“Freedom is not free. It comes at an incredible cost.”
“Seize the Day.”
Those were among the comments at the Geary County Veterans Alliance sponsored Memorial Day Ceremony in Junction City.
William Clark ( Colonel Ret.) who served as the Guest Speaker, told the audience at the C. L. Hoover Opera House to answer the question of what is this day all about go back to July 1, 1863, to the Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War.
“During this battle over 160,000 young men, Union and Confederate soldiers alike, stood toe to toe in a sea of blood that would produce over 51,000 casualties in three days.”
Clark said he has walked the Gettysburg battlefield, where he learned lessons that have helped shape his view of Memorial Day. He referred to a picture of a platoon in a defensive position on top of a hill. “This picture as I looked at it drew me in.” Clark added, “These young men embedded in a terrible situation, a situation that would cost many of them their lives in the days to come, were telling me to make the most of my life, to make the most of my opportunities.”
Clark noted it was as if the men were telling him to seize the day. “The eyes of these platoon members they were full of hope, though they were battered and bruised, one could see that these men felt invincible. They still believed that they could make their lives extraordinary. These soldiers who found themselves in a precarious position still believed that they could seize the day, and make a difference…a difference for their country, their family, their friends, and those around them.”
Clark said the soldiers knew by thinking outside of the box they could find a better life, and they knew that their minds were their best weapons.
Clark said the photo taught him about hope, passion, and creative thinking, and that he must look at things in a different way, and not just accept the status quo. ” I discovered that I must strive to find my own voice, a voice that’s willing to make a difference for my country and my kinsmen. I learned that I must dare to strike out, no matter the conditions, no matter the circumstances that I too must learn to seize the day.” Clark added he learned that he must make every day count, and must never underestimate the influence he has upon those around him.
The Ceremony included the Laying of a Wreath, a 21-Gun Salute, and musical performance by the Junction City Community Band.
