Sen. Tom Cotton: Memorial Day honors courage, sacrifice of greatest champions of liberty in history

On this sacred day of remembrance, we pay tribute to the fallen warriors who gave their dying breath in service to this exceptional nation.

The Memorial Day tradition began over a century-and-a-half ago as "Decoration Day." In the aftermath of the Civil War, families and communities gathered together and adorned the grave markers of their fallen loved ones with flags and flowers.   Our allies and hundreds of millions of their citizens live in freedom today because of the sacrifices of American troops.  The custom continued, and today Gold Star families, aging battle buddies, and childhood friends will make similar pilgrimages to the final resting places of our beloved heroes. Thousands of Americans will come to talk, pray, cry, reminisce, and silently salute. They will leave pictures, bouquets, ID tags and keepsakes on graves and headstones.