The beautiful acapella harmony of the Clipper City Chordsmen honored America’s fallen heroes as the City of Manitowoc held its annual Memorial Day Remembrance Program yesterday.
A private ceremony was held at the Seehafer Broadcasting studios due to the COVID 19 pandemic but it did not damper or take away the meaning or significance of paying tribute to those who gave it all to keep America free.
Mayor Justin Nickels spoke at the event, reminding people “The parades and BBQs are fun and what we are used to today, they do not define this day. Sometimes throughout history, we are asked to give up some of these extra things. Times of war, times of depression, and times of pandemics, yet in all of those, our core freedoms as Americans remain the same, even if we have to limit the number of people who can peacefully gather.”
He went on to say, “We are fighting a different battle today, one that is asking all of us to be kind and humane to our fellow man. But in the end, what we are being asked today is much, much less than all of us asked those brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we have today.”
County Executive Bob Ziegelbauer also took to the podium to talk about sacrifice. “The cost of liberty remains high, but we are willing to pay it,” Ziegelbauer said. “We know that in the years to come, more brave souls will sacrifice their lives for America. We include them in our thoughts and prayers today.”
25th District Assemblyman Paul Tittl spoke about how many people died during the two World Wars, stating that “In WWI, 116,516 American Service Members died, including 3,932 from Wisconsin. In WWII, 405,399 American Service Members died, 8,390 from Wisconsin.”
Manitowoc County Veterans Service Officer, and Iraq War veteran Todd Brehmer spoke about the freedoms we have as Americans, asking “Are we that arrogant to think that only our country deserves the right to live with the freedoms that we have? The right to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness should be afforded for everyone and anyone. For those who made the ultimate sacrifice in a foreign land, they have made as just a sacrifice as those who helped shape and preserve our great country.”
Mike Dempske served as Master of Ceremonies.
Two Rivers held a virtual ceremony that included Vietnam Veterans Chapter 731 firing 21 rounds at Veterans Park honoring the 21 Two Rivers natives who died during the Vietnam War and a 21-gun salute and Taps was played at the Mishicot Cemetery.
