Families Remember Iraq War Sacrifices on Memorial Day

Every Memorial Day, families of those who died in the Iraq War honor their loved ones’ sacrifices and offer guidance to today’s military families.

At Arlington National Cemetery, each year sees visitors placing flags beside headstones to honor the fallen. Over recent days, despite overcast skies, familiar scenes unfolded. School children on field trips, tourists on guided tours, and veterans with jacket and cap patches walked in formations to pay respects to lost comrades.

The current conflict with Iran has already claimed at least 13 service members, with more lives potentially at risk if a fragile cease-fire and peace deal fail. The cemetery’s expansion in the southern sections, near Section 60, acknowledges the unknown dead of this and future wars.

Section 60 serves as the resting place for those lost in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Thousands visit, mindful of the risks modern military families face, having endured losses from previous Middle Eastern conflicts.

A Son Lost to Iraq

For Sarah Vaughan, Memorial Day changed from a three-day weekend to a day of remembrance long before her son’s ashes were placed in Section 60. It used to signal a trip to the beach in Tallahassee, where she spent her childhood.

For many, including families like Vaughan’s, Memorial Day underscores the real costs of military service, providing an occasion to reflect on lost loved ones and the continued risks faced by today’s service members.