Mesquite, TX - June 1, 2021 – On Monday, May 31, 2021, the City of Mesquite hosted a Memorial Day Service at the Mesquite Veterans Memorial. The brief program honored the men and women who died while serving in the United States military. The program began just before 3 p.m. to coincide with the National Moment of Remembrance.
The service will included remarks by Mayor Bruce Archer and a reading of the names by United States Air Force veteran Bill Skaer of those from Mesquite who gave the ultimate sacrifice that have been honored at the memorial, followed by the playing of Taps by Sam McCright.
Here are Mayor Archer’s remarks:
My name is Bruce Archer.
I am the Mayor for the City of Mesquite and I am truly humbled to stand here today to open our brief Memorial Day Service.
After my remarks I will ask for a
one-minute moment of silence to coincide with the National Moment of Remembrance.
That will be proceeded by the reading of the names of those from Mesquite who gave the ultimate sacrifice that have been honored here at this memorial.
And then, we will have the playing of Taps.
That will conclude our brief program, at which time you are encouraged to visit the memorial.
For too many, Memorial Day has become about having a day off work, or perhaps it signals the unofficial day of summer or it is sometimes just seen as a day to cookout and enjoy the day with family and friends. Nothing wrong with any of these things – but we can enjoy such moments because of one word: Freedom.
And we know that freedom is not free. In the history of the United States, freedom has been paid for over and over with the blood of patriots – men and women who were willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice to keep America free.
We know that on this memorial it says, “A Sacrifice Not Forgotten.”
There is, indeed, true meaning in those words.
The heroes on this wall and the military veterans across America, who gave the ultimate sacrifice to defend our nation – should not – and in Mesquite, Texas - will not be forgotten.
President Ronald Regan said it best in his remarks on Memorial Day in 1982: “The United States and the freedom for which it stands, the freedom for which they died, must endure and prosper. Their lives remind us that freedom is not bought cheaply. It has a cost; it imposes a burden. And just as they whom we commemorate were willing to sacrifice, so too must we – in a less final, less heroic way – be willing to give of ourselves.”
And so I’d like to end my remarks with that theme of President Reagan’s – that besides taking time on days like today to honor our fallen military heroes, let us also honor their sacrifice by continuing to build a nation and community that is more committed to freedom – and freedom for every American, loving one another, working through our differences – and that our differences – no matter how great they may ever be – always end at the water’s edge – under God as each generation works to make things a little better for the next.
That we would continue building our imperfect union – into a more perfect one. So, that if all these fallen heroes were here today – they’d know that their sacrifice was worth the cost. Let that be our resolve and focus as we continue honoring these lost souls long after we leave here today.
Now, please join me in a one-minute moment of silence.
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