Residents observe Memorial Day in Jamestown

Yahoo

27-05-2025

May 26—JAMESTOWN — Memorial Day keeps Americans humble and reminds them of the core beliefs that make the U.S. a great country, according to Matthew Motschenbacher, a 2025 Jamestown High School graduate.
"It encourages us to continue to fight for the rights and freedoms of our country, to pour out our all in order to keep our nation intact, and to never be afraid if the time comes when we, too, must pay a hefty price for the sake of our loved ones and for all who love what it means to be an American," said Motschenbacher, the featured speaker at a Memorial Day program on Monday, May 26, at the Gladstone Inn & Suites in Jamestown. "That is the reason for Memorial Day."
Residents honored those who died while serving their country on Monday in Jamestown. The American Legion Post 14 and VFW Color Guard Post 760 presented the U.S. and other flags. The Jamestown Drum & Bugle Corps performed patriotic songs. Gold Star and Blue Star families along with veterans' organizations and auxiliaries were recognized.
The Jamestown Patriotic Council sponsored the observances. The council includes the American Legion Post 14 and Auxiliary, VFW Post 760 and Auxiliary, DAV Chapter 31, Vietnam Veterans, Jamestown Drum & Bugle Corps and the 20th Infantry Regiment at Fort Seward, Dakota Territory.
Following the Memorial Day program, a wreath was lowered into the James River at Nickeus Park Bridge as part of a naval ceremony, placing of wreaths was conducted at local cemeteries, and a ceremony was held at the Veterans' Memorial Wall at Fort Seward. The VFW and American Legion conducted rifle salutes at the ceremonies at Nickeus Park and Fort Seward.
Tom Thrift, commander of Disabled American Veterans Chapter 31, said Memorial Day is a day of remembrance.
"This day has been set aside as a day of prayer for permanent peace in remembrance of those who gave all for the freedom and opportunities in which we enjoy today," he said.
To appreciate what it means to observe Memorial Day, Motschenbacher said Americans need to look at its history, societal impact and significance.
He said the Civil War divided families and friends over their beliefs about issues of states' rights and slavery. By the end of the Civil War, he said many people had seen enough of the hurt and separation from the war.
"One of the first steps that they took to begin the process of mending this broken country was to honor those who had given their lives in the war," he said.
To heal the country, Motschenbacher said the U.S. needed a renewed mindset about those involved in the Civil War and public actions that demonstrated that new perspective.
"In the immediate aftermath of the war, a significant shift took place as people moved from anger to compassion, from callous to care, and from resentment to forgiveness," he said. "Then this change in mindset spread further as it was proven through action. The families and friends of soldiers, citizens tired of war, individuals and organizations, people from any and all of these categories came together to honor those who fought and died for the causes they believed in."
Motschenbacher said the societal impact of Memorial Day includes it being a federal holiday. He said themes and emotions are displayed in poetry, paintings, music and other forms of art. He also said Memorial Day observances are held across the country.
"These are all outward expressions of a much deeper meaning behind the holiday," he said. "The things that we do to observe Memorial Day are there to remind us of what it's really about."
Motschenbacher said Memorial Day is about memory, connection and finding unity.
"It's about honoring the soldiers who pay with their lives in order to give me freedom, to give you life in a country where you can vote and have say in the way that your government works, to give the 6-year-old neighbor boy a chance to dream about his future if he wants to be an astronaut, a firefighter, a businessman or politician," he said. "These are all possible because of those who fought our nation's wars, and Memorial Day is here to remind us to never take their service and their sacrifice for granted, because the light we have in America was not granted to us. It was a gift that was paid for with an infinite price, the lives of our family members, community members, people who are no longer here with us."
Motschenbacher said observing Memorial Day also takes action.
"It's one thing to say we are honoring the soldiers who died to give us this blessed life we have, but it's another thing to invest time and money into taking flowers to their graves and looking at pictures of them while listening to their loved ones tell stories of them and their service to our country," he said. "It's one thing to say we want to pause and remember, but it is a whole other to take time to stop our busy lives and meditate on what it means that thousands and thousands of Americans risked pausing their lives eternally so that we can have the rights to freedoms and privileges that are so essential to us and our country."
Motschenbacher said what matters the most is the reason Americans observe Memorial Day.
"Take the torch of honor and memory and hold it proudly. Let it spark a comforting warmth inside of you even through the pain of loss," he said. "Finally, bravely pass the torch forward to the next generation (so) that they too may know the history, importance and impact of Memorial Day."