An essay by Gavin Berridge
6th grader from the North Hanover Township Schools

Greg Williams walked down the seemingly endless graves, plucking old flags and putting in new. Greg knew that these people had families, friends, a life. They were given a choice: stay with their families, or fight a war. They all chose to fight a war. They all got 13 folds. 13 folded flags. “I don't understand,” Greg said to himself. “Why did they do this?” As he went farther back in the cemetery, the crosses got older. The Invasion of Afghanistan the Korean War World War 2, World War 1,The Civil War, American Revolution. In the Vietnam section, Greg read this grave. It said “in loving memory of Jason Brown, loved brother, adored husband, beloved grandfather”. Greg could not help it; he started to cry. He cried for the man's brothers and sisters, wife, kids, and grandkids. All these people gave up their lives for strangers. They all were presented the choice. They chose the difficult might work better than right one. We celebrate their sacrifice on Memorial Day.

In an armed forces funeral, the fallen gets an American flag. Each flag is folded 13 times, No more, no less. The first fold means life when there was peace. The second fold means the belief in eternal life. The third fold is for the soldiers and veterans who have departed from the ranks, the ones who traded their lives for peace. The fourth fold is the belief in God to help them in hard times. The fifth is for acknowledging our country and her men and women. The sixth is where our hearts go (metaphorically) when we pledge to the flag. The seventh is a tribute to the armed forces, alive and deceased.

The eighth fold is for those who were in the shadow of death so we can see the light, and the ninth fold is to honor our mothers. The tenth is for our dads who protected their children when they were newborns. The eleventh fold is for the Hebrew men and women, young and old. The twelfth is for Christians, and the god, the son, and holy ghost. The last fold ends with stars up so that we can remember the motto of our nation: “In god we trust”

Each man and woman risks multiple things. Their life. Getting hurt mentally or physically. The risk never seeing their family again. That's why we have Memorial Day: to respect the people who died or suffered at the hands of war. That is why we remember them. As Lee Greenwood sang in “God Bless the USA”: “And I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me.” He is grateful for what those people did for him, and we should be too.

“God Bless The USA” drifted in Greg’s head as he walked through the cemetery, and the leaves were dancing in the wind with the song. Greg watched the leaves perform the dance and slowly fall. Greg was usually great at hiding his emotions and keeping them in check. Smashing them into a frozen ball. But seeing all the respect and sorrow melted that frozen ball. He wiped the tears from his eyes. As he did, he saw a crowd at their loved one’s grave. One kid was crying near one. What looked like the kid’s mom came over and hugged the kid, wiping her tears and the mom wore a happy sad smile. In the end, Greg realized that we came not to mourn the dead, but to praise them. Remember the fallen because they are the reason we are free.

THANK YOU