Hello Friends,
Today is a day to reflect, to honor our service men and women who gave all in the defense of our liberty, our freedom. I am incredibly grateful for their sacrifice, and it was a privilege and honor to be asked to speak this morning at the State of Oregon Memorial Day Ceremony at the Oregon WWII Memorial on the Capitol Grounds.
Thank you to ODVA Director Doctor Daniels, ODVA Legislative Director Jay DeFillipo, Oregon Military Department and Oregon National Guard Legislative Director Russell Gibson, ODVA Board Member and Douglas County Veterans Advocate Jim Little, Umpqua Valley Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Chapter #805 and Vietnam Veterans of America Oregon State Council President Bill Duncan, for their heartfelt presentations on this day of remembrance.
I also want to thank my colleagues who attended, Senators Manning and Patterson and Representatives Evans, Lewis and Mannix. Finally, to all that attended our Memorial Day Ceremony at the Capitol, and to all who attended ceremonies across our state, or those that are honoring in their own ways, thank you.
My comments spoken this morning are below.
 From left to right: Oregon State District 01 Senator David Brock Smith, VVA Chapter #805 & VVA Oregon State President Bill Duncan, ODVA Board Member Jim Little, ODVA Director Doctor Daniels, OMD & Oregon National Guard Legislative Director Russell Gibson, and ODVA Legislative Director Jay DeFillipo.
Good morning everyone,
It is truly an honor to speak to you today and thank you for being here. On this solemn and sacred day, we gather not as partisans or as members of one group or another—but as Americans. As Oregonians. As grateful citizens.
This is the first Memorial Day without my father, Retired Lieutenant Commander, Mustang, Frank Wayne Smith, who through his 27 years of service, surviving three tours in Vietnam, reflected on this day greater than most.
As he instilled to me, Memorial Day is not just the start of summer. It is a day of reverence and reflection. A day when we remember those who gave their lives in defense of our nation, our Constitution, and the freedoms we sometimes take for granted. Today, we pause to honor the men and women who answered the call of duty—and never came home.
From the forests of France to the beaches of Normandy, from the mountains of Afghanistan to the deserts of Iraq—American service members have stood for something larger than themselves. They stood for liberty. They stood for their families, their faith, and their fellow soldiers. They stood for the promise of this great country.
Here in Oregon, we have a proud history of military service. Thousands of brave Oregonians have worn our nation’s uniform. Many of them made the ultimate sacrifice. Their names are etched in stone, in the hearts of their loved ones, and in the legacy of our freedom.
Like you, I believe in honoring our nation’s founding principles—individual liberty, limited government, and the rule of law. But above all, I believe in duty to country. That’s what today is about. Remembering those who believed in something greater than themselves—and who gave everything to defend it.
Let us also remember the families—the Gold Star mothers and fathers, the spouses, the children—who live with the loss every day. Their sacrifice is quiet, but no less heroic.
As we lay wreaths, fly our flags, and bow our heads, let us not just remember these heroes—let us live lives worthy of their sacrifice. Let us serve our communities, speak for those without a voice, and defend the principles that have made this nation a beacon of hope across the world.
To our fallen heroes—we remember you. We honor you. We are forever in your debt.
God bless you all, God bless the great state of Oregon, and God bless these United States of America.
Yours Truly,
 Senator David Brock Smith
Together, We Will Build a Better Oregon
 Senate District 1
Curry, Coos, and Douglas Counties
Southwest Oregon’s Fish, Farm, and Forestry District.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1701
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, S-316, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Sen.DavidBrockSmith@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/smithd
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