Ehrlich on Washington column, May 29, 2000

MEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1 407 York Road, Suite 304 Lutherville, Maryland 21093 3 1 5 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 205 1 5 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON Week of May 29, 2000 By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. True Meaning of Memorial Day Last weekend we celebrated Memorial Day. While some of us used the time to spend a lazy day at the beach or cookout with the family, others attended parades or veterans ceremonies or visited a veterans’ cemetery to honor loved ones who have passed. Regardless of how you spent your holiday weekend, I encourage you now to take a moment to think about the true meaning of Memorial Day. Memorial Day was created after the Civil War to remember the more than 600,000 Americans, from both the North and South, who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day was a time when folks would travel to cemeteries and decorate the graves of Civil War casualties. Over the years, as more American men and women lost their lives to war, this special day has become a time to honor all those who fought and died in service to the United States of America. This Memorial Day, I was honored to take part in two events recognizing our nation’s veterans. At a ceremony in Timonium, I joined veterans and families in recognizing the 50,h anniversary of the Korean War. I presented a plaque in memory of a Medal of Honor recipient and Korean War hero, Sergeant Donn Porter, to his alma mater, St. James School, near Hagerstown. A former Ruxton resident, Porter was awarded the nation’s highest decoration posthumously for his incredible display of valor in Korea during September 1952. While under intense fire, the young sergeant killed six enemy soldiers in bayonet fighting and forced his opponents to flee before being killed. Porter’s gallant self-sacrifice and consummate devotion to duty saved his comrades. Subsequently, Porter’s mother donated the Medal of Honor to St. James School for display. The award was stolen, and efforts by the family and school to replace it were unsuccessful. Fortunately, I was successful in securing a replacement Medal of Honor and presented the Medal to the St. James School last year. These “memorial” events are important for non-veterans and veterans alike to respect the sacrifices for freedom.