Despite the often celebratory nature of Memorial Day, Rear Admiral Zeita Merchant reminded the hundreds gathered in front of the Daley Center in downtown that it is a solemn day of commemoration for families and friends of military personnel who lost their lives defending the country.
“Our Gold Star families…reflect on the face and voice they want to see and hear once again,” she said. “One day we will tell stories of men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Merchant spoke Saturday morning at a wreath-laying ceremony in Chicago. The city hosted the ceremony followed by a parade in the Loop to honor fallen soldiers and their families on Memorial Day, which is observed on Monday. Gold Star families are those whose family member died while on active military service.
Merchant, who was born in Chicago and also served as the parade’s grand marshal, made history last month as the first African-American woman to achieve the rank of admiral in the U.S. Coast Guard. Merchant said remembering and repeating the soldiers’ stories is a “recognition and appreciation for their bravery.”
“Stories have immense power. They bring our loved ones back to the light, even if only briefly,” she said. “Remembering stories is like dreaming, where those who have passed… come back to live and revisit us.”
For Jean Harris, Sgt.’s stepmother. Joshua Harris, who was killed in action in 2008 in Afghanistan while serving in the Illinois Army National Guard, the holiday allows everyone to share the memory of loved ones who have died, something families experience daily.
“That empty chair, photos that never get updated, like they’re frozen in time,” said Harris, survivor outreach services coordinator. “Forever a memory that seems like yesterday.”
“These memories are replaced with a golden flag, medals and awards earned to validate dedicated service and now forever honor the sacrifice of your loved one,” she continued. “Each of these items is a precious item that I would gladly give away if I could bring them back.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson referenced the newly restored Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Chicago’s Riverwalk, which contains the names of nearly 3,000 Illinois service members killed in Vietnam, as a way to “continuously remember our courageous neighbors and friends.”
“From the beaches of Normandy to the jungles of Vietnam to the deserts of Iraq, our sons and daughters of Chicago – they were there,” Johnson said. “They came from different corners of our city and from all social classes. But they were united by a common love for their country, their love for our communities, and they had a common commitment to defending them.”
The ceremony also included renditions of patriotic songs such as “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America,” as well as a 21-gun salute.
The parade, which began at noon, headed south along State Street from Lake Street to Van Buren Street. Dozens of people along the route – many wearing red, white and blue – cheered and waved as floats, bands and fire trucks passed by.
rjohnson@chicagotribune.com
