Back in mid-March, I had the opportunity to visit the American Cemetery at Nettuno-Anzio, 38 miles south of Rome, Italy.

This is the largest cemetery for World War II servicemen in southern Italy. It contains 7,860 headstones and a memorial pavilion listing the names of 3,095 individuals who are missing in action.

As it was offseason for tourists, I had the privilege of being undisturbed to explore this immaculately maintained 77-acre memorial park on my own. One of my discoveries was seeing a large map showing the first amphibious landing of the Allies in Europe, the invasion of Sicily.

I recall my father telling me how his destroyer fired at enemy tanks on the beach during that battle. This experience of wandering about a cemetery that was created in the chaos of combat during the Allied assault on Anzio and Nettuno in 1944 was profound. It will be a Memorial Day I will never forget.

I want to share two photographs that illustrate particularly indelible impressions. The cross with that single rose was a total surprise, hidden amid a massed formation of white monuments. It was dedicated to William B. Jewel of Oklahoma. More significant, I think, is that he was still being remembered and acknowledged. That kind of acknowledgment is what Memorial Day is all about.

The other photo is a reminder of another purpose for Memorial Day, that of recognizing why — why these men and women died, and why they were there in southern Italy. This elegant statue of two soldiers, their arms over each others shoulder, that overlooks the whole cemetery. Interestingly, it isn't of a notable hero.

But it shows who the real heroes were and what they “wore” as armament.

This sculpture celebrates the guys who were naked to the biggest challenges and most perilous risks. I bet these were the guys — and millions like them — who inspired Tom Brokaw to write his book “The Greatest Generation.” It was truly an honor to spend the day with them.