-Live from our Nation's capital,
Downloaded from YTS.MX
it's the 34th annual National Memorial Day con
Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX
Now, please welcome country music superstar, Trace Adkins.
-We commandeer a corner table
At our small town diner
Just five or six old men throwin' out corny ol' one-liner
They pat the heads of children
Give friendly nods to strangers
They sure seem quick to laugh
Makes you think they're slow to
Those guys were front-line broth
Their lives depended on each oth
They were soldiers long before they were men
Yeah, the ones that somehow surv
Came home, went on to build thei
Never chargin' us a penny for the debt we owe to them
But you can almost smell the gun
And the foxholes that they share
On the days they raise their cof
And toast the empty chair
They'll ask you where you're fro
What you do, what you've done
But don't go thinkin' they're al
'Cause you wouldn't wanna piss t
Those guys were front-line broth
Their lives depended on each oth
They were soldiers long before they were men
Yeah, the ones that somehow surv
Came home, went on to build thei
Never chargin' us a penny for the debt we owe to them
But you can almost smell the gun
And the foxholes that they share
On the days they raise their cof
And toast the empty chair
They'll tell you anything you wa
But there's one place they just
'Cause they don't wanna ruin our
By tellin' us the things they've
Those guys were front-line broth
Their lives depended on each oth
They were soldiers long before they were men
Yeah, the ones that somehow surv
Came home, went on to build thei
Never chargin' us a penny
for the debt we owe to them
And you can almost smell the gun
And the foxholes that they share
On the days they raise their cof
And toast the empty chair
To the brother who ain't there
We salute you
[applause]
-Now, welcome to the 34th annual National Memorial Day con
Tonight's special guests are; country music superstar, Trace A
gospel legend, Yolanda Adams,
Screen Actors Guild winner, John
Emmy Award winner, S. Epatha Merkerson,
multi-platinum recording artist, Phillip Phillips,
Tony Award nominee, Mary McCormack,
Screen Actors Guild winner Dule
Country Music Association Award Jo Dee Messina,
acclaimed television and film ac Chosen Jacobs,
Academy of Country Music Award n The War and Treaty,
and Tony Award nominee, Megan Hilty.
Featuring the National Symphony
conducted by Maestro Jack Everly
and General Mark A. Milley,
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
and The Joint Chiefs of Staff, The US Army Herald Trumpets,
The US Army Chorus,
The Soldiers' Chorus of the US Army Field Band,
the US Navy Band Sea Chanters,
The US Air Force Singing Sergean
The Armed Forces Color Guard and Service Color Teams,
and Patrick Lundy in the Ministers of Music.
The National Memorial Day Concert is made possible by
the National Park Service,
Department of the Army,
the Corporation for Public Broadcasting,
and by contributions to your PBS station
from viewers like you.
Thank you.
And now, here are tonight's co-hosts,
Tony Award winner, Joe Mantegna
and Emmy Award Winner, Gary Sini
Thank you for joining us on the National Memorial Day Concert.
This is my 22nd year doing this
and my 16th year co-hosting with my dear friend, Gary.
Speaking for both of us,
there is nothing we do that is more important
and more meaningful.
-For 34 years,
this concert has served as the Memorial Service for the
a way for all of us regardless o who we are,
where we live,
or what our background is
to join together as one
and to unite in tribute to all who gave their lives for our cou
-We reflect and remember the sacrifice of the fallen,
of our Gold Star families,
and we honor their resilience.
-We honor wounded,
ill and injured veterans here with us tonight
from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
and Fort Belvoir Hospital.
-On this day,
we pay tribute to all who serve and who have served
in the long and proud history of our country.
For whether our nation is at war or at peace,
they always give so much.
Please join us in showing our ap for all these true American hero
[applause]
-Now, please stand if you can,
or stand for those who cant,
with hand on heart or salute
for our National Anthem, performed by Grammy-winning gosp
Yolanda Adams.
[music]
Oh, oh Say can you see
By the dawn's early lighth
What so proudly we hailed
At the twilight's last gleaming
Whose broad stripes
And bright stars
Through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watched
Were so gallantly streaming
And the rocket's red glare
The bombs bursting in air
Gave proof
Through the night
That our flag was still there
Oh say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
[crowd cheering]
-Thank you, Yolanda.
We are all aware that the scars of the Vietnam War run deep.
We remember and honor all those who served in Vietnam;
those who came home and those who tragically did not
Your courage will never be forgo
To all our Vietnam veterans, wel
[crowd cheering]
The Vietnam War has been over for half a century,
but even now, the images from that era remain
Vietnam was a never-ending night
The war came at our troops from everywhere;
impenetrable jungle valleys, forbidden hill country,
cities consumed by destruction.
From 1964 to 1973,
more than three million deployed to South East Asia.
Amidst the horrors of battle, our troops forged life-long bond
Over 150,000 Americans were woun
58,220 were killed.
Their names are now engraved in our nations memory.
Sadly,
many remain unaccounted for.
Families whose loved ones are still missing-in-action,
ache from uncertainty.
For the prisoners of war who suffered unspeakable cruelty
coming home was only the first s in the journey to recovery.
50 years ago, this past March, the last remaining US troops lef
and the final group of American prisoners of war wer
and left Hanoi.
Here,
to share the story of one of those former POWs,
Air Force pilot Carlyle "Smitty" and his wife Louise,
our acclaimed actors, John Slatt and Mary McCormack.
-I loved flying.
During the Korean War,
I enlisted in the Air Force and came back an instructor pilo
You go on a lot of dates as a young airman.
Then, I met Louise.
I introduced her to some friends as Jane by mistake.
-I came right back and said, "Yeah, Tarzan,
you better get my name right."
I knew Smitty was committed to Air Force life.
I knew what I'd signed up for.
By the time we were sent to Okin we had two beautiful girls,
and I was eight months pregnant.
-It was April of '65.
Our first big target was a bridg
used by the North Vietnamese as part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail
I fired my missiles right at the center of the bridge.
Perfect sight, perfect angle, prefect air speed,
but I didn't get very far.
One of the enemy gunners scored a hit on my engine.
The whole plane was burning so I ejected.
I went from fire and noise and c
into absolute silent.
I passed from the known into the
I landed in a large Vietnamese v and was captured immediately.
They stripped off all my gear down to my shorts
and I was shoved onto the backseat of a truck
with an armed guard next to me.
That was the last thing I saw
before I was blindfolded.
-My phone rang about five o'clock in the mornin
It was my mother.
She said, "We've just heard
Smitty's been shot down in Southeast Asia."
The next thing I knew, the casua was knocking on my door.
They told me Smitty was considered missing in action
I said to myself,
"He's still alive, because if he
I would know it."
-The prison was called Wallow.
It meant hellhole.
Later, our POWs called it the Hanoi Hilton.
The cell was seven by seven,
the stench took my breath away.
Every day and night, there were interrogations.
I got knocked all over the place because I wouldn't answer their
I remember the pain of iron shac at the foot of the bunk.
Sometimes a heavy iron bar was added on top.
My hands were tied behind me.
I prayed for the pain to end.
The realization sank in that I wasn't going home to my f
not today,
not tomorrow,
maybe never.
-Smitty had been missing for 38 when I went into labor.
I drove myself to the hospital i
45 minutes later,
Carlisle Smith Harris Jr. was bo
My tears of joy were tinged with that Smitty wasn't there to gree
but I refused to go to dark plac
I thought,
if Smitty can do what he's doing
I can handle this.
-After months in solitary,
I was joined by four other POWs in this eight-cell unit.
The guards would punish us if we
I remembered our instructor back in Escape and Invasion School
telling us how English POWs during World War II
exchanged messages by tapping on a water pipe.
By chance, I knew the tap code a and taught it to the others.
We tapped all the time for conne
and humor to share about our fam
It saved our sanity and helped u
Through the tap code, we developed a brotherhood.
Guys would come back from a torture session,
and the first thing they would h
on the cell wall,
God Bless You,
to know they weren't alone.
I heard it myself.
I might be in the fetal position but I heard it.
-I barely recognized Smitty when I finally saw his picture.
The one taking the Hanoi march.
Seeing him alive was such a reli
but it was also terrifying.
-They handcuffed us together in
and marched us through the main square of Hanoi
The crowd had been whipped up into a frenzy of hate.
They wanted blood.
We were beat up as we went down the narrow stree
It went on and on for two miles.
Things in the camps got worse af
Summer of 1969 became known as the Summer of Ho
-We were told not to say anythin
about Smitty's situation outside of immediate family,
or it might affect his treatment
It was difficult,
but I didn't want anything I sai
to reflect on what was happening to Smitty.
-When I was shot down, I weighed
Dysentery dropped me to less than 90 pounds.
My tap code brothers passed the on to our senior ranking officer
because all my fellow POWs stood up for me and threatened t
I was given medicine.
Every man who demanded help from he might be tortured,
but they did it anyway.
-Over the eight years, Smitty wa
I had one prayer,
let him come back home.
The only place I could allow my grief and fear and sadness to
was alone in the bathroom.
I would stand up and wipe away m
I had to be strong for our child
-The last day at Hanoi Airport,
after the Paris Peace Agreements were announced,
we marched out to the ramp in military formation.
Our captors hated that.
None of us knew what we might face at home.
When we landed,
there were 2000 people cheering and waving American fla
Our release was the only good ne that had come out of Vietnam.
-The night before Smitty came ho I looked in the mirror and wonde
have I changed in the last eight
Deep down I knew I wasnt the sa
I was tougher,
stronger.
As I waited for Smitty to call,
"Please make him say something that lets me know he feels the w
-It just popped out of me.
I said,
"Hi, Jane. This is Tarzan."
-It was perfect.
Just perfect.
-The first time I met my eight-year-old son
was at Maxwell Air Force Base.
Hugging him and my two girls,
it was a taste of heaven.
-Not everyone was as lucky.
Other returning POWs found their wives had left them
or they ended up divorced in the first year.
Too many of them didnt come bac
-Some died in captivity,
some by suicide.
In my mind,
they all died in action.
We've lost so many more in recen
People like Bud Day.
The last time Louise and I saw h he was in hospice care.
He grabbed my hand and tapped on
G-B-U.
I knew it was his way of saying,
we were brothers in arms and loved each other.
With these brothers, I dont have to put it into word
I dont have to try to explain or describe or decipher.
They were there.
-They gave their all to keep the things we believe in
-God Bless You. -God Bless You.
-Thank you, John and Mary.
Colonel Harris and Louise had planned to be here
but for health reasons were unable to travel.
They sent this message to share with everyone.
-Thank you so much for honoring us on this day,
and a special thanks
for honoring all the men and wom of our armed forces
who fought and did not come home from Vietn
You honor their families as well
We wish we could be there with y
but unfortunately, we cannot,
but we are with you there in spi
God bless you.
-And we do.
-Please welcome back Yolanda Ada
Count on me through thick and th
A friendship that will never end
When you are weak, I will be str
Helping you to carry on
Call on me, I will be there
Don't be afraid
Please believe me when I say
Count on
I can see it's hurting you
I can feel your pain
It's hard to see the sunshine
Through the rain ohhhh
I know sometimes it seems as if It's never gonna end
But you'll get through it
Just don't give in
'cause you can
Count on me through thick and th
A friendship that will never end
When you are weak I will be strong
Helping you to carry on Call on me, I will be there
Don't be afraid
Please believe me when I say
Count on
There's a place inside of all of
Where our faith in love begins
You should reach inside to find the truth in love
The answers' there within, oh I know that life can make you
It's much harder than it really
But we'll get through it
just don't give in
oh
Count on me through thick and thin a friends
when you are weak I will be stro
helping you to carry on call on
I will be there
don't you dare be afraid
please believe me when I say
count on
count on me
you can count on me
[applause]
-Thank you, Yolanda,
for that moving tribute to men
men like Smitty and all who served with him in V
and to their families back here
We are honored to have with us t 10 Vietnam Veterans
who like Colonel Harris suffered years of deprivation in captivit
as prisoners of war.
We celebrate their resilience and unwavering courage.
Mike Brazelton,
Tom Davis,
Lee Ellis,
Porter Halyburton,
Ed Hubbard,
Norm McDaniel,
Charlie Plumb,
Robert Shumaker,
Gene Smith,
Hubert C. Walker.
Americans of every generation have sacrificed for our nation
and those who are members of the greatest generation
served in World War II, the largest and most destructive
in the history of our planet.
-In the fight to end global tyra
more than 80 million men, women and children perished.
From December 1941 until the final surrender of Jap
in September 1945,
16 million Americans served in u
and more than 400,000 lost their
The reality of war,
for those heading to an uncertai and for those who stayed here at
is full of the pain of separatio
Joining us to perform a song that symbolized what so many fel
is a star of stage and screen,
Megan Hilty.
-Cathedral bells were tolling
and our hearts sang on
was it the spell of Paris
or the April dawn
who knows if we shall meet again
but when the morning chimes
ring sweet again
I'll be seeing you
In all the old familiar places
That this heart of mine embraces
All day through In that small ca
The park across the way
The children's carousel
The chestnut trees
The wishing well
I'll be seeing you
In every lovely summer's day
In everything that's light and g
I'll always think of you that wa
I'll find you in the morning sun
And when the night is new
I'll be looking at the moon
But I'll be seeing you
[applause]
-Thank you, Megan.
Performing with Megan and joining us throughout our co
as they do every year,
is the National Symphony Orchest once again under the direction
of Maestro Jack Everly.
[applause]
-Now, a tribute to all who served in World War II.
[music]
-The country had been attacked, and it was a time in your life
when Uncle Sam was asking for vo
-It was an unbelievable time.
As a kid, 18,
going to war, we didn't know anything about wa
didn't know how to play the game
learned fast,
learned fast.
-I think that you have to learn to be part of a team
and to respect your buddy soldie
We learned to work as a unified
and you take people for what the
not color or religion.
-I think our motivation was to f
we were making a contribution.
We wanted to still prove that we loved our country.
-What would have happened had we not been able to make tha
and go into Normandy and capture
What would this world be like if we hadn't done that?
Well, I left a piece of me in No when we came home.
Your life is different.
Your whole wide world is differe
It changed everything.
-World War II saved the world and freed the wo
gave us freedom throughout the w not just America,
and of course, it saved democrac
-I almost cried when I think of those young men.
I think of them every day.
They were a part of my life then
and they'll always be a part of
-I just think about how much they could have been,
how much they could have contrib
to their community their family, the country
if they had lived on.
-I tell my story for those who can't speak for themselves.
-We gave up our yesterdays
for your tomorrows.
[music]
[applause]
-Tonight we also pay tribute to the 250,000 Merchant Marines
who served in the Second World W
They delivered critical supplies and personnel
for allied operations in Europe and the Pacific.
During that conflict,
733 Merchant Marine ships were sunk due to enemy attacks.
609 Mariners were prisoners of w and over 9,500 were killed.
-The contribution to our cause cannot be overstate
for as general Dwight Eisenhower
"No organization deserved more c
for our final victory than the Merchant Marines."
Their heroic efforts were formerly recognized in 2020
when Congress passed
the Merchant Mariners of World W Congressional Gold Medal Act.
With us tonight,
our Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II.
Please join me in thanking them and all who served with them
for their courage and dedication to our nation.
[applause]
-2023
marks the 70th anniversary
of the Korean War Armistice.
World War II's long Shadow had barely lifted
when US troops joined those of 16 other nations
and answering their country's ca to fight in the Korean Peninsula
Since 1950, over 3 million Ameri have served in South Korea.
28,000 are still there today.
Many at risk is a result of lasting tensions
along the demilitarized zone.
Korean War exploded in June 1950
when North Korea with support from the Soviet Union and China
launched a surprise attack against South Korea.
What became a three-year ordeal of brutal fighting
would come to involve more than 1.7 million Americans.
During the first months of comba
the enemy sought to push Allied off the Korean Peninsula
at the Pusan perimeter.
A daring US amphibious landing at Incheon in September
turned the tide of the war.
Within two weeks of Incheon, US troops retook the capital of
Soon,
US forces were marching across the 38th parallel into No
advancing to within miles of the Chinese border
along the frozen Yalu River and the chosen reservoir.
Victory seemed almost at hand.
Then 300,000 battle-ready Chines
struck hard and fast across the entire front.
Their unrelenting attacks inflic massive casualties and instilled
Nothing could prepare our troops the incredible hardships that fo
Conditions on the ground became apocalyptic,
savage, unforgiving winter weath
compounded the effects of the relentless onslaught.
Ill-equipped for the harsh condi
as many men froze in foxholes as were killed by enemy guns.
Korean Civilians endured unspeakable suffering
from the ravages of war.
Three million people were left h
A vicious,
never-ending stalemate persisted along hundreds of contested mile
7,000 were taken prisoners of wa
and 3,000 died from deprivation and torture.
The wounded numbered nearly 100,
Invisible scars would plague oth for the rest of their lives.
36,000 Americans
gave their lives in the course of this fierce and brutal confli
After two long years of negotiat an armistice, not a peace treaty
was signed on July 27th, 1953.
Finally,
our troops began to head for hom
Tonight we honor those
who fought and those who died in what was once called "The Forgot
With us this evening
are veterans representing all th
who served and sacrificed in Kor
Please join us in thanking these true American heroes.
[music]
Jerry Beydler,
Narce Caliva,
Steve Culbert,
Paul Cunningham,
James Diamond,
Lew Ewing,
Jack Keep,
and Eleanor Porter.
[applause]
As always,
we want to take a moment to recognize Americas first res
and make special mention of the United States Capitol Pol
and its members for their dedica and to thank them for keeping us
[applause and cheering] [music]
-Tonight, as we do every year,
we recognize the families of the
and offer them our love,
our support, and our thanks for their sacrifi
They are Americas Gold Star Fam and they can never be honored en
-As we remember and honor the fa
it is of critical importance to stand by all our military fam
when they face difficult times.
It is up to all of us,
members of our wonderful America
to be there for them, giving our support
and reassuring them they will never be left behind.
With a song that speaks to just please welcome,
Phillip Phillips.
[applause] [music] [Gone, Gone, Gone by Phillip Phi
When life leaves you high and dry I'll be at your door ton
If you need help
if you need help I'll shut down the city lights
I'll lie, cheat, I'll beg, and b
To make you well, to make you we
When enemies are at your door I'll carry you way from war
If you need help, if you need he
Your hope dangling by a string I'll share in your suffering
To make you well, to make you we
Give me reasons to believe
That you would do the same for m
(come on sing)
And I would do it for you, for y
Baby, I'm not moving on
I'll love you long after you're
For you, for you
You will never sleep alone
I'll love you long after you're And long after you're gone, gone
You're my backbone You're my cornerstone
You're my crutch
when my legs stop moving
You're my headstart
You're my rugged heart
You're the pulse that I've always needed (come on)
Like a drum, baby, don't stop beating (sing it)
Like a drum, baby, don't stop beating (come on)
Like a drum, baby, don't stop beating (sing along)
Like a drum, my heart never stops beating
For you, for you
Baby, I'm not moving on
I'll love you long after you're
For you, for you.
You'll never sleep alone
I'll love you long after you're
For you, for you
Baby, I'm not moving on
I'll love you long after you're
For you, for you
You'll never sleep alone
I'll love you long, long after y
Like a drum, baby, don't stop beating (sing it)
Like a drum, baby, don't stop beating
Like a drum, baby, don't stop be
Like a drum, my heart never stops beating for
And long after you're gone, gone
I'll love you long after you're gone, gone, gone
[applause]
-Americas all-volunteer militar began 50 years ago.
For over half a century, our countrys bravest men and wo
have willingly put themselves in harms way to keep us safe an
Many heroically served multiple deployments in the long
in our historyAfghanistan and i
[gunshot]
-Take cover. -Operation Iraqi Freedom
began twenty years ago.
What was an anticipated short-term action
quickly grew into an ongoing mae of bloody violence.
Our servicemen and women were asked to carry out their mi
while facing threats from unseen
ceaseless guerrilla action,
rocket and mortar attacks,
and the crippling and often fatal blasts of IEDs.
Injury or death came at any mome in every town and on every road.
At the peak of the war over 170,000 U.S. Forces
were stationed in Iraq.
More than 32,000 American troops were wounded in action.
Countless more came home
with Traumatic Brain Injuries and Post Traumatic Stress.
Over 4,000 American troops lost their lives.
Even as the war began to wind do
Iraq remained a very dangerous p
The one constant our troops continued to volunteer and serve
knowing they might lose their li
They left behind parents,
spouses,
siblings, and children.
US Army Sergeant Anthony Oneal Magee
from Hattiesburg, Mississippi served two tours of duty in Iraq
Here to share the story of 3 generations of his family a
acclaimed actors S. Epatha Merke
Dulé Hill,
and Chosen Jacobs.
[music]
-Anthony was the perfect child.
Everybody loved him.
I had him when I was 18.
My husband Tony and I didn't kno a thing about raising kids,
but we decided to stick together no matter what,
to raise our family like a family is supposed to be.
-My brother Anthony was the elde
then Monica, LeRon and me.
Anthony was that kid everybody wanted to be around.
He was a giver,
and he was a straight A student.
Instead of college,
I joined the Air Force.
Been in 19 years.
-I did not want Anthony to join because he would be away from us
and you can bet we had a good fight about that,
but he wanted to serve his count
and he said he could afford to t of his son, Kameron better
if he joined the military.
-It was hard having a dad who was always deploying somewhe
I remember times he came home,
we used to be happy and all that
He was real good to me.
Always.
-When the Army called about Anth it was the day before Tony's bir
We had planned a crawfish boil, but it started raining.
The phone rang,
LeRon answered and said, "Mom, somebody needs to speak to dad."
Then I heard Tony say,
"Anthony Magee?"
When he said that, I hit the flo I said, "Lord,
please don't let it be Anthony."
-Anthony had been talking to a friend outside his tent,
helping him through a hard time.
When he turned to go inside, a rocket exploded,
and a piece of shrapnel went rig into the back of his head.
They medivacked him to Landstuhl in Germany
near where I was stationed.
When I walked in that room,
I knew I'd never talk to my brot
-My faith was so strong.
I just thought, "When I get over there, I can pr
and God will touch him and make
When I saw Anthony, it looked like he was just sleep
I fell on my knees.
I held Anthony's hand
and Tony and I begged God for our son's life.
-By the time my mom finished pra every doctor, every nurse,
anybody who was within the sound of her voice
was on their knees right there w
There had to be 30 people in Anthony's room.
Every one of them was crying.
-They told us that he had been hit in his leg,
his arms, and his side,
but they hadn't told us right aw about the shrapnel in his head.
We talked to the doctor.
Anthony was dead.
I knew in that moment
I had to let him go.
He was God's child now.
-It was hard going back to Hattiesburg after that.
The whole town came out to pay their respects.
There were cars on both sides of the highway
stopped with their blinkers on,
people waving their flags as Anthony's coffin rolled past.
It was powerful seeing strangers standing there,
sharing your grief for a person they've never known.
It hits them because people thin
"That could have been my son or my daughter or my husband or
-I was five around the time my d
Really,
it's hard when you're young
and you lose a parent.
You start asking questions like,
You wish it all never happened.
You wish that your parent was there for you,
and he isn't.
-We thought time would heal,
it hasn't.
Not a day goes by that we don't think of Anthony.
On holidays when the family gath
somebody mentions him, tells stories, but he's not ther
A piece of my heart just faded away the grief,
I can't really let it come out.
I just keep it balled up inside
-My mom didn't get that moment of mourning for hers
because she was trying to make s everybody else was okay.
We're all broken from him.
My dad still wears Anthony's dog
Kameron started having trouble i
especially if somebody said something about his dad.
-I was angry for a long time,
but meeting up with other Gold Star Families really helped
We share stories about our paren
their lives.
We understand each other's pain
Having someone to talk to, it means so much.
-When I think about it now, we would've been better off
if we had talked to somebody, a
My daughter, Monica is the only one who did,
and it really helped her.
-The healing is still going on.
It's just not the same.
It's a stinging,
lasting,
enduring hurt, it's like a rolle
Anthony had so much going for hi
It's hard to believe it's been 1
-I'm not ever forgetting my son,
but the little things like a lea falling off a tree are starting
I understand and I had to unders that Anthony had done
what he came to do on this Earth
He had done so much for so many, he lived a whole life by 29,
and when I see Kam,
I see Anthony.
He's in his boy.
-They say my dad and I act alike
They tell me stories about him, so I'll have more memories of hi
It makes me happy to know I'm just like him.
From my senior prom, I had my da printed on the back of my suit
and I rocked it. [laughs]
Yes, everybody loved it.
In a way, it felt like my dad wa
-We've always been a tight famil and are going to be that forever
When Anthony passed, it hurt eve
It was a chain and we lost one l but it's still strong.
We just tighten it up a little m
Sometimes I sit and think about how different life would be
if he was still here.
It makes Monica, LeRon, and me a that Anthony would never know ou
and they will never know him.
We lost a big heart.
The man he would've become.
-Kameron's turned into a fine yo
in his first year of college.
He'll always love and miss his d
I don't want him to forget him.
Too many others already have.
-They give you Memorial Day,
they give you Veterans Day, and
"Okay,
these are the days when we recognize service and ou
Right?
Then it's over. Like that's enou
But it's not enough.
-That first Memorial Day after Anthony passed,
we probably got 100 calls from folks saying
they were thinking of us.
But the next year it dropped to maybe 75 then 25.
Pretty soon, Memorial Day would come and go
and the phone wouldn't ring.
I have no words to tell you how that makes a parent feel.
-My grandma told me
that my dad served this country to make things better,
not only for him but for everyon
I'd like people to know that my dad was a hero,
and I hope I make him proud.
-It's important to remember thos who gave their lives
for something they believe in
and honor their families.
That's why we're free,
because of other people's sacrif
-Memorial Day used to be just a holiday for us.
I never really thought about what the day meant
until we lost Anthony.
We have a whole new perspective
Our lives have been changed fore
and in our house,
every day is Memorial Day.
[applause]
-With a special tribute to all our Gold Star Families,
here is an Iraq War Veteran,
Michael Trotter Junior and Tanya Trotter,
The War, and Treaty.
-This is for all my brothers and who gave their rise in the war.
-God bless you all.
I've held the hands of an angel
and it was hard to let go
I've heard the sound of heaven knocking at the door
when it was time to claim a soul
When the roll is called up yonde [when the roll is called up yond
when the roll is called up yonde [when the roll is called up yond
I'll look for you
and I'll be there [I'll be there
I've always wondered when the rain pours
is it the son having a cry
I reckon it must be hard on Jesu
when teardrops fall from our eye
When the roll is called up yonde [when the roll is called up yond
when the roll is called up yonde [when the roll is called up yond
I'll look for you (You look for
and I'll be there, [Ill be ther
Lord have mercy now
When the roll is called up yonde [when the roll is called up yond
when the roll is called up yonde [when the roll is called up yond
I'll look for you (You look for
and I'll be there, lord [Ill be
I'll look for you (You look for
and I'll be there, lord
I'll be right there
-[?]
[applause]
-At this concert tonight,
and tomorrow on Memorial Day,
we remember all those
who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.
-From 1776 until today over one million Americans
paid the supreme price for our peace and for our freedo
-It is for them that we have Mem
-It is for them
that we now play Taps
[Taps]
-Please welcome, Jo Dee Messina.
[Heaven Was needing a Hero by Jo Dee Messina]
-I came by today to see you
Though I had to let you know
If I knew the last time that I held you was the last time
I'd have held you
and never let go
Oh, it's kept me awake nights wo
I lie in the dark,
just asking "Why?"
I've always been told
You won't be called home until it's your time.
I guess heaven was needing a her
Somebody just like you
Brave enough to stand up
For what you believe
And follow it through
When I try to make it make sense in my mind
The only conclusion I come to
Is that heaven was needing a her
Like you
I remember the last time I saw y
Oh, you held your head up proud
I laughed inside when I saw how
Standing out in the crowd
You're such a part of who I am
Now that part will just be void
No matter how much I need you no
Heaven needed you more
Heaven was needing a hero
Somebody just like you
Brave enough to stand up
For what you believe
And follow it through
When I try to make it make sense in my mind
The only conclusion I come to
Is that heaven was needing a her
Like you
Heaven was needing a hero
That's you
[applause]
-Thank you, Jo Dee.
As we remember those we lost, we must always make sure
to stand by our brothers and sisters in need.
-If you or someone you know is experiencing
symptoms of emotional distress,
mental illness,
or having thoughts of suicide,
help is available at the number on our screen.
Don't suffer in silence.
Please reach out.
-With us tonight is someone who knows firsthand
how important this is.
We're joined by Michael Trotter
and his wife Tanya from The War and Treaty.
Michael, as a veteran of two tours of duty in Iraq,
you faced some difficult times when you came home.
Do you have a message for our veterans or service memb
who are struggling?
-Yes. Thank you, Joe.
I'm a living testament that there is light at the end of the
Several years ago, I was despond
suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder
after my service,
contemplating suicide.
But then the love and support of everyone overwhelmed me,
especially the love of my wife T
and I'm able to be here tonight standing on this stage.
-Every single day since then I see the joy in fire in Michael
and I thank God he made it out of the wrenching situation
and that his passion for music,
people and love is still there and always will be.
[applause]
-Thank you, Tanya and Michael.
All of our military and their families need our supp
On our website, you'll find links to organizatio
dedicated to helping veterans,
Gold Star Families, active duty and their families.
If you are a wounded,
ill or injured veteran in need o
please reach out.
-It's been a tradition
from the beginning of the National Memorial Day con
to salute all the men and women from every branch of our armed s
Please welcome the Chiefs of the Military Services.
[music]
-And now,
Maestro Jack Everly,
our orchestra and military chour perform the Armed Forces Medley.
Whether here or watching at home if you are able, please stand
when your service is presented.
[music]
-[sings] Were always ready for -The United States Coast Guard.
-We place our trust in Thee
Through surf and storm And howling gale
High shall our purpose be
Semper Paratus is our guide
Our fame and glory too
To fight to save Or fight and die
Aye Coast Guard we are for you
-United States Space Force.
-We're the mighty watchful eye
Guardians beyond the blue
The invisible front line
Warfighters brave and true
Boldly reaching into space
There's no limit to our sky
Standing guard both night and da
We're the Space Force from on hi
-United States Air Force.
-Off we go into the wild blue yo
Climbing high into the sun
Here they come zooming to meet our thunder
At 'em boys, Give 'er the gun! (Give 'er the gun now!)
Down we dive, spouting our flame from under
Off with one helluv a roar
We live in fame or go down in fl
Hey Nothing'll stop the U.S. Air
-United States Navy.
-Anchors Aweigh, my boys
Anchors Aweigh
Farewell to foreign shores
We sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay
Through our last night ashore
Drink to the foam
Until we meet once more Here's wishing you a happy voyag
-United States Marines.
From the Halls of Montezuma
To the Shores of Tripoli
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land and sea
First to fight for right and fre
And to keep our honor clean
We are proud to claim the title of United States Marine.
-United States Army.
First to fight for the right And to build the Nations might
And the Army goes rolling along
Proud of all we have done Fighting till the battles won
And the Army goes rolling along
Then its hi! hi! hey The Armys on its way
Count off the cadence loud and s
For whereer we go You will always know
That the Army goes rolling along Rolling along
[applause]
-I am privileged to introduce the Vice Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
Admiral Christopher W. Grady.
[applause]
-It is our honor to introduce
the distinguished Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
-Please, welcome General Mark A.
[applause]
-Good evening everyone.
In this 155th Memorial Day,
we honor the more than 1 million Americans,
who gave their last full measure of devotion
in service to our great nation.
Behind every one of these men and women is a family,
many of whom are here tonight.
A husband or a wife, a mother, a
a brother, sister, son, or daugh
For these families,
every single day is Memorial Day
The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Guardians, and Coastgua
represent the highest ideals of America.
Each of them paid in blood for the freedoms
that we enjoy every day.
Their families carry on the drea
that our fallen never realized.
These brave men and women willin enter the crucible of combat
knowing the price
they may be asked to pay.
Their blood spilled on the slopes of Bunker Hill,
the fields of Gettysburg, the forests of the Meuse-Argonne
sands of Normandy and Iwo Jima,
the frozen tundra of the Chosin
the jungles of the La Drang Vall
and the sands and mountains of Iraq and Afghanistan.
They fought.
They fought thousands of miles from their homes and their birth
In these moments of carnage,
death, and destruction,
ordinary Americans
displayed extraordinary characte and uncommon valor.
In these moments,
the courage of a few inspired a nation of many.
They fought for humanity
and they laid down their lives on the altar of freedom.
So we pause.
We pause here and now on this Memorial Day to remember
No matter the cost,
America's brave men and women will always answer our nation's
Now it is up to us, we, the living to stand and watch
to ensure that our fallen did not die in vain,
to ensure that this experiment in liberty continues,
so each generation to come can enjoy the blessings of life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happ
On behalf of the Joint Chiefs of thank you all.
Thank you to all those who have made sacrifices,
so much to protect and defend the Constitution against all ene
foreign and domestic.
We in uniform,
we swear to you the American peo
that we will never turn our back on the Constitution,
and we will never turn our back on our fallen.
We must always honor them,
and we must forever cherish the that is America
and the cause for which they die
May God bless the United States of America,
and we of the Joint Chiefs salut each and every one of you.
[applause]
-Thank you for joining us tonigh
-The concert will repeat immedia
following this live broadcast on most PBS stations.
And now,
please take out your phones, turn the flashlight on,
hold them high, keep them shining
and wave them to a song that speaks to the unity
that is so important to all of u
Once again, The War and Treaty.
[music]
We have lost so much
It's hard to hold on without tou
But we can't let each other fall
So remember I'm just a call away
We are one We are one
And the world is still so beauti
Together we'll stand and not lose hope
'Cause we are one We are one
Can't you see it all around
In every heart, love can be foun
We are one
When you're afraid
Together, we will fight here
You're not invisible
I see you holding back tears
but I'm here
We are one
And the world is still so beauti
Together, we'll stand and not lose hope
'Cause we are one We are one
Can't you see it all around
In every heart, love can be foun
We are one
The world is still so beautiful
Together, we'll stand and not lose hope
We are one (we are one)
We are one
Can't you see it all around
In every heart, love can be foun
We are one We are one
We are one (we are one)
We are one
[applause]
[music]
God bless America,
land that our love
Stand beside her
-To learn more about the National Memorial Day Concer
and find links to organizations to helping veterans and military
please visit our website at pbs.org/memorialdayconcert
or join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook.
The National Memorial Day Concert is made possible by
the National Park Service,
Department of the Army,
the Corporation for Public Broadcasting,
and by contributions to your PBS station
from viewers like you.
Thank you.
-You're watching PBS.