In a time of coarsening, hateful and often obscene language in the public arena, let us remember those who died while fighting “for the decency of America.”
That was part of the message Monday morning as grateful citizens gathered at Warren County Veterans Memorial Airport to honor the men and women who gave their lives defending the honor, dignity, independence and sovereignty of the United States of America.
Warren County’s 74th Memorial Day ceremony aimed to remember “those who died for America, their communities, their friends and their families, for us and for the future of America, for the decency of America,” keynote speaker Michael Galligan began.
Galligan, a native of the Viola community and prominent McMinnville attorney, retired as a captain with the US Marine Corps after combat service in Vietnam. He fondly recalled meeting for dinner in San Diego with one of McMinnville’s most distinguished wartime heroes, David R (Bobby) Ray, just before both shipped out to different assignments in Vietnam.
As a US Navy corpsman, Ray and his comrades were caught in a fierce battle with overwhelming enemy forces. Though twice wounded in the firefight, Ray continued moving from one stricken Marine to the next, administering critical medical aid despite the deadly, relentless hail of bullets and mortar shells.
“He treated his fellow Marines and held off the enemy until he ran out of ammunition,” Galligan said, “and his final act: He threw himself on a Marine who was wounded, saving the Marine’s life from a grenade explosion.”
“Bobby is a name on a memorial, but a memory to those who knew and loved him. To them, he is not just a name. He was living, breathing, laughing, joking and loving human being with life in front of him.
“He gave it up for America, his community, his friends, his family and his Marines,” the speaker declared. “All of the people whose names are on the memorial over there gave up their lives for us, as did Bobby.”
Referring to the James Michener classic "The Bridges of Toko-Ri," Galligan remembered a scene in which a commander, waiting for his fighters to return from battle, poignantly asked, “where do we get such men?”
“Well, we find them where we have always found them. We find them in McMinnville, Morrison, Centertown, Viola, Dibrell, Irving College, Rock Island and all points in between. They put themselves in harm’s way and ultimately gave their lives.
“We should honor these men not only with our presence, our words but also to live our lives and conduct ourselves such that we are worthy of these men’s sacrifice.”
Local veterans organizations participating in Monday’s observance included American Legion Posts 173 and 208 as well as VFW Memorial Post 5064. Also serving in the event were the Marine Corps League Bobby Ray Detachment 1377, Vietnam Veterans of America Royce Davenport Chapter 1112 and the McMinnville City High School Class of 1961 in memory of James Franklin Atkins.
Warren County Executive Terry Bell and McMinnville Mayor Ryle Chastain joined in reading the rolls of the community’s war dead beginning with The Great War, World War I.
Mel Hall, chaplain of Bobby Ray Detachment 1377, offered the memorial prayers while the detachment’s James Ramsey served as master of ceremonies.
Rain and thunderstorms had threatened the outdoor ceremony but moved off to the east a little more than an hour before the scheduled started of the proceedings at 8 a.m. Before the end of the program, sunshine began breaking through the lingering clouds. The solemnities will be broadcast Thursday at 10 a.m. on McMinnville Public Radio 91.3-WCPI.
