most important about the men and women we honor. we reflect on how they live. they are people that stood for something larger than themselves. they were people that embodied the most important values and traditions of our nations. they were people that understood what we have in our country is worth fighting for. those they were taken from us prematurely, they were people that touched our lives. they were people that made a difference. today if we truly want to honor the fallen from all of our conflicts, we ll do something more than mark their graves with flags and flowers. we ll do something more than deliver remarks and reflect for just a few moments. if we want to give meaning to the sacrifice of those that have given all on our behalf, each of us will leave here today determined to find in some small way a method of serving our nation and our communities in their honor. if we do that, i would offer those of us that were taken
us by god. they all share one title in common. and that is the title of hero. real heros. [applause] so they were here a brief time before god called them home. their legacy will endure forever. general douglas mcarthur once said that the soldier that is called upon to give his life for his country is the noblest development of man kind. here at this hallowed shrine, we honor the noblest, the men and women that paid the ultimate price for victory and for freedom. we paid tribute to those brave
greatest treasure of our nation, america s courageous dead. those today we pause to remember. not far from here lies the marker of oliver wendell holmes, jr., a civil war infantry veteran that later rose to be a supreme court justice. holmes said those that serve in our military have hearts that are touched with fire. having known great things, he said, they are content with silence. if you have ever known one of the fallen, you have known greatness. it is hard to be content with their silence for we missed them. the empty chair on the holiday, empty every day. the photograph that goes wherever you do. the picture fades but the person in it does not.
have given the lives and service to our nation. we pray that they will be comforted and re-assured the sacrifice is not forgotten. lord, we ask you continue to give wisdom to our commander-in-chief, his administration, our elected officials and the military leaders as they promote peace to our country and around the world. lords, today we have men and women in harm s way and we ask that you continue to watch over and bless them with the strength and courage to be victorious and we ask that they will come home soon. we thank you, god, for our country and ask that you continue to bless america. we asked you to do these things not for ourselves but in a door dance with your will and throughout your holy land. amen. ladies and gentlemen, please join the united states air force band in singing our national anthem.
to every gold-star family, god can you and your loved ones are with them. they died in war so that we could live in peace. i believe that god has a special place in heaven for those that laid down their lives so that others may live free from fear and this horrible oppression. now let us pledge to make the most of that freedom, that they so gallantly and brilliantly fought for and they died for us. let us also pledge to tell is the story of robert, chris, andrew and all of america s fallen warriors today and for