Acts of courage and sacrifice highlighted Lehighton's United Veterans Organization Memorial Day observances Monday.

Second Lt. Matthew Stern enlisted in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 2001 as a machinist and was deployed to Europe in 2002-2003. He completed the basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course in 2008 and was a distinguished honor graduate from Officer Candidate School in 2014.He focused on local hero Leon Eckhart, who served in the Vietnam War."When the draft letter came, he didn't flinch," Stern said about Eckhart. "He went and served. He also put others first."On Sept. 22, 1966, Eckhart arrived in Vietnam. Feb. 22 marked the start of Operation Junction City, one of the first large-scale operations. On Feb. 25, 1967, Eckhart was killed by enemy fire. He was the first of 39 deaths that day.Stern said many times, soldiers who are awarded with medals say they were not doing it for the prize, but rather for their battle buddies on each side of them.Another act of bravery was shown at Red Lion Elementary School, where Principal Norina Bentzel disarmed an attacker."She said that, basically, her love for her students just came out of her," Stern says.Bravery comes from the love of others, "And just as Spc. Leon Eckhart, we must have the personal courage to put others first, even when inconvenient," Stern says.The ceremony honored each branch of the military and POW MIA soldiers.Local Girl and Boy Scout groups and American Legion members led the group to the Lehighton cemetery.Raising the flag from half-staff to full-staff at noon commemorates fallen soldiers and living veterans, respectfully.Abigail Buffington and Ashley Beers read their essays about "What freedom means to me.""You have asked what freedom means to me, and my answer is, everything," Beers said.