Chuck Hagel: “Memorial Day is a time for solemn remembrance and reflection. We remember the brave men and women who gave their lives…”

“Memorial Day is a time for solemn remembrance and reflection. We remember the brave men and women who gave their lives in defense of our Nation. At cemeteries and memorials across America, in tributes both public and private, we gather to honor those who died in service to our country. On May 12, members of the SGT John Rice family of Winnebago, NE, paid final tribute to his wife Evelyn who was buried at Arlington National Cemetery next to her husband. The history of John and Evelyn Rice serves as an important reminder of the sacrifices soldiers and their families make in defense of freedom. Sergeant Rice, a Winnebago Native American, was born on Nebraska's Winnebago reservation in 1914. After high school, he began looking for an opportunity outside of reservation life. He found that opportunity by serving in the U.S. Army during World War II. Rice received a Purple Heart after being wounded and was discharged from the Army in 1945. Rice reenlisted in the Army in 1946, and among the many duties Rice performed were escorting the bodies of war casualties being brought back to the U.S. to be buried. Rice's service again brought him into battle in 1950 during the Korea war, where he was killed in combat early in the conflict. It wasn't until almost a year later that his body was finally returned home to Winnebago. Evelyn arranged for the burial to be at Memorial Park Cemetery in Sioux City, IA, because it was close to the family and near Winnebago.…”