Never Forget…Sgt. Howard reminds listeners freedom comes at a cost

Telling those in attendance to pass down the tradition of honoring veterans to their children so those who gave the ultimate sacrifice will not be lost in time, Memorial Day keynote speaker Sgt. Timothy E. Howard urged Americans to never forget.

‘The cost of freedom comes at a high price,’ Sgt. Howard told the approximately 200 people in attendance at the annual Memorial Day ceremony held at Warren County Memorial Airport Monday morning. ‘This is again becoming more apparent now in time of war.’

In talking about the sacrifice made by those fallen in battle, Sgt. Howard said the soldier is not the only one making the sacrifice as the families of those fallen have also given their all for America.

‘The families sacrifice equally,’ Sgt. Howard said. ‘They are also deserving of our praise and we should give the families of our fallen soldiers thought on this day.’

While saying Memorial Day is a time to remember the sacrifices made by those American heroes, Sgt. Howard said it should also be a time to celebrate their lives and their bravery.

‘As General George Patton once said, ‘I thank God men like these lived, rather than they died,’ Sgt. Howard said. ‘Today we celebrate their lives. We will forever see their faces imbedded in the red, white and blue.’

This celebration, Sgt. Howard said, is something which should be passed down to future generations.

‘We have a responsibility to teach our youth,’ Sgt. Howard said. ‘We need to teach them to remember and to realize that nothing comes without a cost and that this is a home worth dying for.’

Sgt. Howard’s remarks were capped by the reading of the names of the war dead from Warren County, 130 total from World War I through Vietnam, the placement of wreaths at the memorial, the firing of a salute by American Legion Post 173 and VFW Post 5064 and the playing of Taps.