Ultimate sacrifice deserves our gratitude

In 1998, my father, who was then a Kootenai County commissioner, began the creation of the Veterans Memorial Plaza between the newly remodeled county administration building and the courthouse. He vowed that no public money would ever be used to fund any of the monuments or memorials. When he retired from office, he was appointed curator for life. Sadly, he died just a few years later. The then-commissioners, Gus Johnson, Katie Brodie and Rick Currie, honored me with the appointment of curator for life of the plaza. They also voted to rename the plaza in my father’s honor. The dedication of the Ronald D. Rankin Veterans Memorial Plaza took place on Memorial Day 2005.

For the past two decades, it’s been my privilege to oversee and maintain the monuments and memorials. The original 8-foot-tall, 8-ton black granite Killed in Action monument includes the names of local men who died in combat from the Spanish American War through Vietnam. Again, with generous private donations, in 2012 my husband and I added the War on Terror Battlefield Cross monument to honor Kootenai County killed in action from Iraq and Afghanistan.

In that public place, which I consider hallowed ground, years ago I shared a moment with my father that’s etched in my heart forever. We stood together as a crane slowly lifted the original 8-ton KIA monument up from the lower parking lot to where it sits today. My father, a proud Marine who served in combat in Korea at the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, stood erect as he saluted. He was emotional as he, in some way, was bringing “home” all whose names were etched in granite. He told me it was so important that we never forget those who paid for our freedom with their lives.

When I’m in the plaza, I’m always filled with gratitude ... that such honorable young men once lived, and that there still are those who are willing to give their lives in service to our country.

Through the years, I’ve given many tours of the plaza and I always remind people that all of those names represent young men, many still in their teens when they died. They laid down their lives for their country, sacrificing their futures. Forever young, forever remembered. They are who we honor on Memorial Day.

“... that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to the cause for which they gave their last full measure of devotion — that we highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom ...”

— Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address,1864

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As we head into the first three-day weekend of the upcoming summer season in the 250th anniversary year of America’s hard-fought freedom, it’s good to remember why Memorial Day is observed. Note: Memorial Day is observed, not celebrated. No Gold Star family wants to hear "Happy Memorial Day!" on a day meant to honor ultimate sacrifice.

According to the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, this is the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day: Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. While those who died are also remembered, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL those who served honorably in the military — in wartime or peacetime. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served have sacrificed and done their duty.

This weekend, veterans, scouts and citizens will show their respect for those who’ve given their last full measure of devotion while serving, with seemingly simple but meaningful acts. They will clean cemeteries and headstones; they will place wreaths along with hundreds of flags. They will attend and participate in color, honor and rifle guards. They will salute and sing the anthem of America and offer quiet prayers of gratitude and silent tears. But most importantly, they will remember the sacrifice.

Take some time from the picnics and campouts to attend with your family one of many ceremonies being held in our communities Monday.

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Happy Main Street birthday today to Jeannie Steele, Heather Hart, Barry White, John Goedde, Billie Gross, Shawn Nash, Tina Smith, Jana Hull and Lindsay Herbert. Tomorrow, Donna Jessick Atwood, Jessica Bauman, Ruth Fullwiler, Jessica Capaul, Dick Epstein, KV Nelson, Pam Freeman and Carter Hamby celebrate. On Friday, Sage Jane Wallace (1!), Kalil Barkie, Michelle Fehling Purcell, Fred Glisson, Ken Keast, Tasha Seath and Jonathan Larson put on their party hats. On Saturday, Marlo Faulkner, John Webb, Margie McGaughey, Theresa Williams, Tom Morgan, Susan Ballinger, Joel Riner, April Needham, Steve Vick and Elaine Pandolfi blow out the candles. Richard Wilson, Shirley Galloway, Adam DeLuca, Amy Moffat and Michelle Pfennigs celebrate on Sunday. David Atwood, Jessie Morrow, Lori Moreland, Paul Finman, Toni Schelske, Dick Haugen, Joyce Harwood, Kasey Short, Debbi Long, Brad Cederblom, Sara Houser, Justin Jaworski and Char Carstensen mark another year on Memorial Day. On May 26, Matt Roetter, Bill Jones, Fairel Wideen, Jessica Lenz, Dorothy Montgomery, Kim Grout and Rob Brickett take another trip around the sun.

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Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and a former publisher/editor with the Hagadone Newspaper division. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press. Kerri can be reached on Facebook or via email at [email protected].