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Memorial Day Concert: 'What America Needs To See'

By: Armando Trull // May 29, 2011
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Crowd watches the rehearsal for the Memorial Day Concert.
Armando Trull
Crowd watches the rehearsal for the Memorial Day Concert.

Yolanda Adams offered an emotional rendition of "Reach Out Your Hand." Later retired General Colin Powell spoke about the need to reach out to wounded veterans. Retired Command Sergeant Major Charles Jones shed quiet tears in his wheelchair.

"This is what America needs to see. They need to see more of this to understand the pain that servicemen and their families go through," Jones said.

Bent by age but unbroken, Jones said few are left of the band of brothers he joined 66 years ago.

"I went in the service in '45 so many of the ones I was with aren't here anymore," he said.

The Memorial Day Concert is Sunday at 8 p.m. on the west lawn of the Capitol.

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