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Take time to remember what Memorial Day is really about


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War is one of those seemingly necessary evils in our society.

Today – Memorial Day – is when we pause to remember those who lost their lives fighting for the United States. It’s a day to put aside our political differences and personal beliefs that led to the deaths of these men and women.

These lost lives are no less significant because we don’t agree on what led to their deaths. They died fighting for what our government deemed a worthy cause.

Don’t blame the soldiers for the job they do. If you disagree with the battles being fought, then deal with the lawmakers. The soldiers who keep marching, keep training, keep fighting – they deserve our respect and our thanks.

Memorial for South Lake Tahoe men who died in the Iraq conflict. Photo/LTN file

Memorial for South Lake Tahoe men who died in the Iraq conflict. Photo/LTN file

Lake Tahoe News takes this time to salute those who given the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

The ones who died deserve a moment of silence today – and more often. Take a moment from your long weekend and remember that many people have an empty chair at the picnic table today.

Go to one of the many ceremonies at the cemeteries and military halls. Place a flag on the marker of a grave of a soldier. Toast to those who are not with us.

Hardly any community has not been touched by the death of a soldier – including Lake Tahoe.

Some died in combat. Some died in training.

Those who aren’t listed are the ones who took their lives because they did not know any other way to conquer the demons they were ravaged by.

Not all of those who died volunteered to serve in one of the branches of the military. But those who join one of the branches today do so willingly. That is to be commended – especially in the world we live in today. Most of these people will see a tour of duty overseas in hostile areas where U.S. citizens are not always welcome.

It is naïve to think the numbers of military deaths will ever be nil. But we must not ever forget those who have died fighting to make the world a better, safer, more livable place.

The Washington Post keeps a running list of those who have died in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. While news sites seem to keep these conflicts off the front pages, they are always front and center for the thousands of families who worry each day that the dreaded call will come saying their loved one has died.

We owe it those who have died to not forget them.

Below is a list of the wars, or whatever the government chose to call it, where the U.S. engaged in combat, the dates of the struggle, and the number of people the country lost in the fight. Of course, the numbers in the last two categories keeps growing.

Conflict                                       Dates of conflict                            Number of casualties

War of Independence                                   1775-1783                                                            25,000

Northwest Indian War                                 1785-1795                                                                1,221

Quasi-War                                                     1798-1800                                                                     20

Barbary Wars                                                 1801-1815                                                                     35

War of 1812                                                     1812-1815                                                            20,000

1st Seminole War                                           1817-1818                                                                    30

2nd Seminole War                                        1835-1842                                                               1,500

Mexican-American War                              1846-1848                                                             13,283

3rd Seminole War                                         1855-1858                                                                    26

Civil War                                                          1861-1865                                                         623,026

Indian Wars                                                    1865-1898                                                                 919

Spanish-American War                                          1898                                                             2,446

Philippine War                                               1898-1902                                                             4,196

Boxer Rebellion                                              1900-1901                                                                  37

Mexican Revolution                                        1914-1919                                                                  35

Haiti Occupation                                             1915-1934                                                               146

World War 1                                                      1917-1918                                                       116,708

World War 2                                                     1941-1945                                                       407,316

Korean War                                                       1950-1953                                                         36,914

Vietnam War                                                     1964-1973                                                         58,169

El Salvador                                                        1980-1992                                                                20

Beirut                                                                 1982-1984                                                               266

Persian Gulf “Support”                                   1987-1988                                                                 39

Invasion of Grenada                                                  1983                                                                  19

Invasion of Panama                                                   1989                                                                 40

Persian Gulf War                                                        1991                                                               269

Somalia                                                              1992-1993                                                                 43

Bosnia                                                                           1995                                                                 12

Afghanistan                                                       2002-2011                                                            1,571

Iraq                                                                      2003-2011                                                          4,442.

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