This is an opinion column.

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This Memorial Day, I’ll be thinking about Corporal Hubert Devarney, Private James Wilkins and all the American soldiers who gave their lives during the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Wilkins was from Texas and Devarney was from New York. They were friends with Birmingham Black Barons legend Rev. Bill Greason. Greason called them closer than brothers. They were members of the original Montford Point Marines, the first Black soldiers to serve in the military since the Revolutionary War.

Greason returned home from Iwo Jima. His two friends did not. There were 6,821 American casualties during the battle and 19,271 wounded.

On Memorial Day, we eat BBQ, celebrate with friends and welcome summer. What is the cost of that freedom? It seems like such a vague idea, “the cost of freedom,” but Memorial Day is set aside for a reality we often take for granted. Men like Wilkins and Devarney paid for our freedom with their lives.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to Bethel Baptist Berney Points for a special event hosted by the Heart and Armor Foundation, a non-profit that supports health initiatives for veterans. The day was about remembering Devarney, Wilkins and other veterans who died while in service to the country.

Heart and Armor was the group that organized a 100th birthday party for Greason at Rickwood Field in September of 2024. Based out of San Francisco, Heart and Armor was back in Birmingham to remember those who died serving the country, but also to introduce veterans to Rev. Greason, a living legend who channeled his traumatic experiences during the war into positive growth later in life. That’s hard to do, and Heart and Armor has been working with Greason over the past several years to try and better understand how he did it.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is often debilitating for veterans. Sometimes, though, people can use their experiences with PTSD to grow. Researchers like Gerard Choucroun, the executive director of Heart and Armor, want to know more.

“Scientists and people who run non-profits can talk about this until we’re blue in the face,” Choucroun said, “but when you have a human example of it with a hero’s journey who simplifies it, it is incredibly valuable.

“Obviously, Rev. Greason is historically important. Obviously, he is spiritually important. But there is a lot of secular and psychological lessons with him, too. Honoring him is really important, and we believe in that, but the bigger way to pay tribute to him is to listen to him and to learn from him and to give him the attention he doesn’t seek and almost avoids.”

Everyone remembers the iconic WWII photograph taken by Joe Rosenthal of the six U.S. Marines raising the American flag over Iwo Jima. That day was Feb.23, 1945. Four days earlier, Greason, Devarney and Wilkins landed on Iwo Jima with the 34th Demolition Company.

Those charged with demolition played a vital role at Iwo Jima. They went in first and cleared the battlefields.

Among their detachment of Montford Point Marines, Devarney was first squad leader and Greason was second squad leader. Their assignment was to remove the dead, dying and wounded soldiers off the field of battle.

Devarney and Greason shared great respect for each other. When Devarney was mortally wounded, it was Greason who risked a court martial by carrying his friend to the medical tent.

Greason prayed with dying soldiers at Iwo Jima. He offered peace and comfort amid hell. It’s hard to even imagine.

After the war, Greason played for the legendary 1948 Birmingham Black Barons and mentored a young Willie Mays. Mays went to the New York Giants and Greason played for the St. Louis Cardinals. After baseball, Greason returned to Birmingham and worked in the city. He later became the minister at Bethel Baptist Berney Points and has been behind the pulpit for 53 years.

PTSD can take years away from those who have experienced trauma. Greason is 100 years old. How has it done it?

“He is funny and he smiles and he laughs a real laughter,” Choucroun said, “and he is funny for other people, too, and he is gracious and kind. And it’s not just a cute personality trait. There is some serious strength underneath that, so from a post-traumatic stress disorder and growth angles, it’s incredibly significant and there is a lot to take in.

“The closer you look at Bill Greason, the more interesting and complicated he is.”

Greason has been blessed with an amazing life. He gives all of his thanks to God for the ability to help others.

And at 100 years old, he’s still sending out brilliant words of wisdom.

Rev. Greason gave the final prayer for the veterans who attended the Memorial Day event at Bethel Baptist. I was thunderstruck by his words when, during Rev. Greason’s benediction, I came to realize that those gathered together were engaging in prayer with someone who once spoke to God for men as they lay dying on Iwo Jima.

Here is his prayer in full. Feel his words. On this Memorial Day, be inspired by the strength of Rev. Greason.

“Let us pray:

“Father, God, you’ve heard from your people here who had relationships with some of your children who have already gone. We thank you for the privilege you afforded us to enjoy fellowship with our brothers and sisters. You blessed us in every way possible, kept us safe, un-hurt, unharmed — you blessed us to have friends that we have here today.

“And we want to thank you for the privilege you afforded us to live on a little while longer. Not asking much, but would you be pleased to bless those who remain, and who are here even on this day?

“Bless us with the blessings we stand in need of. And, Lord, they may not know it, but my heart is full of joy at knowing they remembered some of the servants that served you.

“Bless our coming together. Don’t let it be in vain. Bless our friendship, kinship and bless all we are duty bound to pray for … We look forward to being with them when our summons comes to join that innumerable caravan, which takes us to its silent halls of death.

“Bless us now, so that we may be a blessing to others. And if we are failing in any way, please forgive us.

“Bless those who have come from distant places. Keep ‘em safe. Enable them to return to their homes. Thank you, Lord, for all you’ve done, are doing and are going to do. I ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

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Joseph Goodman is the lead sports columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and author of the book “We Want Bama: A Season of Hope and the Making of Nick Saban’s Ultimate Team.”