Honoring Our Fallen Heroes: Memorial Day and Beyond
As Memorial Day approaches, I want to highlight the often-overlooked stories behind the names we see on bridges, highways, and cemeteries. These are the names of our fallen veterans, and their stories are fading as the last survivors of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam pass on.
My own ancestors served, and I grew up hearing incredible stories of bravery and sacrifice. It's a source of regret that I didn't preserve their words more carefully. We're losing precious first-hand accounts with every passing day.
The recent news about the Francis Scott Key Bridge reminded me how little the younger generations may know about America’s past. Let's change that!
This May, I'll be sharing stories of some of the places dedicated to fallen veterans. I hope this will inspire others to learn the history behind these names.
Is there a national map or resource listing veteran-named highways and bridges? If you know of one, please share!
May 2/31
Next time you're on US Highway 12, remember the sacrifices of the Iron Brigade! This Civil War unit, known for its black hats and bravery, suffered heavy losses at battles like Gettysburg. This portion of the highway is also dedicated to such battles as Second Bull Run and Antietam. I was fortunate enough to serve alongside USS Antietam (CG 54), third in name, for four deployments. Learning the history of the Battle of Antietam is well worth the read/viewing (in comments) for those who do not know of this historic battle. While the battle took place in Maryland, there are dedications to those that died in battle all along US Highway 12.
Look for historical markers in WI, MI, & IN commemorating these soldiers. #IronBrigade #USHistory #RoadTrip #CivilWarBattlefield #NeverForget #Maryland #lestweforget #veterans #heroes #memorialday
Thank you to all that have served, and protecting this incredible country.