Memorial Day Message 2026

May 25, 2026

This Memorial Day, we pause to honor all those who gave their lives in service to the United States. Their sacrifice secured the liberties and inheritance we too often take for granted, and their memory deserves not only our gratitude, but our continued remembrance.

At Washington and Lee, that remembrance carries a particular weight. From Kiffin Yates Rockwell, ‘13 — among the first Americans to fall in aerial combat during the First World War — to the many alumni who never returned home from America’s wars, generations of W&L men answered the call to serve. As we gather with family and friends this weekend, may we remember with gratitude those who gave their lives in defense of their country and the enduring legacy they left behind.

Click below to read two historical reflections from The Generals Redoubt — one recounting the life and sacrifice of Kiffin Rockwell, and another exploring the creation of Washington and Lee’s Memorial Arch over a century ago.

Kiffin Rockwell Portrait Unveiled (1937 Alumni Magazine)

https://www.thegeneralsredoubt.us/historical-highlights/kiffin-rockwell-portait-unveiled-1937

Remembering the Fallen (1920 Calyx)

https://www.thegeneralsredoubt.us/history-articles/remembering-the-fallen