Evan Houk’s front-page article about Lt. Kimball Hatch illustrates the meaning of honor.
Many people, stumbling upon the most meager of clues about a forgotten burial, would have left it forgotten – deemed it a hopeless case.
The investigative work of cemetery volunteer Patti Whitten and others allowed the town to properly honor Lt. Hatch – a seaman with roots in Alna and Jefferson who served in two wars and three branches of the military before quietly retiring back in Maine.
When we think about honor, what images come to mind? For us, it might be one of those grand ceremonies before a football game, with the unfurling of an American flag across the entire field.
Ceremonies, the national anthem, parades – all have their place. But to live honor means to act on the respect we claim to have for our war dead and our veterans.
This means support for adequate services for veterans. This means the pursuit of peace, so we have fewer troops to memorialize. This means telling veterans’ stories. This means remembering.
We salute Lt. Hatch for his service to our country and we salute everyone involved in restoring his memory.
