EARLY – “We need to be reminded that we are beholden. We owe everything to those who went before. We owe everything to those who gave that ultimate gift. We hold forth today in their honor, and to the honor of those who will follow us – the ideals of freedom, of justice and, yes, of love and faith in almighty God.”
Those were the words of Navy Commander Chaplain Jim Looby, who served as the key note speaker at Eastlawn Memorial Park’s Memorial Day Observance Monday morning.
Along with Looby, Retired Lt. Col. James Masters led the Pledge of Allegiance and offered opening and closing remarks and prayers, the VFW Post 3278 Auxiliary honored Gold Star families in attendance, Jill Goodwin led the singing of the National Anthem, and Dr. John Dunn played Taps.
Looby’s aforementioned remarks came at the conclusion of his speech Monday, where he referenced a pair of patriotic songs written in 1917 – Over There by George M. Cohan and God Bless America by Irving Berlin.
“It was back around 1917 when World War I ravaged, that a man of whom some of who may have heard, wrote a patriotic song that swept the country,” Looby said. “It was a song that helped raise morale and enthusiasm, and support and money toward the war effort. That man’s name was George M. Cohen. That song became the confident of victory theme of the American involvement in World War I.”
Referring to God Bless America, Looby said, “Years later war clouds gathered on the really nearby horizon, culminating in an even greater disaster than World War I, a conflict that literally engulfed the entire world erupted – World War II. Around 1917 again, a man named Irving Berlin had wrote the words to a song entitled God Bless America. That song was put away following World War I until 1938 when a singer named Kate Smith requested a song for a popular radio program. It became a classic when it was introduced for World War II.”
Berlin, who died in 1989 at age 101, donated all the songs millions in royalties to the Boys Scouts.
“The seldom sung first verse of the song goes like this,” Looby said, “While the storm clouds gather, far across the sea, let us swear allegiance to a land that is free. Let us all be grateful for a land so fair, as we raise our voices in solemn voices.”
