Michigan Gov. Granholm Honors Armed Forces Members from Michigan Who Have Perished in Iraq and Afghanistan

In Memorial Day address, Governor says fallen ‘exemplify best our nation has to offer'

May 22, 2009 -- LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today asked the people of Michigan to remember the meaning and importance of Memorial Day and honor those armed forces members from Michigan who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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"In the year since we last commemorated Memorial Day, 11 more members of our armed forces who called Michigan home died in Iraq or Afghanistan," Granholm said. "A total of 176 service men and women from Michigan have perished in these two wars."

Granholm said that yesterday she hosted an event at the governor's residence for the families of Michigan service members who have died recently in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

"When you speak with the families of these service members, there is great sadness, but there is also deep pride. Pride in their loved ones - their heroes - who sacrificed their lives overseas so we would not have to sacrifice our freedoms here at home," Granholm said.

"The sacrifices made by the 176 Michigan service members who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan will not be forgotten," Granholm continued. "We are all so proud of them, and they shall live forever in our hearts and our minds. They exemplify the best our nation has to offer."

The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday morning and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state. The address is available on the governor's Web site at ( www.michigan.gov/gov ) for download, together with a clip of the quote above. The radio address is also available as a podcast on the Web site, as well as on iTunes and via RSS feed for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers. Links to the audio files and text of today's address follow.

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
Radio Address - Memorial Day

Hello, this is Governor Jennifer Granholm.

Monday is Memorial Day. For many, this is just another long holiday weekend. But we must remember the meaning and importance of Memorial Day. It is a day to honor the men and women of our armed forces who gave their lives to defend freedom, our country, our way of life.

In the year since we last commemorated Memorial Day, 11 more members of our armed forces who called Michigan home died in Iraq or Afghanistan. A total of 176 service men and women from Michigan have perished in these two wars.

Yesterday I welcomed to the governor's residence the families of Michigan service members who have died recently in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. This is the sixth year that I have hosted this event, and every one has been touching and memorable.

When you speak with the families of these service members, there is great sadness, but there is also deep pride. Pride in their loved ones - their heroes - who sacrificed their lives overseas so we would not have to sacrifice our freedoms here at home.

It is difficult to find words for the family who has lost someone in war. Even Abraham Lincoln struggled with it.

In 1864, President Lincoln wrote a letter to a Massachusetts widow, Mrs. Lydia Bixby, to console her on the loss of her sons in the Civil War. This is what Lincoln wrote:

Dear Madam, I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully, Abraham Lincoln.

As Lincoln noted, freedom requires sacrifice. The sacrifices made by the 176 Michigan service members who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan will not be forgotten. We are all so proud of them, and they shall live forever in our hearts and our minds. They exemplify the best our nation has to offer.

Thank you for listening, and God bless America.

Source: Michigan Governor