Memorial Day

[TALON]

Happy Memorial Day everyone. Being a history buff & an avid sports fan I am impressed by athletes that serve the USA with honor. Most people today know about Pat Tillman, and some people my age (old) know about Jerry Coleman & Bob Feller.
So may I present to you two lesser known athletes:
Major Stephan C. Reich https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_C._Reich
& Moe Berg https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_Berg
Hope you enjoy, thanks to ALL members of the U.S. Military & GOD Bless AMERICA.

 

[KennB]

The laying of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers is one of the more impressive ceremonies of the day. It will be covered on C-SPAN at 11 AM EDT live and repeated twice more today.

As a primer to that event, here is a recent video of the changing of the guard at the tomb. Start the video then click on the title at the top of the video to go to the You Tube page, expand the description for more information and watch this full screen in HD. PBS or C-SPAN did a longer documentary some years ago that took you behind the scenes with the guards to see all the preparation that goes into this solemn duty. A very interesting and little known part of our country.

[video=youtube;4utXb3auOew]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4utXb3auOew[/video]

 

[cwbullet]

As you sit at home or wherever you might be, I recommend that we all reflect on what this day is about. It is about more than days off and barbecuing with the family. I personally am at NSL, but we will take a moment to focus on those who gave a sacrifice either the ultimate or otherwise for their country.

 

[Peartree]

Here is my bit for the day reposted from my blog: "This is Not Barbeque Day"

 

[tightwad]

Talon, Memorial Day should never be a happy day. It is a somber day, where we thank those who have served and for their sacrifice to this great country. I know that you meant no disrespect to those who served and died.

 

[TALON]

Tightwad, I apologize for the insensitive way I stated my greeting for today. Although it did not feel right in the way I phrased it, my lack of vocabulary & laziness inhibited me from deeper thought for a way to put it. Thank you for making me use my brain. I hope you approve of me phrasing it this way. May we all have a Grateful Memorial Day. Grateful for our freedom & the people who made it possible with their sacrifice.

 

[tightwad]

Tightwad, I apologize for the insensitive way I stated my greeting for today. Although it did not feel right in the way I phrased it, my lack of vocabulary & laziness inhibited me from deeper thought for a way to put it. Thank you for making me use my brain. I hope you approve of me phrasing it this way. May we all have a Grateful Memorial Day. Grateful for our freedom & the people who made it possible with their sacrifice.

Excellant! I like that and I will use it.

 

[Screaminhelo]

Talon, Memorial Day should never be a happy day. It is a somber day, where we thank those who have served and for their sacrifice to this great country. I know that you meant no disrespect to those who served and died.

Today is a bittersweet day. I am proud to call the fallen my brothers and sisters. If I were in differentall surroundings, I would be celebrating their service and sacrifice at this very moment. At the end ot the day, I would raise a beer in their memory and thank them. Then I would raise a second and say "But for the grace of God, there go I."

On Memorial Day, celebrate our freedoms while remembering their cost.

 

[o1d_dude]

45 years later, the pain is still there.
I did not forget you, my brothers in arms.

 

[Crash-n-Burn]

Memorial Day is more than bittersweet or somber, although those emotions are an important part of it. Memorial Day flag protocol stands as follows: raise flag to full staff, then immediately lower to half staff. At noon, raise flag to full staff for the remainder of the day. The signifigance of this, to me, is to recognze and mourn for those that paid the ultimate price for our freedom, but also to celebrate and acknowledge our ever-lasting vigilance and endurance to protect those ideals we hold so dear.

Memorial Day should include a celebration. Those that have gone before us would want that, I think. As a U.S. Army veteran myself, I took time to personally acknowledge my military brothers and sisters and now watch my two boys play in a sprinkler in the front yard without a care in the world. That is what we have earned.