FROM THE TOP
LELAND ACKER chreporter@mediactr.com
Remember Memorial Day? You should, it was just Monday! It's a grand holiday which allows us a three-day weekend to take in a day-trip, go fishing or take the kids to Six Flags.

Memorial Day, however, is intended to be a day we honor our fallen veterans who died in service to this country.

Over the past week, I watched "We Were Soldiers" with Mel Gibson. The movie is based on the book, "We Were Soldiers Once, and Young," by Lt. Col. Hal Moore and Joseph L. Galloway. Col. Moore was the U.S. Commander at the Battle of Ia Drang (The Valley of Death), the first major U.S. battle of the Vietnam War.

Galloway was a Universal Press reporter who wanted to tell the story to the American people. In the movie, Col. Moore was curious as to why a reporter would drop into combat. When asked where he was from, Galloway told Col. Moore, "Refugio, Texas," to which Col. Moore quipped, "That's the first thing that's made sense all day."

Col. Moore, as portrayed in the book and movie, was a born leader. He cared for his soldiers. He made personal commitments to some.

He trained them and prepared them for battle so that they would likely survive.

He promised them he would bring them all home, dead or alive.

The movie goes to great detail to illustrate that Col. Moore was the first to step foot on the battlefield, and the last to step off.

"We Were Soldiers" is an extremely violent movie with horrendous language. It is, after all, a war movie. I must advise that if you watch it, don't do so around children.

Col. Moore, as depicted in the movie, showed what true love is. Love, Biblical Love, involves commitment, sacrifice and a great concern for others' well-being. The soldiers who died for this country truly loved this country. Never-the-less, soldiers are not the only ones that are called to love their neighbors.

Jesus said in John 13, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also shall love one another."

Jesus loved us so much that He died for us. He expects His disciples, His followers today, to have that same level of love, commitment, sacrifice and concern for each other's well being.

Love, by the way, is also a test of true Christianity, as Jesus also said, "By this shall all men know ye are my disciples."