BY CLETIS MILLS

Our country has celebrated Memorial Day on various dates over the years, but in 1971, Congress declared the last Monday of May to be the official day of remembrance for our fallen military heroes. And so it is with sadness, but with deep gratitude, and enduring respect, we honor their memory.

They stood in the face of danger, not for glory, but for duty-protecting the freedoms and values that shape our lives.

Their sacrifice reminds us that peace is never free, and that courage often comes at the highest cost.

Though they are gone, their legacy lives on in the quiet moments of remembrance, for all the men and women who paid the highest cost for our freedoms.

Cletis Mills grew up in Debord. His brother, William Mermon, was killed in World War II at the age of 22. His memory is very special.