They fought and died in the hedgerows of France and tiny islands of the Pacific, in dank submarines and fragile merchant ships, in the ancient cities of North Africa and the jungles of the Philippines. They sacrificed everything to defend freedom in its greatest hour of need.

On Memorial Day, when the new World War II Memorial officially opens on the National Mall, we will finally establish a permanent monument to all they did and all they gave.

The new Memorial is appropriately breathtaking. Sitting in the shadow of the Washington Monument and opposite the Lincoln Memorial, it fits on the Mall as if it had always been there. The wide span of the Memorial and its surrounding grounds convey the tremendous scope and the all-or-nothing stakes of the conflict. Most importantly, its classical design and quiet somberness focus visitors’ attentions on those who went to war and the ones who never made it home.

In this way, the Memorial accomplishes its most important mission — to be a permanent reminder of the deeds of a generation.

Those of us who are their children and grandchildren have been fortunate. We’ve grown up on their knees, listening to their stories and gaining from their insight. We have only a few more years to learn from their experiences, benefit from their hard-won wisdom, celebrate their lives, and thank them for their sacrifice. Long after the final veteran has surrendered his soul to the Almighty, the World War II Memorial will stand as a reminder of the fathers and grandfathers, and yes, the mothers and grandmothers, who answered the call and helped preserve a nation.

But a memorial — mere stone and metal — is not enough. For us to even begin to repay our debt to these heroes, we must continue to celebrate their victory over tyranny. We must teach our children what they did and why they did it. We must honor their legacy. We must treasure the values and principles that motivated them. We must continue to protect the freedom and liberty that they fought for and won.

Most importantly, we must remember.

Why must we remember? Among the many reasons is this: at a time when our freedom is once again under attack, we can draw courage and assurance from those who went before. They serve as a reminder that the fight for freedom never ends. There are times when it may require a pen, a law book, or skill in debate. There are other times when it requires a sword and soldiers who are willing to pick it up, march into battle, and die, if necessary, for their nation and the principles upon which it is built.

In either case, let none of us shirk our responsibility to honor their legacy by failing in our duty to preserve what they have given us. As the old veterans sadly fade away, and generations of children grow up unable to hear their tales firsthand, let the new Memorial at the center of the Mall stand as a permanent cue to learn about them, honor them, and most important, to remember them.

No time is more appropriate for our remembrance than this Memorial Day weekend. And no time is more appropriate to celebrate, honor and thank the American GIs now in the field abroad still fighting for our freedom. So this weekend, as you take a break from work, fire up your grill and try to relax, take a few moments and do your duty. Your freedom — our freedom — demands it.

To send a thank you to our troops, click here.