Walking down the pavement of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, you stop in solemn silence, staring at a small section of names of the fifty-eight thousand engraved into the black gloss memorial designed by Maya Lin. Do these names hold any significance to you? Or are they just meaningless letters carved into stone? To comprehend the lives of each man and woman here is like trying to understand the heavens above us. It is impossible to truly grasp, and this memorial only represents the fallen soldiers from one war out of the many the United States has fought. Each soldier had a life with individual beliefs, families, and passions. Each soldier was an ordinary person who undertook extraordinary ventures. Behind each name is a person. Behind each person is a story. Behind each story is a lesson. These lessons instill love and pride for our beautiful country. These lessons instill bravery and valor for all the hardships and suffering we face. These lessons instill camaraderie and altruism for our brothers and sisters. We learn these lessons from soldiers throughout our nation’s history.

William Harvey Carney was born a slave in 1840 but eventually escaped to freedom. He hoped to pursue a career in the church but then decided that fighting in the civil war, for those oppressed, was the best way he could serve God. Thus, he joined the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment of the Union Army. In 1863, when storming Fort Wagner, the flag bearer was killed. Carney took the flag and held it for the duration of the battle, despite suffering several serious gunshot wounds himself. Through all the fear and agony, he kept a valiant pride for our country. Like Carney, we must never forget how valuable our country is. The value of one life sacrificed is immeasurable, but over 1.3 million soldiers have paid this ultimate price for us. We cannot take those sacrifices for granted.

Lewis Albanese was born in Italy to Giannina and Ralph Albanese in 1946. At age two, his parents brought him to the United States, where he graduated from Franklin High School in Seattle and joined the Army the following year. In 1966, he was deployed to Vietnam. While advancing on a key enemy position, his platoon was caught in an unexpected firefight from a well-concealed ditch. Lewis sprinted over alone into the ditch, killing six enemies. Out of ammunition, he fought hand-to-hand combat killing two more. He was mortally wounded, but his actions saved many and allowed his platoon to advance. His bravery was evident even as he faced death. As we face our inevitable adversities, we must persevere with courage and tenacity, rather than surrender.

Jason Dunham grew up in Scio, New York, with his three siblings. There he played on the high school basketball team and graduated in 2000. In the same year, he joined the Marines. Four years later, in Iraq, his unit was attacked. Jason deliberately threw himself over a dropped grenade, shielding himself using only his helmet. Eight days later, he passed away, at age twenty-two, with his parents at his bedside. To save his fellow soldiers, Dunham chose to sacrifice his own life. We cannot all give our lives, but we are called nonetheless to selflessly serve others and love our brothers and sisters.

These men, all Medal of Honor recipients, along with millions of other veterans, exemplify a proud, unified, and courageous nation. The lessons they provide, direct us to become the country our forefathers envisioned. We must continue to recognize our veterans, and though we may never truly understand the depth of their sacrifice, it is imperative that we try. We all have the power to make a difference. The stories of our veterans have shaped our country. Each story began with a name. This small section of the memorial before you represent but a few. Taking a step back from the names, you turn to leave, these stories alive in your mind. Now, ask yourself, what will you make of your story?