Greenbelt American Legion Post 136 officers joined Greenbelt City Council and county and state government representatives on May 26 at the city’s War Memorial for a solemn Memorial Day ceremony honoring those who died during the nation’s wars.
An audience of about 100 attended, including veterans wearing emblems of prior military service.
Ingrid Watson, District 4 Prince George’s County Councilmember, presented a proclamation recognizing fallen service members who “served with courage, distinction and bravery to preserve and protect the value of America’s democracy” and proclaiming Monday, May 26, 2025, a countywide day of observance in recognition of Memorial Day and mourning in solidarity with the families and loved ones of those who sacrificed their lives to protect the United States of America and its people.
Greenbelt Mayor Emmett Jordan was joined by Councilmembers Silke Pope, Jenni Pompi, Rodney Roberts and Kristen Weaver, along with Maryland District 22 Delegates Nicole Williams and Anne Healey. Jordan expressed gratitude to American Legion Post 136 members for their exceptional leadership and service to Greenbelt and surrounding communities. Jordan asked Post 136’s commander, leaders of the Sons of the American Legion and Unit 136 Auxiliary to accept a proclamation from Greenbelt.
“We gather here today at the Greenbelt War Memorial to honor and remember those who served in our nation’s military and their ultimate sacrifice,” Jordan said. “We lay wreaths in their memory and acknowledge their threefold service: to community, to country and to family. … So, on this Memorial Day 2025, may we unite to realize the enduring peace that our fallen heroes envisioned when they made that ultimate sacrifice.”
Post 136 Commander Greg Gigliotti’s presentation described individuals’ final acts of courage and bravery and illustrated why Memorial Day reminds us of the cost of freedom.
Said Gigliotti, “Society likes to use the word Hero. There are sports heroes, action heroes and political heroes. But is there any group more deserving of the title than the more than one million men and women who have sacrificed their lives in defense of this nation?”
Gigliotti highlighted a gridiron hero named Jack Lummus, an All-American football star and terrific center fielder for Baylor University.
“On February 19, 1945, Jack Lummus was among the first to land at Iwo Jima. A leader of a rifle platoon, First Lieutenant Lummus slowly but relentlessly advanced with his men against entrenched enemy forces. He disregarded wounds inflicted upon him by grenade shrapnel and other small arms fire. He neutralized enemy soldiers positioned in three pillboxes before eventually stepping on a landmine,” recounted Gigliotti.
“Jack attempted to stand even though his legs and lower torso were badly mangled. Rushed to surgeons who attempted to save his life, Lieutenant Lummus said, ‘Well, Doc, the New York Giants lost a mighty good end today.᾽ He died on March 8, 1945, and America lost a mighty good hero. For his actions at Iwo Jima 80 years ago, Jack Lummus was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
“Lieutenant Jack Lummus was one of the most famous heroes of one of history’s most famous battles. But there are so many others that we can also remember. … People who died while fulfilling their military missions,” said Gigliotti.
He spoke of Navy Lieutenant Commander Lyndsay Evans and Lieutenant Serena Wileman, aviators who both earned multiple combat medals for their actions in the Middle East and conducted multiple 2023 and 2024 combat missions against Houthi terrorists.
“On October 15, 2024, the two trailblazing pilots lost their lives when their EA-18G Growler jet crashed during a training exercise near Washington’s Mount Rainier. Even within the safety of the United States, the military is an inherently dangerous profession comprised of professionals willing to sacrifice for us,” said Gigliotti.
Sacrifice for others. This was the final act of yet another hero, Army medic Calvin Bouknight. ‘He died so others could live,’ said a eulogizer at a ceremony last year at Arlington National Cemetery.
Specialist Bouknight was killed in 1965, shielding four of his fellow soldiers in Vietnam. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star. Approval for the award was slow, said Gigliotti, as is common, to which many familiar with military medal processes attest. As a result, his original gravestone did not acknowledge his Silver Star. It was through the determination of other veterans that the injustice was finally corrected and his gravestone updated in 2024.
“Fifty years ago, the Vietnam War ended,” said Gigliotti. “Much like our withdrawal from Afghanistan, history will be kinder to those who fought the war than it will be to the policymakers who managed it. For it is the veterans – not the politicians – who give us our freedom.
“The heroes that we honor today are not exclusive to any gender, race or religion. They come from all economic classes and backgrounds. They hail from all 50 states, and some have migrated from other countries. They are a diverse group wedded to the belief that America is a nation worth dying for.
“The heroes that I mentioned had earned prestigious awards and military decorations. But just like the soldiers known only to God, countless veterans have not been recognized for their bravery due to a lack of surviving witnesses who could document their final acts.
“They are no less heroic. We are gathered so that we can remember their sacrifices and celebrate the fact that throughout our history, this great country produces such men and women of honor. We must not forget them.”
