Honoring Memorial Day: A Legacy of Sacrifice and Peace

A Father’s Courage on Iwo Jima

On Memorial Day, I reflect on my father, a decorated Marine whose bravery shaped my understanding of sacrifice. In 1945, he stood on the iconic Mount Suribachi, chanting the Memorial Prayer for fallen soldiers after the battle of Iwo Jima. His service, immortalized in the Congressional Record by Senator Benjamin Cardin (Volume 161, Number 52, April 13, 2015), exemplifies the price paid for freedom.

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Continuing The Legacy

Decades later, my brother Eli, an Army Special Forces captain during the Vietnam era, and I upheld this tradition, chanting the same solemn prayer at Arlington National Cemetery in 2014, honoring fallen Jewish chaplains. The identical melodic line echoed through time, linking our voices to our father’s own words from Iwo Jima, sixty-six years before.

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A Call to Action: Destination Peace

Memories of my father’s unwavering commitment to duty shaped my path. His core belief that lasting peace cannot be left to chance was a motivating factor to establish Destination Peace. He often warned, “You cannot leave essential work to others. Without preemptively pursuing peace, you will eventually be forced into war.” His wisdom became my guiding principle.

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Building Bridges Across Borders

As outlined in our April 2025 newsletter, Destination Peace continues efforts to foster understanding worldwide, with missions in Ghana, Nigeria, Austria, Hungary, and North Macedonia. Our site features an article, “The Enduring Legacy of Kajiya Fumiaki,” which highlights the story of a Hiroshima survivor who devoted his life to teaching empathy over conflict. His powerful words, The Atomic Bomb Must Never Be Used for a Third Time” serve as a reminder that peace is not a luxury, but a necessity.

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Memorial Day’s True Meaning

Memorial Day is more than just remembrance… it is a call to action. It honors lives lost in service and demands we build a world where war becomes obsolete.

To the next generation, I say: Make peace your mission. Honor the sacrifices of our heroes by ensuring their legacies lead to lasting harmony. Let voices like Fumiaki’s, my father’s, and his comrades inspire a future defined not by war, but by the triumph of diplomacy and understanding.