Susan Davis International

Faded, Not Forgotten
By Tom Davis, Executive Vice President, Susan Davis International

The faded photo, part of the Mathew Brady Civil War collection, captures a moment in the lives of members of one company, part of the 21st Michigan Infantry Regiment. In the ensuing years, the regiment engaged in many battles, and suffered many casualties. By the end of the war, it is reported that 377 of the regiment’s men had fallen.

One regiment, in one war. There have been many wars for this nation, and many regiments, and brigades, and squadrons, and divisions. For each of those wars, there remain fading photographs of the men and women who fought, and died. On this Memorial Day, I think of the lyrics from the song “No Man’s Land” by Eric Bogle. You’ve likely heard it by one name or another. It tells the story of young Willie McBride, a nineteen-year-old Irish soldier who died in World War I.

Did they beat the drum slowly,
Did they sound the fife lowly,
Did the rifles fire o'er you as they lowered you down?

The haunting refrain captures the unrelenting sadness that families who have lost their sons and daughters in conflicts around the world must bear. It also reminds us that the cost of that loss is borne most heavily by those who loved the ones who died, whose own hopes and dreams were forever changed in one painful moment.

Did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind?
In some faithful heart is your memory enshrined
And, though you died back in 1916,
To that loyal heart are you always 19?

Memorial Day should be a day of pride, and sorrow. It is for those who have suffered loss, who have shared the burden, felt the pain, and found it in themselves to accept that their loved ones answered the call of a nation they believed in, and understood the meaning of duty, honor, country.

Or are you a stranger without even a name,
Forever enshrined behind some glass pane,
In an old photograph, torn and tattered and stained,
And fading to yellow in a brown leather frame?

Memorial Day, 2026. Reflect on the photographs that captured a sliver of the history of those who gave their lives on behalf of this nation. Remembering ensures their lives continue to have meaning.

https://www.susandavis.com/faded-not-forgotten/

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Full story from Stars and Stripes:

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Join The Memorial Foundation in a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday with the 15th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Wreath Laying Ceremony.

The ceremony will invite communities to come together and embrace the four tenets of Dr. King’s teachings: Democracy, Hope, Justice, and Love.

Join us as we come together to honor the life, legacy, and enduring impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
Monday, January 19, 2026
9:00 AM

Presented by The Memorial Foundation, this powerful MLK Day celebration will feature uplifting music, inspiring voices, and a message that moves us forward.

Keynote Speaker:
• Senator Angela Alsobrooks

Featuring:
• Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church Choir
• Dr. Ricky Dillard
• Clifton Ross III
• Veda Whisnant
• Byron Cage

Program Leadership:
• Rev. Dr. Grainger Browning, Jr.
• Emcee: Dr. Zina Pierre

This is more than a tribute—it's a moment to reflect, recommit, and rise together.
All are welcome.
Save the date and join us.

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Happy New Year from SDI!

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Read a full recap from The Washington Times:

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The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation has led celebrations all year long & is currently preparing for the 50-state cake-cutting across the country throughout November.

Learn more about how you can get involved from the Wives of the Armed Forces:

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