HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Redstone’s senior commander said Memorial Day is meant to honor fallen heroes, “both those we have lost in battle in faraway places, but also those we’ve lost here at home.”
“Today is a solemn day for our country,” Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, Army Materiel Command deputy commanding general, said Monday at the Memorial Day program at Floyd E. “Tut” Fann State Veterans Home in Huntsville. “It’s a chance to remember and honor the more than 1.1 million men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice” to the nation.
“It is a day that we come together to honor the sacrifices made by our brave Soldiers and service members – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and now Space Force – to remember their unwavering commitment and express our heartfelt gratitude for their service.”
During the ceremony, Belinda Schrimsher, the facility’s administrator, and its director Charlotte Robinson, read the names of 77 of the center’s own fallen heroes who have died in the last year.
“For all of us who have worn the uniform, we understand the powerful meaning that today is,” Mohan said. “It’s not just a federal holiday, it’s not the opening day of summer. It’s a reminder of those that we have lost. It is a memory of loved ones and battle buddies.”
He recalled that retired AMC commander Gen Ed Daly used to say: “‘There is no place that I would rather be than right here,’ and I can tell you that there is no place that I’d rather be than right here, honoring our current veterans and also remembering those who have passed and gone before us.”
Memorial Day brings to the forefront the loss that Gold Star families and loved ones endure every day, Mohan said, asking the audience to join him in a moment of silence to honor those who have lost their heroes to war.
“Our nation is forever indebted to our fallen Soldiers and on Memorial Day, we take time to remember their service and sacrifice,” he said.
In 2012, a 13-yearlong commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War was launched to ensure that all veterans, family members, caregivers and survivors who were impacted feels the nation’s gratitude for their sacrifices.
“It’s also our way to pay our respects for the more than 58,000 names engraved in black granite at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall in Washington, D.C.,” Mohan said. “Whether they were drafted or volunteered, their commitment to serve our nation defined their lives and it deserves our greatest appreciation.”
Mohan noted an important milestone this summer: the 50th anniversary of the All-Volunteer Force on July 1, 2023.
That commitment “stands as a source of pride for Americans everywhere,” Mohan said, adding that America’s ideals and values and “the melting pot that is our society” form “the cornerstone” of that all-volunteer force.
From the American Revolution to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, “every single man and woman who serves this country deserves the deepest appreciation of our nation and today I join the nation in saying thank you for what you have done,” he said.
More than 70 residents and guests attended the program, which was held outside at the front entrance to the facility.
“It is so good to get recognition for what we did,” said veteran home resident John Redmond, who served in the Navy from 1975 to 1981. “I like being proud of what I did.”
Thomas Tripaldi’s service spanned 23 years, including more than two years with the Air Force Reserves and the rest of the time with the Army. He had tours to Korea and Germany in addition to numerous domestic assignments.
He’s also grateful for the positive recognition for service members.
“When I came home from Korea the first time, people would throw things at you,” Tripaldi said.
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