SPRINGFIELD —  About 100 Effingham County citizens gathered Monday evening to honor American men and women who paid the ultimate price to protect freedom since 1776.

Throughout his sobering remarks during a Memorial Day and D-Day observance at Veterans Park of Effingham County, featured speaker Brig. Gen. Randall Simmons of the Georgia Air National Guard repeatedly said, “The cost of freedom is high.”

Before Simmons stepped to the microphone, the audience honored America by singing the national anthem and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The singing was led by Tara Babin.

 Master of Ceremonies Danny Burgstiner also explained the history of Memorial Day.

After an invocation, Clarence Morgan, director of the Effingham County Parks and Recreation Department, issued an official welcome. After mentioning how honored he was to be given the task, he ended his brief remarks with, “May God bless America.”

Ruth Lee then recounted the history of D-Day, the largest seaborne invasion in history which led to the defeat of Nazi Germany. The harsh battle — it produced more than 6,600 American casualties —  occurred nearly 75 years ago on June 6, 1944, on the beaches of France. 

Effingham County’s John Ulrick Arnsdorff, Leland Glover, Ralph Helmly, Lewis Boyles and Herbert Ray Fetzer were killed on D-Day or shortly thereafter. Several other local men fought in France or played a supporting role in the invasion.

Tommy and Chris Allen then read the names of 60 Effingham County natives who died in combat. The list, starting with the Revolutionary War and ending with the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, included one of their relatives, Chris Allen Jr., who was killed during World War II when his sthip was attacked near Newfoundland just two weeks before the Germans surrendered in 1945.

Simmons, a former commander of Springfield’s National Guard Unit, Battery A1/18 Field Artillery, reminded the audience why American men and women fight.

 “In this country, everyone is free and has options,” he said. “Our people will rise or fall based on their personal actions and the content of their character, not based on their race, religion, sexual orientation or anything that might make one person different from another. These freedoms make our country great and frighten our enemies.

“They are why we serve and why we pause every year to honor those who gave all for our country and our way of life.”

Simmons broached the subject of D-Day and World War II, which claimed the lives of more 400,000 Americans

“Eighty years now separate us from the start of that great conflict and the span of decades has taken its toll on our knowledge of the sacrifice required by so many,” Simmons said. 

Simmons said nearly 5,200 members of the Georgia National Guard served during World War II. Almost 200 didn’t make it home, he said.

The general then recited the heroic efforts of many of the Georgia National Guard’s fallen, including Springfield’s William H. Webb Jr. He was killed in Italy in April 1945 during a spring offensive against German positions.

“These were citizen soldiers who lived and worked in communities across the state,” Simmons said. “They were your neighbors, your coworkers, your friends or even family. They were a part of the warrior class.

“They responded to the call of service with a soldier’s spirit and a patriot’s determination, just like the GI’s did during  World War II. The cost of freedom is high.”