Senator Klobuchar on Memorial Day

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar says Minnesota has always answered the call to defend democracy. During the Civil War, the soldiers of Minnesota’s 1st Brigade shed their blood in the Battle of Gettysburg. Those 250 Minnesotans stood their ground in the face of 1,600 Confederate troops, holding the line until the Union Army was able to bring in desperately-needed reinforcements.

Nearly a century and a half later, on this Memorial Day, Minnesotans continue to carry the torch of freedom. This month 2,400 of our state’s soldiers are taking part in the largest single deployment of Minnesotans since World War II. These brave men and women will be serving our country in Kuwait, as part of Operation New Dawn, the first phase of U.S. drawdown operations in Iraq. They are part of a long tradition of Minnesota heroes, and we salute them for their service and valor.