Honoring Hawaii's Fallen Heroes
These are the remarks by MG Robert G.F. Lee at the Hawaii's Medal of Honor Ceremony, State Capital on April 16, 2007. For the list of those honored and speeches by the House and Senate leaders, see "Honoring Hawaii's Fallen Military Heroes - 2007"
Aloha and good morning. I want to thank everyone for coming to this Medal of Honor ceremony. Your presence here is strong testimony to the support Hawaii has for our military personnel, our veterans and their families.
We are once again involved in hostilities in foreign lands. Our Armed Forces are once again fighting and dying for the ideals that our nation holds so dear.
America's sons and daughters bravely go into harm's way to protect us and defend our way of life. Losing a loved-one is never easy. It is difficult to say "goodbye" to a parent or a grandparent who has lived a long and fruitful life. But it is much more difficult to witness the passing of a loved one who is in the prime of life and whose full potential did not yet have an opportunity to blossom.
Such is the case of our heroes from the Armed Forces who we lost too soon. We will lament the missed birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and thousands of other daily events that could have been. We will continue to mourn this premature passing of our brothers and sisters in arms. The State Medal of Honor is Hawaii's way in which we can remember the ultimate sacrifice, to show our appreciation to the families and to assure them that they will always be part of the State's Ohana or family.
A circle of Kalo or taro leaves is part of the Hawaii Medal of Honor. The word Ohana was derived from Kalo and the circle is emblematic of the embrace of the people of Hawaii. Whether a fallen soldier, Marine or sailor grew up in Hawaii or were members of units based in Hawaii, he is still embraced as apart of our Ohana.
The star in the coat of arms of the medal represents the 50th state star on the American flag and also represents the person being honored. But the star also evokes a symbol of America's past. During World Wars I and II, families that had a member serving in the armed forces would display a blue star on a banner or flag.
If a service member from that family was killed in action, a gold star was often displayed in a window facing the street to let the neighborhood know that the life of a hero who had grown up there had been taken.
Today this medal is a token of gratitude from the State of Hawaii proclaiming to all that this is a family of a fallen hero. There is no greater sacrifice a family can make than the loss of their soldier, sailor, Marine or Airman while in service to our nation. And there is no greater honor, which we the people of Hawaii, can bestow upon them to symbolize that sacrifice.
The attachment device in the middle of the red and yellow ribbon is a rendering of the ancient "Puela" or flag that was raised at sea above the sail of their canoes. All who saw the Puela from afar, knew that a person of the highest rank or honor owas coming.
Today, this service ribbon is its "Puela" will remind was that theses families are of the highest rank and honor. We appreciate even more President Abraham Lincoln's humble wisdom at Gettysburg: "When brave men die, it is their deeds, not our words that are remembered.
It is their sacrifice, not our brief recollection that offers everlasting testimony to their love of others and their love for us". To the families of our fallen heroes, I humbly ask that you accept this Hawaii Medal of Honor on behalf of the people of Hawaii, who are today, and forever shall be, your devoted Ohana.
May God bless all of you and may he continue to bless the United States of America.