As Memorial Day dawns, I hold a faded photograph passed down through my family—a snapshot of my great-grandfather, William Elvin Penn, and his 1940 Automatic Rifle School battalion at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. This image, capturing a moment before the United States plunged into World War II, tells a story of courage, diversity, and sacrifice. It also serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the urgency of accepting Christ’s call to salvation.

A Moment Frozen in Time

In 1939, my great-grandfather, William Elvin Penn, enlisted in the U.S. Army, his mother altering his birth year to allow him to serve underage. The photograph shows him among his fellow soldiers at Fort Sill, a training hub in Oklahoma preparing men for a war not yet declared. Among the faces, one stands out: a Japanese American soldier, a Nisei, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with his comrades. This image, taken a year before Pearl Harbor, captures a time when Japanese Americans served proudly in the U.S. military, their loyalty unquestioned—until caution and fear led to the internment of over 120,000 Japanese Americans after 1941.

Fort Sill itself is a place of contrasts. In 1940, it trained soldiers like my great-grandfather and this Japanese American soldier for battle. By 1942, it became a site of internment, holding Japanese Americans under suspicion. The photograph, then, is a window into a fleeting moment of unity before division, a testament to the diverse fabric of America’s military. Many of these men, including William, went on to fight in the brutal South Pacific theater, facing malaria, combat, and the ever-present specter of death. William survived, returning home unscathed, but I can’t help but wonder how many in this photograph did not. Their faces, frozen in time, remind us of the ultimate sacrifice so many made for our freedom.

The Sacrifice of Service

Memorial Day calls us to honor those who laid down their lives, much like the soldiers in this photograph who may have perished in distant battles. Their sacrifice echoes the greatest sacrifice of all—Jesus Christ, who gave His life for our salvation. In John 15:13, Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” The soldiers in this photograph, including the Japanese American who served despite the looming shadow of internment, embodied this love, risking and often giving their lives for their country and fellow man.

The Bible offers another parallel in the story of David’s mighty men, particularly the three who risked their lives to fetch water for their king from the well of Bethlehem (2 Samuel 23:13–17). Their act was not just duty but devotion, a willingness to face danger for a cause greater than themselves. So too did the soldiers of Fort Sill, from every background, train and fight for a nation they believed in, even when that nation sometimes failed them.

The Urgency of Salvation

This photograph also whispers a sobering truth: we never know when our last day will come. For some in this battalion, 1940 was a final moment of peace before the chaos of war claimed them. James 4:14 reminds us, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” The soldiers in this image had no guarantee of returning home, just as we have no assurance of tomorrow. This uncertainty underscores the urgency of accepting Christ as our Savior, for as Hebrews 3:15 urges, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

The Japanese American soldier in the photograph faced unique trials. After Pearl Harbor, his family may have been interned, yet he served a nation that questioned his loyalty. His story mirrors the biblical call to persevere in faith despite adversity, as seen in Joseph, who remained faithful through betrayal and imprisonment (Genesis 39–50). Like Joseph, we are called to trust God’s plan and seek salvation with urgency, knowing that Christ’s sacrifice offers eternal life to all who accept Him.

A Call to Remember and Respond

As we honor the fallen this Memorial Day, let this photograph inspire us to reflect on both history and eternity. The men of Fort Sill, including my great-grandfather and his Japanese American comrade, represent the courage and sacrifice that built our nation. Their legacy challenges us to live with purpose, to love sacrificially, and to embrace Christ’s gift of salvation with urgency. Romans 10:13 promises, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Today, let us honor the memory of those who gave their lives by ensuring our own lives are anchored in the hope of Christ.

As I look at this photograph, I see more than soldiers; I see stories of faith, resilience, and sacrifice. Let us remember them not just for their service but as a call to action—to live boldly for Christ, to love others as He loves us, and to accept His salvation before our time runs out. This Memorial Day, may we walk in their legacy and in the light of the cross, ready for the day when we, too, will stand before our Savior.