The Heroes We Have Lost
Like so many of the young men he grew up with, my grandfather Luis Luján was proud to answer his nation’s call to serve during the Second World War.
When he was deployed to Europe, he left six children behind with another on the way. Growing up, I heard stories from his time in the foxholes of Germany, where he huddled with his fellow soldiers on freezing nights to stay warm.
Grandpa Luis was fortunate to return home, but he never forgot those who were lost on the field of battle. He and grandma Cleotilde instilled in my mom — and my mom instilled in me — a commitment to honor all those who died in service to our country and care for the ones they leave behind.
Here in New Mexico, we have a proud tradition of service and respect for the military. Over the course of my life, I’ve been grateful to hear the powerful stories of many of New Mexico’s veterans and their families. While we cannot come together in person today, I wanted to share a few words from New Mexico veterans about what Memorial Day means to them.
“To me, Memorial Day is a patriotic day when we honor veterans who have passed, either in the service or after they got back. It’s to remember the ones who came before us.
And it’s also [a reminder] to not forget our ancestors. People like my grandfather, my father, my great-great-uncle, my great-great grandparents. My brother was a Marine, but the rest of us were all Army.”
- Sgt. Dave Cuellar, USA (Ret.)
“Memorial Day is a special day. It’s not about barbecues or things like that — it’s a time to remember and reflect on the families that have come before us and the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
Every year, we [the Las Vegas VFW Post] go to the local cemetery and place flags on the graves, though I’m not sure that will be possible this year. It’s important to honor the men and women who have perished and let them know they aren’t forgotten.”
- SFC Gary Ludi, USA (Ret.), Commander of the Las Vegas VFW Post
I hope you will keep the men and women of our armed services, our veterans, prisoners of war, and those missing in action in your heart today and every day.
May God Bless you and may God Bless America.
Ben Ray
