I was a prisoner of war. Here’s what Memorial Day means to me.
For many, the day now simply marks the unofficial start of summer. But Memorial Day was never meant to be a celebration. It is a day to remember those who gave their lives in service to the country.
As a U.S. Air Force veteran and former prisoner of war, Memorial Day holds a deeply personal and solemn meaning for me. Yes, it is a day of recognition and remembrance, and I’m grateful it exists. But like many national holidays, its meaning has shifted, or in some ways, been lost.
For many, the day is now reserved for beach trips, barbecues, or marking the unofficial start of summer. But Memorial Day was never meant to be a celebration. It is a sacred pause in our national calendar to remember those who gave their lives in service to this country, those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today.
In 1973, I was one of 591 Americans repatriated from prison camps in North Vietnam after spending 14 months in captivity. More than 58,000 names are etched on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., real people, most of them heartbreakingly young, remembered not only for their service, but for the lives they never had the chance to live. Among them were 997 Americans killed on their very first day in Vietnam, and 1,448 who died on what should have been their final day before coming home.
I don’t like to dwell on numbers, but in this case, they are deeply impactful. Behind each one is a real name, a real life, a real hero, and these figures represent only one war. Across our history, more than three million Americans gave everything and were never given the welcome home they so rightfully deserved.
While my time as a prisoner of war brought hardship, it pales in comparison to the ultimate sacrifice made by so many. Their courage secured our freedom. Their commitment to something greater than themselves defines the meaning of bravery, and it’s why we remain the land of the free.
Memorial Day is not Veterans Day. It is not Armed Forces Day. It is a day to remember and honor our fallen, and that remembrance must include the families they left behind.
I want to offer a personal salute to our Gold Star families, those who lost a loved one in service. Their pain is immeasurable, but their resilience and memories are sacred and deserve our respect every single day.
Memorial Day also carries a weight of history. Its first national observance occurred on May 30, 1868, then known as Decoration Day, honoring Union soldiers who died in the Civil War. But its spirit reaches even earlier, back to President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address in 1864, where he called on the living to dedicate themselves to the “unfinished work” of those who gave “the last full measure of devotion.” That call still stands today.
If you are looking for a meaningful way to honor this day, I encourage you to do something simple but significant. Drive over to Woodland Avenue to drop off some flowers with a card that simply says “thank you” to a patient in the Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Take a day beyond Memorial Day and volunteer at a Philadelphia-based organization like the VMC.
Stroll down by the water near Penn’s Landing and visit the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial to read, review, and take in all the names.
Visit the Philadelphia National Cemetery as a solemn reminder and a necessary teaching moment.
Lastly, as the recently named grand marshal of the upcoming Philadelphia Veterans Parade and Festival, I would like to encourage sponsoring, participating, or attending. I view it as a powerful, living tribute to all who have served. It is a chance to show gratitude, not only through words, but through presence, participation, and support.
Freedom is never free. Memorial Day is the day we remember its cost. Let us never forget those who paid the ultimate price, and the families who continue to carry their legacy forward.
Ralph Galati is a U.S. Air Force veteran and former POW. On Nov. 9, he will serve as the grand marshal of the 2025 Philadelphia Veterans Parade and Festival.