thedrifter
05-29-07, 06:35 AM
"Remember, and walk in gratitude in honor of all who have served"
By Ivan Moreno And Rosa Ramirez, Rocky Mountain News
May 29, 2007
The red, white and blue that people wore shone brightly in the Monday sun around the metro area as thank-yous were said to military veterans.
The day was filled with reunions of soldiers, with record crowds in Commerce City who lined the streets to watch a parade and with moments of silence for the lives that have been sacrificed.
"Remember, and walk in gratitude in honor of all who have served," said Carol Gansho O'Dowd during a ceremony at Fairmount Cemetery.
Standing tall
As Marines marched along East 64th Avenue in Commerce City, Suzanne Yama****a told her 5-year-old daughter to stand up.
"For respect," Yama****a, 43, said to her daughter Emily.
Yama****a said her family has attended Commerce City's annual Memorial Day parade for about 40 years. The parade has become so routine for her family that she sometimes arranges her chair and umbrella in the same spot.
An annual tradition
Two former soldiers sat together at Fairmount Cemetery wearing identical blue caps.
Each cap was emblazoned with the number 442, which signified the Japanese-American Army outfit in World War II.
One of the men is George T. Joe Sakato, 86, a Medal of Honor recipient. The other man is Bert Akiyama, 96.
For decades, the two veterans have attended the Memorial Day ceremony at Fairmount, which honors Japanese-American soldiers who served in World War II.
Each year, Sakato and Akiyama see more names added to the monument.
As Sakato leafed through a history book on the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, he saw a picture of himself. Then, pointing to another soldier in the picture, he said, "This is my buddy who got killed. He died in my arms."
Showing support
Sue Majeski's 26-year-old son, Stefan, a Marine, is scheduled to leave for Iraq.
All she can think is, "I need to be strong for him."
"It's very hard, but I have to do all I can to support him," Majeski said during a ceremony at the Marine Corps Memorial in Golden.
Majeski said she thinks about the other mothers who also have sons and daughters serving in the military.
"They are fighting for our freedoms," said Majeski, 56. "My son is the price I have to pay."
Ellie
By Ivan Moreno And Rosa Ramirez, Rocky Mountain News
May 29, 2007
The red, white and blue that people wore shone brightly in the Monday sun around the metro area as thank-yous were said to military veterans.
The day was filled with reunions of soldiers, with record crowds in Commerce City who lined the streets to watch a parade and with moments of silence for the lives that have been sacrificed.
"Remember, and walk in gratitude in honor of all who have served," said Carol Gansho O'Dowd during a ceremony at Fairmount Cemetery.
Standing tall
As Marines marched along East 64th Avenue in Commerce City, Suzanne Yama****a told her 5-year-old daughter to stand up.
"For respect," Yama****a, 43, said to her daughter Emily.
Yama****a said her family has attended Commerce City's annual Memorial Day parade for about 40 years. The parade has become so routine for her family that she sometimes arranges her chair and umbrella in the same spot.
An annual tradition
Two former soldiers sat together at Fairmount Cemetery wearing identical blue caps.
Each cap was emblazoned with the number 442, which signified the Japanese-American Army outfit in World War II.
One of the men is George T. Joe Sakato, 86, a Medal of Honor recipient. The other man is Bert Akiyama, 96.
For decades, the two veterans have attended the Memorial Day ceremony at Fairmount, which honors Japanese-American soldiers who served in World War II.
Each year, Sakato and Akiyama see more names added to the monument.
As Sakato leafed through a history book on the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, he saw a picture of himself. Then, pointing to another soldier in the picture, he said, "This is my buddy who got killed. He died in my arms."
Showing support
Sue Majeski's 26-year-old son, Stefan, a Marine, is scheduled to leave for Iraq.
All she can think is, "I need to be strong for him."
"It's very hard, but I have to do all I can to support him," Majeski said during a ceremony at the Marine Corps Memorial in Golden.
Majeski said she thinks about the other mothers who also have sons and daughters serving in the military.
"They are fighting for our freedoms," said Majeski, 56. "My son is the price I have to pay."
Ellie