Selfless acts of heroism by Americaís fighting men and women have made the country safe and protected the basic freedoms enjoyed by those back home, Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, told the audience at a Memorial Day ceremony last Monday afternoon.

About 300 people attended the ceremony at City-County Plaza, many holding flags and pictures of loved ones who had served. Many retired and active soldiers wore their uniforms.

He told the story of one such hero, Pfc. Charles George.

The 20-year-old sacrificed his own life to save those of his comrades in a trench during the Korean War, Shuler recounted.

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Members of the Asheville High Marine JROTC present colors at a Memorial Day ceremony in front of City Hall last Monday afternoon.

George was a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who had grown up in the Qualla Boundaryís Birdtown Community.

After being educated in tribal schools, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was sent to fight in Korea.

He and the rest of his regiment were ordered to scale a steep hillside in an attempt to capture an enemy soldier near Songnae-dong, South Korea.

The soldiers fought their way up the hill while ìreceiving a tremendous amount of enemy fire,î until they reached a trench at the top, Shuler said. ìThere, they engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat and they were victorious.î

In the midst of the fighting, a hand grenade was thrown into the trench. George pushed one man aside and threw himself on the grenade to protect his comrades.

ìHe sacrificed his life for our freedom and for our country,î Shuler told the audience.

For his brave sacrifice, George was awarded the Medal of Honor, the militaryís highest honor.

Shuler then announced that he had recently introduced legislation in Congress that would officially rename the Asheville Veterans Administration Medical Center in honor of George.

Michell Hicks, the principal chief of the Eastern Band, thanked Shuler for continuing the effort to rename the hospital, which was initiated by Shulerís predecessor, former Rep. Charles Taylor.

ìThere are many heroes over the history of this great United States and we all are very grateful to the ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice,î Hicks said.

In closing, Shuler noted that ìCongress has asked for all of us to continue to pray for our troops ... We will continue to make America the greatest place on earth to live. God bless you.î

Earlier during the ceremony, Mayor Terry Bellamy and Buncombe County Commission Chairman Nathan Ramsey also addressed the audience.

Bellamy honored the cityís police officers and firefighters, whom she called ìthe new soldiers on our homeland security.î

She noted that in the war on terror, threats no longer take place in distant countries, but ìin places like Oklahoma City, New York, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.î

She also acknowledged the cityís new committee for veterans affairs, a volunteer organization that helped organize the memorial ceremony.

Ramsey said that soldiers are responsible for safeguarding the freedoms Americans hold dear.

ìWe must remember, it is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of press ... It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the right to protest,î Ramsey told the audience.

In addition to the speeches, the service featured live performances of songs such as ìGod Bless the U.S.A.î and ìAmazing Grace,î the presentation of colors by the Asheville High Marine JROTC and the placement of a memorial wreath by Bellamy, Shuler and Ramsey to honor fallen soldiers.

H.K. Edgerton, a black Southern-heritage activist, attended the service wearing a Confederate Civil War uniform and waving a Confederate flag.

Edgerton is the former president of the Asheville branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Two trumpeters played ìTapsî and the Asheville Police Department Honor Guard fired a 21-gun salute to end the ceremony.

ó Jim Genaro