U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Honoring the fallen on Memorial Day

As we honor the men and women who fell in service to our nation, we must keep their memories alive through their stories

  • By Sen. Lisa Murkowski
  • Sunday, May 28, 2023 10:33pm
  • Opinion

When you walk the hollowed grounds of Arlington, Gettysburg, and Normandy, you see row upon row of marble headstones. Etched into them are names known to many and names known to none. What the men and women who rest beneath them have in common is their brave, selfless service to our nation — and lives cut short and unlived.

Memorial Day is an opportunity for us to honor all who gave what President Abraham Lincoln called “the last full measure of devotion.” The United States is an experiment in democracy, a beacon of freedom to the world—and the veterans we celebrate today died protecting and upholding its ideals. As we reflect on their service and sacrifice, we also remember the words of General George Patton, who reminded us to “thank God that such men lived.”

Just a few weeks ago, I spoke on the Senate Floor to honor the lives and express my condolences to the families of the three soldiers from the 1-25th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 11th Airborne Division, who were killed when their Apache helicopters collided and crashed. Chief Warrant Officer 3 Christopher Robert Eramo, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kyle D. McKenna, and Warrant Officer 1 Stewart Duane Wayment dedicated themselves to the service of our country, and exemplified the highest ideals of our military.

While Memorial Day is dedicated to those who gave their lives for our country, we also take a moment to thank those who are now serving—risking their lives for us, every day, both here and in distant theaters to prevent those threats from ever reaching our shores.

I’m proud of the steps that Congress has taken to uphold our commitment to our servicemembers and veterans, from benefits and education to housing, health care, and quality of life improvements. Last year, we passed the Honoring Our Pact Act, which greatly expanded Veteran Affairs health care access and benefits for those who were exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. But Memorial Day is a reminder that we can never do enough to repay our debt of gratitude for those who have given so much to protect our freedoms.

As we honor the men and women who fell in service to our nation, we must keep their memories alive through their stories. And as individuals, we should look to our own service to our neighborhoods, communities, and churches. Seek out opportunities to volunteer and give back to our great state; cherish the freedoms that we often take for granted, and help make our nation a shining example of what our servicemembers died for.

Although many of the men and women who served during “The Greatest Generation” have passed on, and “Baby Boomers” are aging, the generational traditions of military service have not been lost or forgotten. Let’s stand as a community and support those still serving, as the future of our nation weighs in the balance of their service.

God bless our troops, and let us never forget those Prisoners of War and Missing in Action, until everyone comes home.

More in Opinion

Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-Alaska) speaks to reporters about his decision to veto an education funding bill at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: The fight for Alaska’s future begins in the classroom

The fight I’ve been leading isn’t about politics — it’s about priorities.

Dick Maitland, a foley artist, works on the 46th season of “Sesame Street” at Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York, Dec. 15, 2025. (Ariana McLaughlin/The New York Times)
Opinion: Trump’s embarrassing immaturity Republicans won’t acknowledge

Sullivan should be embarrassed by the ignorance and immaturity the president is putting on display for the world to see.

Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, speaks in support of debating an omnibus education bill in the Alaska House Chambers on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024 in Juneau, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Capitol Corner: Choosing our priorities wisely

Rep. Justin Ruffridge reports back from Juneau.

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, speaks in support overriding Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto of House Bill 69 at the Alaska Capitol in Juneau, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini/Juneau Empire)
Capitol Corner: As session nears end, pace picks up in Juneau

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman reports back from Juneau.

Alaska Department of Education and Early Development Commissioner Deena Bishop and Gov. Mike Dunleavy discuss his veto of an education bill during a press conference March 15, 2024, at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini/Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: Strong policy, proven results

Why policy and funding go hand in hand.

Former Gov. Frank Murkowski speaks on a range of subjects during an interview with the Juneau Empire in May 2019. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Opinion: The Jones Act — crass protectionism, but for whom?

Alaska is dependent on the few U.S.-built ships carrying supplies from Washington state to Alaska.

Cook Inlet can be seen at low tide from North Kenai Beach on June 15, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Opinion: Solving the Cook Inlet gas crisis

While importing LNG is necessary in the short term, the Kenai Peninsula is in dire need of a stable long-term solution.

Sockeye salmon caught in a set gillnet are dragged up onto the beach at a test site for selective harvest setnet gear in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Capitol Corner: Creating opportunities with better fishery management

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman reports back from Juneau.

The ranked choice outcome for Alaska’s U.S. Senate race is shown during an Alaska Public Media broadcast on Nov. 24, 2022. (Alaska Division of Elections)
Opinion: Alaska should keep ranked choice voting, but let’s make it easier

RCV has given Alaskans a better way to express their preferences.

Most Read