Reflections on service and sacrifice at Mauiʻs Memorial Day observance

Family and friends gathered at the Makawao Veterans Cemetery on Maui to reflect and honor the service of the men and women who gave their lives while serving the nation.

The Memorial Day event, “Honoring Our Gold Star Families” included the laying of flowers for all of the Veterans of the County of Maui who died while serving the country. Gold Star Families is a term that refers to the immediate family members, including spouses, children and parents of those who died while serving the US.

Flag and flowers also graced grave stones and markers across the property.

In a Tweet this morning, US Senator Brian Schatz said, “Today on Memorial Day, we take time to honor and remember those brave Americans who have given their lives for this nation. They and their families deserve our deepest gratitude for the sacrifices they made to protect our most cherished freedoms.”

Congressman Ed Case Tweeted, “Today we remember our fallen, wherever they fell, wherever they lie, wherever they’re remembered.  I was honored to join Memorial Day celebrations at Cambridge American Cemetery in England where 3,811 of our WWII dead are buried and 5,127 missing are recorded, including three of Hawaiʻi’s own: 1st Lt David E. Cruickshank and 2nd Lt George S.H. Lee, US Army Air Corps fighter pilots, and US Coast Guard Radioman 2nd Cl Lindsay F. Croswell.”