Reading of Names/Wreath Laying Ceremony Speech William R. I. "Easy" Smith ©May 27, 2007 Here we are again. We have come together to Remember Our Fallen Soldiers. We are here to at the same time to celebrate the lives of those men and women who have unselfishly paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not to forget Our Fallen Soldiers who have paid that price in World WarII; Korea; and Vietnam also. As for what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan the numbers of the fallen and the wounded stirs my emotions. I am not here to voice my opinion for or against the War. I am here to honor those men and women better known as Patriotic Warriors. I am here to say to their families and to you that they are not forgotten. I am here to say, "Thank you for your service!" When our young fighting today joined the military I doubt they had any idea that they would be fighting in one of the worst corners of the world. I doubt if they realized any of the stories they may have heard about their foe to be as bad as it really turned out. I doubt our young Warriors even thought they would have to fire a weapon beyond the Training Field. I doubt losing a buddy to an enemy in a foreign land ever crossed their minds. Yet, it has happened and as of May 25th more than 3000 names of men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan have been added to those we already remember from World WarII; Korea; Vietnam; Desert Storm and other wars. And the numbers of the wounded are just too many to mention. I have had the privilege and honor to meet and talk with many of our Soldiers who have been deployed and have returned home. Some permanently and some were to return to the battlefield. I talked to some of the wounded Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion; 27th Infantry Regiment Wolfhounds on a recent trip to Hawaii. There were 2 things that I always see in our young Warriors of today and that is (1) The respect that they show fellow Americans and (2) I am always impressed when they say to me, "It's just a job, Sir!" My plea to you is no different than it has been in the past: When our young men and women return home; welcome them home. Don't make them wait for that welcome like many from Vietnam for example. That may be a bit difficult for some to understand. But, realize that they have been to a place and have had experiences whereas, for a moment in time unlike you not are everyday normal experiences(as far as everyday normal living in our society goes). They need your support. They need to know we care. They need to know that they are appreciated. They need to know that they are not abandoned and that we are here for them. Above all, they need to know that the sacrifices they and their comrades have made are not forgotten. We didn't ask for this War and with all the various opinions there is one that I truly believe is Universal and stands out with regard to the American public; and that is..."BRING OUR TROOPS HOME!" Let's in unity this day take a moment of your time and pause in remembrance of the men and women who so gallantly paid the price and continue everyday "Giving Some,Giving All!" (Now, I'd like to read a poem I wrote about seven (7) years ago. It's titled "Vietnam Warrior: Another Dream/Another Reality" and is fitting for any young man going off to war.) |
READING OF NAMES/WREATH LAYING CEREMONY VIETNAM VETEANS MEMORAL SACRAMENTO MAY 27, 2007 |
Reading of Names/Wreath Laying Ceremony Speech William R. I. "Easy" Smith ©May 27, 2007 Here we are again. We have come together to Remember Our Fallen Soldiers. We are here to at the same time to celebrate the lives of those men and women who have unselfishly paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not to forget Our Fallen Soldiers who have paid that price in World WarII; Korea; and Vietnam also. As for what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan the numbers of the fallen and the wounded stirs my emotions. I am not here to voice my opinion for or against the War. I am here to honor those men and women better known as Patriotic Warriors. I am here to say to their families and to you that they are not forgotten. I am here to say, "Thank you for your service!" When our young fighting today joined the military I doubt they had any idea that they would be fighting in one of the worst corners of the world. I doubt if they realized any of the stories they may have heard about their foe to be as bad as it really turned out. I doubt our young Warriors even thought they would have to fire a weapon beyond the Training Field. I doubt losing a buddy to an enemy in a foreign land ever crossed their minds. Yet, it has happened and as of May 25th more than 3000 names of men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan have been added to those we already remember from World WarII; Korea; Vietnam; Desert Storm and other wars. And the numbers of the wounded are just too many to mention. I have had the privilege and honor to meet and talk with many of our Soldiers who have been deployed and have returned home. Some permanently and some were to return to the battlefield. I talked to some of the wounded Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion; 27th Infantry Regiment Wolfhounds on a recent trip to Hawaii. There were 2 things that I always see in our young Warriors of today and that is (1) The respect that they show fellow Americans and (2) I am always impressed when they say to me, "It's just a job, Sir!" My plea to you is no different than it has been in the past: When our young men and women return home; welcome them home. Don't make them wait for that welcome like many from Vietnam for example. That may be a bit difficult for some to understand. But, realize that they have been to a place and have had experiences whereas, for a moment in time unlike you not are everyday normal experiences(as far as everyday normal living in our society goes). They need your support. They need to know we care. They need to know that they are appreciated. They need to know that they are not abandoned and that we are here for them. Above all, they need to know that the sacrifices they and their comrades have made are not forgotten. We didn't ask for this War and with all the various opinions there is one that I truly believe is Universal and stands out with regard to the American public; and that is..."BRING OUR TROOPS HOME!" Let's in unity this day take a moment of your time and pause in remembrance of the men and women who so gallantly paid the price and continue everyday "Giving Some,Giving All!" (Now, I'd like to read a poem I wrote about seven (7) years ago. It's titled "Vietnam Warrior: Another Dream/Another Reality" and is fitting for any young man going off to war.) |
EASY PAYS TRIBUTE TO FALLEN MEN & WOMEN IN IRAQ AND AFGANISTAN |
GREGORY MCNEILL READS NAMES |
BILL LOYD READS NAMES |
EASY WITH MARY LOU MCNEILL |
BILL LOYD-MICHAEL CALLISON-BILL LOYD |
KEN HOLYBEE, STATE VVA PRES. AND MARY LOU MCNEILL |
MARY LOU MCNEILL READS NAMES |
PETER WEINBERGER,-NICK WEBSTER- MICHAEL CALLISON-BILL LOYD-EASY |
LAYING 25TH INFANTRY AND 27TH INFANTRY REGIMENT WOLFHOUND WREATH |
