Hearing the choir from Upper Elementary School in Wrightstown sing God Bless
America on a military instillation was not on this writer’s 2026 Memorial Day Weekend
BINGO card — but it may prove to be the highlight.
Their efforts were part of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst’s annual Parade of
Wreaths ceremony, held the week of Memorial Day to honor those who gave their lives
in service of the U.S. military.
The ceremony, held on the Joint Base at the Tommy B Community Center, brought
together base leadership, honorary commanders, civic leaders and State Police
leadership.
People came to show their support and see the wreaths they donated get displayed —
many from military support nonprofits and schools from the surrounding area with a
large military population.
There were prayers, salutes and moments of silence. Taps and Amazing Grace were
played on bagpipes.
But it was the civilian guest speakers who the biggest impact.
A Gold Star Mom of a fallen Seal Team Six operator was the first up. She spoke of duty,
patriotism and service. There was not a dry eye in the room.
Weeks prior, base put out an essay contest to the surrounding schools with the simple
prompt, “What is the Price of Freedom?” The two winners, a 5th and 6th grader also
from Upper Elementary School, had the opportunity to read their essays to the crowd.
Rather, we had the opportunity to hear them.
The essays were so exceptional, the grizzled Vietnam veteran sitting near me, turned
and said: “Those kids were impressive … I think we’re going to be okay,” which drew
chuckles and nods from those of us in ear shot.
The event finished with the choir I mentioned at the beginning. Their rendition of God
Bless the USA was pretty great, too.
While Memorial Day is a solemn reminder of the sacrifices our brave men and women
have made over the decades, the kids that spoke and sang remind us that those
sacrifices were not in vain. The next generation, perpetually, is why they sacrifice.
The 5th-grade winner quoted former President Ronald Reagan: “Freedom is never more
than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the
bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”
