Monday, a number of Alabama leaders made comments and statements expressing their gratitude to those who paid the ultimate price for this country in our many, many wars and armed conflicts.
Below are the comments by the leaders:
“Today on Memorial Day, we remember the courageous men & women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our great nation. Freedom is a God-given right, but it’s protected by those who fight for it. To our military & their families, thank you & know that AL stands with you,” Gov. Kay Ivey.
“Today we honor and pay tribute to the brave soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom. Their courage and dedication to defend our great nation will never be forgotten,” U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, R-Alabama.
“This Memorial Day, let us not lose sight of why we observe this day. We pause to remember those who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of a grateful nation,” U.S. Senator Doug Jones, D-Alabama.
“Today we honor the men and women who have made the great sacrifice allowing you and I to live freely. May we always remember the fallen and their families. Wishing each of you a Happy Memorial Day!” Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon, R-Monrovia.
“I remember 1LT McRae, SPC Eyerly, SPC Linden, Fallen Baghdad 2004. I remember, and I will never ever forget,” State Senator Phil Williams, R-Rainbow City. Williams is a veteran himself.
“I appreciated the opportunity to join many patriotic members of our community in honoring the United States service members who gave their lives in defense of our nation at this morning’s Memorial Day event held at Roselawn Cemetery. The freedoms we enjoy as Americans have come at great cost, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice have our enduring gratitude,” Congressman Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville.
“I hope that today you will take time to remember what Memorial Day is all about. While Veteran’s Day is set aside to remember all of those who have served our country in the Armed Forces, Memorial Day is specifically for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. They gave their lives in foreign lands, in the middle of vast oceans or in the skies above enemy territory. They died far from home, far from their families and far from a land they loved so much, they gave their life to protect it,” Congressman Robert Aderholt, R-Haneyville.
“This Memorial Day, we pause to remember the men and women in our military who lost their lives in the line of duty. When our country called on them, these fallen heroes served bravely, sacrificed selflessly, and gave all they had to defend our country, our values, and our way of life,” Congresswoman Terri Sewell, D-Selma.
“Remembering today those brave men and women who have fought and died to protect our freedom,” Congressman Gary Palmer, R-Hoover.
“From the American Revolution to the War on Terror, men and women of all backgrounds have answered the call of service and paid the ultimate sacrifice to defend the United States. These American heroes shall never be forgotten,” Congressman Bradley Byrne, R-Montrose.
“Freedom is NOT free! Happy Memorial Day!” Congressman Mike Rogers, R-Saks.
“It was a true privilege to be with the American Legion Post 70 in Troy for their Memorial Day service today. I am deeply grateful to each veteran I was able to speak with and to the families surrounding them for their service to this country. Thank you for inviting me to spend time with you today. I can’t think of a better way to have spent Memorial Day morning,” Congresswoman Martha Roby, R-Montgomery.
“We should think about what each of us can do to take care of the heroes who live on: our veterans, our wounded warriors, our Gold Star families. God bless them all. The second thing is, we should really think about what each of us can do to rekindle and renew this beautiful American Idea—these principles of liberty and self-determination—so that we can pass it on to our children, just as we will pass on this great tradition itself. The third thing we can do is think about the service members from our communities who wear the uniform today. I have had no greater privilege on your behalf than spending time with them, wherever they are stationed in the world. They are truly the best of us,” Speaker of the U.S. House Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin.
