Whotaughtyoupatrio-sm?Myparentsalwaysins-lledarespectfortheflag,handovermyheart,notle<ngittouchthegroundandthepledgeofallegiance.Mychoirteacher,MissPerko,insistedthateverystudentlearnthewordstotheStar-SpangledBanner–declaringthatmostAmericansdidnot.WhenIjoinedRainbowIbecameapartofanalreadylongstandingtradi-onwiththeVFW,placingflowersontheircemeterymonumentinhonorofthoseyoungmenwhopaidtheul-matepriceforourfreedom.Itwasn’tanahamomentbutrathermentorsins-llingpridetobeanAmerican.
EveryMemorialDayforthelast73years,theVeteransofForeignWarsandtheSumnerRainbowGirlsremembereachyoungman,astheirnameiscalled,withtheplacingofaRed,White,orBluecarna-onintheirmemory.
OneoftheVFWmembers,ClaireMorgan,touchmeinawayIcannotexplain.Hestoodwithprideashisson’snamewascalled.EachyearIwouldlookforhimandmakeasilentpromisethatIwouldalwaysrememberhisson,evenwhenhecouldnot.
RainierK.MorganwasborninGermanyonSeptember1,1944.HisfatherwaskilledinWWII.LaterRainier’smotherEmametaserviceman,ClaireMorganwhilehewassta-onedinGermany.Theymarriedandshortlya[ertheirmarriage,RainierwasadoptedbyClaireandwasgiventhelastnameofMorgan.In1949,hisparentswereshippedstatesideandhehadtoadapttoAmericanschoolsandlivingawayfromhisgrandparents.Rainierandhisparentsse\ledinSumner,Washington.
Rainierwasagreatbigbrotherbyalwaysbeingthereforhissister,Barbaraandbrother,Roy.Hetaughtthemhowtobataball,playmarbles,climbtreesandallthosethingsbigbrothersdo.
ArmySergeant,RainierKMorgan,waskilledwhileonpatrolintheMekongDelta,Vietnam,attheageof23.
A Rainbow Girl's Voice
Rainier’sfather,Claire,diedin2013.ThoughIneversharedmysilentpromise,IwillnotforgetRainierandtheotheryoungmenwhopaidtheul-matepriceservingourcountry.
MemorialDaywereverentlyandgratefullyhonorthepatrio-smandsacrificesofthosewhodiedservingourcountry.OnMay30,1868,attheinaugura-onoftheveryfirstDecora-onDayatArlingtonNa-onalCemetery,thencongressmanJamesGarfieldsaid…“Wedonotknowonepromisethesemenmade,onepledgetheygave,onewordtheyspoke.Butwedoknowtheysummedupandperfected,byonesupremeact,thehighestvirtuesofmenandci=zens.Forloveofcountrytheyaccepteddeath,andthusresolvedalldoubts,andmadeimmortaltheirpatrio=smandtheirvirtue.”Thecoronavirushasforcedthecancella-onofvirtuallyalloftheceremoniesandeventsthatgenerallymarktheobservanceofMemorialDay,butithasnotdiminished,anditwillnotdiminish,ourindebtednesstothosewho,inlife,gaveeverythingfortheircountryandourfreedom,andwho,indeath,areworthyofourgreatestrespect.Theobserva-onofMemorialDaythisyearmaybelessvisible,abitmoresubdued,constrainedbythisterriblevirusthathasalreadycostussomuch.Butourapprecia-onwillnotbeneglected,norwillthehonorandesteemthatthisdaymemorializes.Garfield’ssen-mentsin1868aresurelyourstoday:“Hereletthemrest,asleepontheNa=on’sheart,entombedintheNa=on’slove.”
