PORTSMOUTH — The veterans who laid down their lives for our freedoms “were ordinary people who responded in extraordinary ways in extreme times,” the guest speaker at Monday morning’s Memorial Day observance told a small gathering at Legion Park.

“These service members we honor today came from all walks of life,” said SFC William “Bill” McCollum, U.S. Army (Ret.), who enlisted in 1968 and served multiple tours in Vietnam through 1971. 

Serving with the 173rd Airborne as a highly trained combat infantryman, squad leader and drill sergeant, McCollum earned a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and Combat Infantry Badge, along with other medals, during his 27-year active and reserve career.

“They shared several fundamental qualities. They possessed courage, pride, determination and dedication to duty,” he said. “They rose to the call because they wanted to protect a nation which had given them and us so much. Many of these brave men and women were volunteers, while others were drafted and they, too, answered the call.”

McCollum shared the number of fallen service members from Rhode Island: Civil War, 1,685; World War I, 700; World War II, 1,669; Korea, 111; Vietnam, 136; and post-911, 27.

The idea of Memorial Day, which was originally called Decoration Day, arose from the ashes of the Civil War in which 620,000 Americans had been killed or wounded, McCollum said. Grieving families of both Northern and Southern states started decorating the graves of their lost soldiers with flowers and wreaths, leading to the first formal Memorial Day observance in Waterloo, N.Y., on May 5, 1866, he said. Memorial Day was officially recognized as a federal holiday in 1877.

“We have awarded medals to many soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, and Coast Guard personnel, added names to buildings after them so that we may never forget them and honor them for their bravery,” McCollum said. “But, nothing can ever replace the hole left behind by a fallen service member, and no medals nor ribbons can comfort the ones left behind.”

Remembering these fallen service members once a year is not enough, he said.

“Widows, widowers, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and children must live without them forever. Although words alone can’t take away the loss of a loved one, sharing their names and stories may bring some comfort to them and us,” he said. “Someone once said, ‘The memory becomes a treasure,’ so let us not lose that treasure.”

McCollum said he’s witnessed many “combat brothers” killed in action, among them Ralph Martin, John McGinn, Johnny Newsome, John Wayne Tracy, and Robert Labreque.

“These are the men I call heroes. The Bible says, ‘No greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his.’ This, my friends, is what Memorial Day is about.”

‘So we can live’

Francis “Cisco” Gutierrez, commander of American Legion Post 18, said the sacrifice made by this country’s deceased veterans can never be overestimated.

“Today we’re here so we can openly enjoy one of our precious freedoms: We’re alive, we’re able to breathe, and we have another day to pursue happiness,” he said. “We have the choice to be here right now, right here, honoring those veterans who gave all for us. Their blood was shed to guarantee our right to exercise free speech. They gave up their lives, so we can live.”

The ceremony concluded with Project Blue Star Coordinator Carolyn Evans-Carbery, along with Debbie Duggan, placing a memorial wreath next to the Veterans Honor Roll in front of Town Hall, while “Taps” was played.

Dave Duggan, finance officer and former chaplain for American Legion Post 18, gave the invocation and benediction. Members of Boy Scout Troop 82 presented the colors.