By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

On Central Hill Park outside City Hall and Somerville High School sits the Somerville Honor Roll, listing the names of service men and women who served our nation in World War II, along with some who served in the Korean War. Stepping inside the memorial, your eyes fall upon a list of names, a common sight in cities and towns across our great country. This Memorial Day, I invite you to join our Memorial Day remembrances, stepping off at 8 a.m. from American Legion Post #19, and join us in placing wreaths at the Honor Roll and other memorials along Central Hill Park. Or, if you cannot attend the remembrances but are coming for the parade, before the parade steps off from City Hall at 1 p.m.—or afterward—take a moment to step inside the Honor Roll. And then take a closer look at the names memorialized on its walls.

Woo Hock Kun. Sarkis A. Nalbandian. G.T. Papageorgopoulos. Our country has long been a beacon of hope and promise for immigrants from around the world. That’s particularly evident here in Somerville, a city where immigrants make up the core of who we are as a community. Somerville has always been a gateway for newcomers. From the Italians, Irish and Greeks who came to our city in the early part of the 20th century, to the Portuguese, Brazilians, Salvadorans, Haitians, Tibetans, Chinese and many others who have arrived since, every one of these hopeful individuals seeking a new life chose Somerville—and then they became Somerville. And Americans.

Gabriel Rodrigues. Donat Lebrecque. Helen C. Kaukiewicz. Immigrants have given us so much of what makes Somerville stand out today, including our diversity—and our tenacity. For immigrants, their children and grandchildren, the will to not only survive but to succeed in a new country is woven into our DNA. So is commitment to our communities and our nation—a commitment evident in the names on the walls of the Somerville Honor Roll, and memorials like it across the United States.

There is a storied history of newcomers to the United States enlisting and defending their adopted homeland. By the 1840s, half of all U.S. military recruits were born in foreign countries, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Today, almost 5 percent of active-duty service men and women in the Armed Forces are foreign born, including 11,000 women. Each year around 8,000 noncitizens enlist in the U.S. military.

Julio Souza. James A. Corria. Lewis M.D. Siegel. Eight years ago, Sen. John McCain spoke before the Senate Armed Services Committee and noted that more than 20 percent of those who have received the Armed Forces’ highest honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor, have been immigrants. Sen. McCain also noted that immigrants led to the creation of the submarine, helicopter and ironclad ship, and that in World War II, the most decorated regiment of its size was a team of sons of Japanese immigrants.

On Memorial Day, we honor those who gave their lives in service to our nation. As we remember their sacrifice, we should also pause to reflect on not only what these service men and women did but who they were. Many of them were immigrants or the children of immigrants, like the names listed on the Somerville Honor Roll. They came to this country seeking a better life for their families. They sought opportunity and wanted to make their hopes and dreams a reality—as we all do. And in pursuing those hopes and dreams, they also gave back to their communities—and some gave, as Lincoln said, the last full measure of devotion.

When Sen. McCain addressed the Armed Services Committee eight years ago, he also read to the committee a letter from Gen. Colin Powell, himself the son of immigrants who came to the U.S. from Jamaica. “The burden of defending our ideals and freedom has always been shared by those who were not yet citizens,” Powell wrote. “I have witnessed time and again the bravery and valor of soldiers defending a country that they consider their adopted home. They are grateful for the opportunities the United States provides and we are grateful for their sacrifices.”

We in Somerville are grateful, too. This Memorial Day, as we honor and remember our fallen service men and women, let us take the opportunity to reflect on the building of our country, of our community, and the many from around the world who have given to our country, served our country and made our country and community the great place we call home today.