Memorial Day Concert Honors Sacrifice（1/2）

It is a huge event, drawing hundreds of thousands of people to the West Lawn of the Capitol building in the heart of Washington. The concert is seen throughout the United States on public television, and around the world on the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.

Joe Mantegna, a versatile actor known for his work on stage, and film and television, was asked six years ago to take part in the ceremony. It was just eight months after a national trauma, the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on September 11th, 2001.

Mantegna says the commemoration that year made clear for him the meaning of Memorial Day.

"I wasn't familiar with the concert I hadn't seen it at that point. I go up on the stage. In front of me is the Capitol Building, the United States Capitol, lit beautifully. The American flag is flying on top. In front of me is a live audience of about 300-thousand people."

Mantegna says his job was to read the words of four New York firemen who were in the audience with their wives. All had lost sons on September 11th.