"The Last Full Measure of Devotion"

"The Last Full Measure of Devotion"

In the May 8, 1945, edition of The Bee newspaper (Danville, Virginia), Riverside and Dan River Cotton Mills, Inc., published a full page tribute to the GOLD STAR men of Riverside and Dan River Cotton Mills who died in World War II. Victory had been won in Europe, but the Pacific war continued.

"On this page, as in the hearts of those for whom they fought, are inscribed the names of men who will not come back.

"These are the men who have given the last full measure of devotion . . . the GOLD STAR men of Riverside and Dan River Cotton Mills . . . men who left their homes, their work, their security, and their future, to fight for the cause of freedom.

"Each name is a reminder of the awful cost of Victory. Each name should also be a reminder that we owe these men more than honor and glory, more than words of praise . . . a reminder that Victory in Europe is only part of the cause for which they died.

"Read each name carefully. You knew many of these men well. They were your fellow citizens . . . your fellow workers. If their sacrifice means anything at all, it means that we must work still harder, in the days ahead . . . that we must dedicate ourselves to a renewal of effort . . . that we, too, must give the last full measure of devotion until final Victory and peace are won."

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