Pres. Trump i stand before you at this noble fortress of american liberty to pay tribute to the immortal souls who fought and died to keep us free. Earlier today the first lady and in their sacred honor at Arlington National cemetery. Now we come together to salute the flag they gave their lives so boldly and brilliantly we pledge and their Cherished Memories that this majestic flag will proudly fly forever. We are joined for todays ceremony by secretary of defense mark esper. Secretary of the interior david bernhardt, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff general congressman andy harris, and a number of Service Members and veterans of the armed forces. The dignity, daring, and devotion of the American Military is unrivaled anywhere in history and anywhere in the world. In recent months our nation and the world have been engaged in a new form of battle against an invisible enemy. The men and women of the United States military have answered the call to duty and raced into danger. Tens of thousands of Service Members and National Guardsmen are on the front line of our war against this terrible virus. Caring for patients and delivering critical supplies, working night and day to safeguard our citizens. Alongsideion we mourn every Single Family that has lost love ones including the families of our great veterans. Together we will vanquish the rise fromamerica will this crisis to new and greater heights. As our brave warriors have shown us from the nations earliest the, and americans we are in america we are the captains of our own fate. Thebstacle and no threat is match for the sheer determination of the american people. Permeatesing spirit every inch of the hallowed soil beneath our sea feet. In this place more than 200 years ago american patriots stood their ground and repelled a british invasion in the battle of baltimore during the war of 1812. On a september morning in 1814 the british fleet launched an assault on this peninsula. From the harbor 30 british warships attacked this stronghold. Rockets rained down and bombs burst in the air, and the deck of one ship a gallon to Young American was held captive. Is name was Francis Scott key for 25 hours he watched in dismay as fire crashed down around him. Through rain, and smoke he could 15 broad stripes and 15 bright stars battered but still there. American forces did not waver, they did not retreat, they theed down the invasion and hell that they had to endure, they held like nobody could have. Eld before the british were treated and independence was saved. Francis scott key was so inspired by the site of our flag in that battle that the grounds he fought on became hallowed and he wrote a poem. His ageless words became the anthem of our nation, the starspangled banner. Every time we sing our anthem, every time its chorus swells our hearts with pride we renew the a turtle bonds of loyalty to our Fallen Heroes and we think of the soldiers who spent their final heroic moments on distant battlefields to keep us safe at home. We remember the Young Americans who never got the chance to grow old, but whose legacy will outlive us all. In every generation these intrepid souls kissed goodbye to their families and loved ones they took flight in planes, set sail on ships and marched into battle with our flag fighting for our country defending our people. When liberty was in jeopardy american warriors carried the flag through ice and snow to vic reed at trenton and they hoisted it up the mast of great battleships in manila bay and they fought through hell to raise it high atop a Remote Island in the Pacific Ocean called iwo jima. From the Philippine Sea to from new orleans to normandie, from saratoga to saipan, from the battle of baltimore to the battle of the bulge americans gave their lives to carry that flag through piercing waves, blazing fires, sweltering deserts and storms of bullets and shrapnel. Tanks,imbed atop enemy jumped out of burning airplanes and leapt on live grenades. , theirove was boundless devotion was without limit. Their courage was beyond measure. Army green beret captain daniel edgars grew up in cape coral florida determined to continue his Family Tradition of military service and it was a great addition. He attended the legendary Citadel Military College in South Carolina and soon he met a beautiful cadet and they fell in love, married, and had two sons. For hisdaniel left second deployment in afghanistan. On the morning of may 29 he and his team were courageously pursuing a group of deadly byrorists when he was killed an improvised explosive device. This week is the 16th anniversary of the day that he made the supreme sacrifice for our nation, he laid down his life to defeat evil and save his fellow citizens. At the time of his death his sons billy and john were three and five years old. Today they have followed in his thesteps, both students at citadel planning to serve in the military. Their amazing mom rebecca has now served more than 23 years in and everywhere she goes she wears the goldstar pin on the lapel of her uniform. And herrebecca edgars two sons are here today along with daniels father, bill, and mother, margo. Your sacrifice is beyond our ability to comprehend or repay. We honor daniels incredible life and sacrifice and promise you we will treasure his blessed memory forever. Thank you very much for being here. [applause] thank you. Thank you. Great family. Thank you very much. To every goldstar family here today and across our land, our debt to you is infinite and everlasting. We stand with you today and all days to come, remembering and grieving from americas greatest heroes. In spirit and strength and loyalty and love, character and courage they were largerthanlife itself. They were angels sent from above and they are now rejoined with god in the glorious kingdom of heaven. Flyever the Stars Stripes at our schools, churches, town halls, firehouses and National Monuments it is made possible because there are extraordinary americans who are willing to brave death so that we can live in freedom and live in peace. In the two centuries since Francis Scott key wrote about the stirring sight of our flag in battle countless other american patriots have given their own testimony about the meaning of the flag. One was a world war ii veteran from ohio. He and his twin brother fought sidebyside in general Pattons Third Army at the battle of the bulge the twins volunteered for a dangerous mission, the took out four enemy tanks, two machine gun nests, and another position that was powerful and loaded up with mortars. His brother was mortally wounded. Jim held his dying brother playing together praying together as his twin passed away. Jim fought to victory and came home to build a Great American life. And became an electrical engineer and taught young people about war. As an old man he was asked about the American Flag and what it meant to him. Is asid the flag to me precious as the freedom that the flag stands for. As the precious to me thousands of lives that have been lost defending her. Life that a value of i could never have gotten any other way. Lord,e me a value of my my family, my friends, loved ones, and my country. What more could i ask . Last month jim died peacefully 94. Is home at the age of this afternoon we are honored to be joined by his grandsons, andy and ron. [applause] thank you very much. Thank. Remember the sacrifice of jack we honor jims service and we are moved by his beautiful words. Andy and ron, thank you for being here to remember your grandfather and his brother and what they did for us all. Most importantly what they stood for. From generation to generation, heroes like these have poured out their blood, sweat, heart, and tears for our country. America is strong, safe, mighty and free. Because of them two centuries on the starspangled banner still proudly waves. For as long as our flag flies in the sky above the names of these fallen warriors will be woven into its threads, for as long as we have citizens willing to follow their example to carry on their bird and you there legacy. American freedom will never die. Today we honor the heroes we have lost. We pray for the loved ones they left behind, and with god is our witness we solemnly vowed to protect, preserve, and cherish this land they gave their last breath to defend. God bless the military and the memory of the fallen. Families our goldstar and god bless america. Thank you very much. [applause] [applause] not you cang is meet and you can pray anyplace that you want. This from all of your religious leaders who have been interviewed on cspan. Host thanks for the call. Stay safe in oak hill, west virginia. It is just after 7 50 on the east coast on this memorial day weekend. I did want to remind you about some of the events we will be bringing to you later today on cspan, including just after this program today, at 10 00, a wreathlaying at Arlington National cemetery. There is a shot of the tomb of the unknown soldier just across the Potomac River from washington, d. C. We are expecting President Trump at that event, at least according to the white house guidance released this morning. Also expecting defense secretary mark esper. The president also expected to head to fort mchenry in baltimore at noon for a flag raising ceremony, and perhaps remarks as well. A troop review is also on the schedule. The defense secretary expected to be at the fort mchenry ceremony today, bringing those events to you on the cspan networks today, this memorial day. Part of the reopening process weve been talking about this morning throughout our program has also involved figuring out how to reopen, specifically for this memorial day weekend. For more on that, i want to turn to john best, contributor with the Lehigh Valley live. Com website. The story you recently wrote last week, memorial day parade in a time of social distancing slate belt township finds a way. John best joining us by phone. Hows the township how has the township in pennsylvania found a way . Guest good morning. Nice to be with you. Parades are tradition on memorial day as a way to remember our fallen shoulders. Upper mountain bethel township has decided to come up with a way to social distancing while having a parade, essentially emotionless parade. Instead of fire trucks and police and American Legion and watchers,ching past the watchers will drive past the paraders. They will have fire trucks, police, honor guard, and vehicles will come to a Municipal Parking lot and drive past the parade and there be sirens blaring, and at the end of the line they would get a bag of goodies, two hotdogs, a bag of chips, and then they are on their way. Host where did you find out how they came up with this idea and how many fol w