United States,” he added.

“Liberty requires vigilance … If we continue to move away from our judeo Christian values of our founding fathers, that will one day leave us on a scrap heap of all the great nations … Reality is we need to understand this small percentage of Americans serving right now in harms way are protecting what we have today.”

He also stated Memorial Day is also celebrated because “we are eager that war can be prevented … Memorial Day is a time to reflect and trade for a day when swords are beaten into plowshares.”

We observe Memorial Day because eternity holds the souls of those who died in combat and the veterans who leave us each day. They are in the care of the hands of the creator and that’s why we focus on the motto ‘In God We Trust.”

Noting there are white crosses across the nation of those who gave the “ultimate sacrifice of Americans, Americans willing to pay the ultimate price with their lives for freedom … we should never forget the price that they have paid.”

Following the ceremony the honor guard proceeded to the GAR circle and Legion Circle No. 1, 2 and 3 circles where wreaths were placed, a 21-gun salute and taps were played.

The Kosciusko County Home Extension choir provided a variety of music for the event “On This Day,” “American Anthem,” “The Spirit of America” “America My Country,” “Battle Hymn,” “God Bless America,” “You’ve Come A Long Way America” and “Armed Forces Salute.”

Ray Bledsoe Commander Post 49 was master of ceremonies for the event. The roll call of deceased included just over 20 names from both the American Legion and VFW posts.