Dear Friends,

I hope you had a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend.  Josie and I joined Redmond community friends yesterday at a ceremony hosted by the Redmond American Legion Post 44 and supported by the Redmond VFW Post 1408, the Redmond HS MCJROTC, and other veteran organizations.  Then, we joined veterans for lunch at the Redmond VFW Post before another Memorial Day ceremony at the Hospice of Redmond's Veterans Wall of Honor.

I hope you all did take some time this weekend to remember the reason for the "Memorial Day" holiday:  To remember and honor those individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our nation.

Also included in this update is a picture of my grandson, Colby (9).  It was taken when his parents took him to a military cemetery in North Carolina to honor those who died for our freedoms and opportunities. 

Sincerely,

Gene Whisnant

"It is an honor to participate again this year in Redmond's Memorial Day ceremony.  Thanks for all the people and organizations participating in today's outstanding ceremony.  I appreciate American Legion Post 44 asking me to join Redmond Mayor George Endicott and others honoring our fallen heroes.

As a retired military officer, I have attended many Memorial Day ceremonies including some at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.  This year marks the 150^th anniversary of the establishment of Arlington National Cemetery.

I have visited this sacred place for our fallen heroes.  At Arlington National Cemetery, since the late 1950's soldiers of the 3^rd U.S. Infantry place small American flags at the more than 260,000 gravestones.  It is a beautiful and patriotic picture which brings tears to many visitors.

Memorial Day is the day of remembrance for those who died in our Nation's service.  It is sometimes confused with Armed Forces Day and Veterans Day.

Friends, we are here today to remember and honor those individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our nation.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed in 1868 by General John Logan, the National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868 when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.

In General Logan's order, he asked his soldiers to remember to honor our fallen comrades and renew our pledges to aid and assist the soldiers and sailors widows and orphans.  

We must never forget our fallen heroes and have ceremonies like today to remember and honor our fallen comrades and renew our commitments to the widows and orphans and our military veterans.

I am sure those heroes we honor today on Memorial Day would be "mad as hell" about the way we are treating our military veterans in VA facilities across the US.  I believe most of us here today are mad about the lack of quality and timely service to our veterans who served our nation and earned and deserve better.

I love the slogan:  Freedom is not free.  We do owe our freedoms to the heroes we honor today and to all who serve and served.

Thanks to all who came here today to honor and remember our fallen heroes.

God Bless: the Redmond community, the USA, and our military men and women."

Respectfully,

Gene Whisnant

May 26, 2014

Rep. Whisnant delivers his Memorial Day speech

Rep. Whisnant and Redmond American Legion Post 44 commander William Chan with Redmond Mayor George Endicott at the Redmond Memorial Day cemetery

Grandson Colby at National Military Cemetery in North Carolina