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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Monday, May 30, 2005

EDITORIAL
On this special day, remember neighbors

Memorial Day always brings with it the spirit of reflection on those in the military who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. And in an era when so many more families have lost a loved one in action in Iraq and Afghanistan, that spirit is surely compounded.

In the Islands, the bereavement suffered by the family of Nainoa Hoe, felled by an Iraqi sniper's bullet in Mosul last January, is on the minds of many, especially with his father's appearance at an annual observance held today (7 a.m. Hawai'i time) at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. The address by Allen Hoe, himself a Vietnam veteran, can be seen tomorrow in a Web cast at The Veterans Channel online (www.USVets.tv).

Closer to home, several events are planned as tributes to those who died in military service that would make worthy stopping points on our schedules of family activities today (for a full listing, see Page B3).

On this solemn day, Hawai'i residents also can keep others in mind who are touched by the realities of war, particularly the families of those now deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spouses of those on active duty and their children are burdened with fear and longing for their loved ones and, today and every day, could benefit from a helping hand and encouraging words. Schools such as Mokulele Elementary, where most students are from military families, are doing an admirable job in working to meet their special social and emotional needs through group discussions and activities.

Turning up at public holiday gatherings and better outreach to families are gestures that send much-needed messages of support. Actions do speak louder than words, and — importantly on Memorial Day — they help us all to remember the sacrifices of many.