WKBT: Congressman Van Orden attends West Salem's Memorial Day service
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WEST SALEM, Wis. (WKBT) -- Congressman Derrick Van Orden joined American Legion members and veterans at a Memorial Day service in West Salem on Monday.
Van Orden joined residents in Village Park to deliver a keynote address at the Legion's annual service.
It's a solemn day for the Congressman, a retired Navy seal who has spoken before about losing friends in combat.
He said a service like this is a powerful reminder for unity in America.
"There's so much divisiveness in America now--so much--and today is not that day. Today is the day we sit down and consciously thank the people who have given us the ability to have this conversation," Van Orden said.
"There's about a million and a half reasons that Americans should celebrate today, and that's just over a million and a half Americans who sacrificed their lives defending our freedoms. This is why I love living here. We take the time to stop and read the names of our fallen, so that they're not forgotten."