Honoring sacrifice, selfless service

The Memorial Day holiday weekend, as it always does, offers wide opportunity to recognize and be thankful for the sacrifices of those Americans in uniform who’ve paid the ultimate earthly cost to maintain the freedoms we enjoy — and even take for granted far too often.

Thus, it’s altogether proper that we remember the ongoing high cost of liberty this weekend as we pause individually — or gather collectively — to honor this nation’s war dead.

Today, on this page, we offer glimpses of the precious price paid by many Americans who’ve served in conflicts past and present. Their selflessness should humble us, and encourage us all to live in such a way as to make all of the sacrifice and suffering endured by our military casualties a worthwhile, sacred investment in our nation’s survival and future.