Veterans share Memorial Day

PORTSMOUTH, Va - The men and women at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 993 will never forget. On Memorial Day they remembered together.

"We all strive for one thing, and that's to have freedom in this country," Portsmouth native Donald Grimes told WAVY.com. Grimes was 17 years old when he joined the Navy. He said, "That was during the Korean War, and we left Norfolk, I didn't really know where we were going."

Soon enough he found himself in the Pacific. He returned, but more than 54,000 other service members were lost in the three-year-war.

Since the Revolution, Americans many lives have been sacrified. In World War I more than 116,000 lives were lost. In WWII 405,000 died in battle. More than 59,000 service members were killed in the Vietnam War.

Army veteran Ken McGarvey told WAVY.com he spent six months in the field in Vietnam, then another 6 months in a hospital. He lowered his voice as he sat in his chair at the VFW and said, "For so long, there was no respect...There was a lot of people killed over there, a lot of people crippled for life."

Christopher Wheeler, Commander for VFW Post 993 was called back to active duty from the Navy Reserves after September 11, 2001. He said he thinks of the loved ones still living with loss.
Wheeler said Memorial Day for veterans means, "honoring our past comrades who never came home, and those that their families have no idea whatever happened to them, the POWS and MIA's."

The Pentagon reports ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have claimed more that 4,900 American military lives. Petty Officer 1st Class Russell Ragle knew some in that number. "I've lost quite a few brothers and sisters over the years. Hoping not to lose too many more or any more," Ragle said.

However, Ragle and his buddies at the VFW know the realities of war. They said their family will continue to stand with and for families of the lost. Ragle explained, "There's no amount of money or anything that can bring back their loved one, but [there is] the promise of fellowship, and brotherhood, and that we'll be there to take care of them."