67°F
weather icon Clear

Honoring those who have served and those who died doing so

Let me first say that Boulder City is very fortunate to have the Southern Nevada Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in its own backyard. It’s just one of two in the state.

The facility always plays host to a moving Memorial Day event honoring those fallen heroes. This year was no exception. This is done by guest speakers, military representation and flags placed at the grave markers as far as the eye can see. In the past, I’ve been there when a lone bagpipe could be heard playing “Amazing Grace.” That one gets me every time.

On social media I saw a lot of people wishing others a “Happy Memorial Day.” I’ve heard that’s not appropriate because it is not a day to celebrate but rather, honor. I, like many others, am probably guilty of blurring those lines in terms of Memorial Day and Veterans Day, albeit with good intentions.

Simply put, Memorial Day is a day to honor those men and women who died while serving in the military. Veterans Day, which is celebrated Nov. 11, honors all who have served in the military.

According to its website, “The cemetery is located on 79 acres of land owned and maintained by the state of Nevada. The grounds are serene, peaceful and immaculately maintained. The cemetery serves as a place of rest and reflection where eligible veterans, their spouses and eligible dependents are remembered and honored in perpetuum.”

Being that my grandparents and aunt are among those laid to rest at the cemetery, I would wholeheartedly agree with that assessment.

And not to be forgotten are the nearly 400 veterans laid to rest at the Boulder City Cemetery, which occurred prior to the opening of the SNVMC. In walking through there to get a photo to go with my Memorial Day coverage, I found the grave of Floyd W. Hurt. Mr. Hurt, who fought in World War I, was born in 1891 and lived to be nearly 93. The things he must have seen during his lifetime.

I’ve realized that a simple “thank you for your service” is not enough to give those who have served to protect this great country and our freedoms, many of whom died in the process. But in this day and age where common courtesy and gratitude are often forgotten, a heartfelt “thank you” is better than nothing at all.

I’ll close with this quote from President Harry S. Truman, who said, “Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices.”

Ron Eland is editor of the Boulder City Review. He can be reached at reland@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9523.

MOST READ
THE LATEST
A graduation gift to remember

Over the last couple of weeks, I twice drove over the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge, aka the Hoover Dam bypass.

Democracy dies in … Oh, shut up

OK, so, fair warning. I may be a little “spicier” than normal. It’s been a challenging couple of weeks and I’m in a worse mood than usual.

Real ID will help combat terrorism

Most veterans in Nevada are aware that when they obtain a driver’s license or renew their old one, they can ask the DMV to add the word “veteran” on the license. While that won’t give them a get-out-of-jail-free card, it might evoke some sympathy from an officer if a veteran is pulled over for a minor infraction. (No guarantee, but it has happened to me.)

Centenarian Sara, a Boulder City treasure

At 100 years of age, Sara Denton is certainly one of Boulder City’s oldest residents. And if you’ve met her, you’ll likely agree that she’s one of its most cheerful residents as well. Sara loves to laugh and has always lived life with gusto and adventure.

Know what wheels kids can (and can’t) operate

Motorized devices are growing in popularity, especially with teens, but many parents don’t know the legalities or the dangers.

Teamwork resonates in City Hall

Every year, college basketball fans get excited for their team to play in the “Big Dance.” March Madness (women’s and men’s NCAA basketball) is down to the final four teams this weekend. It’s estimated that 34 million brackets were completed this year.

My bighorn buddies

Having grown up in Boulder City, I was always aware of its unofficial mascots …the bighorn sheep.

Can’t we all just disagree?

Once you asked me, “What do you think?”

What if they gave a war and nobody was home?

The subjects in most of the articles and columns I write tend to include positive stories about American veterans and veterans’ organizations. And in fact the pieces are about veterans, not active-duty military.

Gratitude for government

I moved to Boulder City in 1981. Boulder City is blessed to have been a government town. Can we recall the blessings we have received from government?