was later killed while trying to evacuate the area.

Hill did not want to disclose the name of the man who saved his life and who was later killed, but he did talk about his survivor’s guilt. He read a “letter to Heaven” addressed to that soldier and others who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

“I want to celebrate your life,” he said.

“You had my back and I feel like I failed to have yours. … My brothers, I never intended to fail you. If I could trade my life, you know Iwould.”

U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, also addressed the crowd.

“History has taught us that when disaster strikes, the world looks to the U.S. elite,” he said.

Foster spoke about the lessons from the Vietnam War when he said the country was faced with the limits of its power and the limits of its resolve.

He said it was wrong that rich people could underhandedly avoid being drafted and for people to confuse the merits of the war with the merits of those who served.

“Afterword, our nation was never the same,” Foster said. Memorial Day ceremonies have been held at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery since it opened in 1999.

The 982-acre site will eventually provide 400,000 burial spaces.

Frank Vaisvilas is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.