Memorial Day

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mach7

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A few incidents in the last few days have me thinking about the meaning of Memorial day.

My son graduated high school last Friday. It was a small private school and there were many functions to attend, the last was yesterday. At this function I was talking to the mother of one of my sons friend's mother. Her older son is in his second year at the Air Force academy. I spent 8 years in the Air Force, so I was interested in how he was doing. He is doing great, but her open hostility toward the military was shocking. She kept saying how she wish he had not gone and keeps trying to get him to leave. She DOES not want him to make a career of the Air Force.

Another was when I was running errands and a vet was collecting donations and giving out poppies at a local store. 90% of the people were just walking past and ignoring him.

Lets take a moment and reflect on what this day means. It's more than just just the first barbecue of the summer.
 
To all those who've lost someone in an armed conflict, anywhere, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family this (rainy) day . . .
 
THEWALL.jpg


KNUTSON, JAMES KEITH (SP4/Army) MARTINEZ, CA (August 15, 1968) - Class of 1966
PETTIT, CRAIG STEVEN (Navy/HN) MARTINEZ, CA (May 31, 1968) - Class of 1966

I did not forget you, my brothers in arms.
 
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We went to the Valiant Air Command Museum in Titusville and looked at the warbirds.

Thank you to all of those who have served.
 
In the Commonwealth and UK we remember our fallen on November 11. It's a different date but the idea is the same.
"They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them."
This is "The fallen" by Lawtence binyon and I belive it's theme is universal. My condolences to those who have lost loved ones in the US and elswhere in the free world. It only is because of what they did.
 
Do to rain yesterday, I had to finish up some hedge trimming this morning. It is so sad that there were only a few American flags on display this Memorial Day. Mine has been on display since Friday night. It is unfortunate that most folks think that this is a "free" day.
I guy I played football with died in Vietnam when I was a senior in high school. Pretty much the only direct connection that I had with someone killed in combat. I served over 21 years in the Air Force during the Cold War. There were lives lost there too. Many of my 7th Bomb Wing conventional troops served over in Desert Storm.

I guess my rememberance day is Veterans Day. My father served in World War II. If he hadn't come home after the two atomic bomb drops on Japan, well, I wouldn't be making this post. Had we not used the nukes, he may have been part of the invasion of Japan. I might not be making this post.

The mother that doesn't want her son to serve is too hovering and too forgetful of what it takes to protect our way of life and our Constitution. It is a cliche, but Freedom is no Free.

God Bless those who have served and honored our Country and especially those who have given the last full measure of service.

God Bless America.

Chas
 
Wow! A thread on Memorial Day totally ignored!:mad:

Thanks.

My uncle served in the National Guard with a Nike-Ajax battery outside of Cleveland Ohio. I called them today because my favorite aunt had a stroke recently and is aware, but can not speak.

Hope you all had a great picnic. I am awaiting Clara joining her sister, my Mother.

May be we need YORF's troll here.
 
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Thank you all This means alot. for both myself, my father and many others who i know and the families of thouse lost in conflects. Though I celibrate this day in solostice. For me it is a day to morn my friends and comrads as well as remembering family members past. We spend a part of the day visiting our fallen cleaning their gravestones and planting new flags. It is for me it is the only celibration needed.

When I meet thouse who are openly agenst the military I look at them and politly state. "If not for them you wouldn't have the right to B!@# and moan about them. It is they who give you the freedoms and rights you so openly share!" Whith that I walk away.
 
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We can never repay the debt owed to our military service men and women. All gave some, some gave all. Some volunteered without being asked, some answered the call of their country. By their sacrifice we have the lives we have today.

I've pasted a little excerpt from the following website:

https://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

There is some debate as to the actual birthplace of Memorial Day, this is one version.
----------------------------------------------------------

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael replied with her own poem:

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.

She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. Later a Madam Guerin from France was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms.Michael and when she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children and widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children's League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans' organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their "Buddy" Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948 the US Post Office honored Ms Michael for her role in founding the National Poppy movement by issuing a red 3 cent postage stamp with her likeness on it.
 
To my grandfather William R Stanton SR., inerned at Arlington National, Battle of the bulge, 1st ID.
To My father William R Stanton Jr., U.S. Navy 1961-1964.
To all the guys I served with in the 2nd ID and the 3rd ACR. 1989-1994
To all who serve and have served.
God Bless You ALL!!
 
With Memorial Day 2010 coming up, I thought I'd bump
this thread to the top in solemn remembrance...
 
I think I'll just keep the thread going with the names of a few of my pals who gave their 'all' in different parts of the world...

...Sully
...Bianco
...Brooke
...Rogers

Although we had different backgrounds and philosophy's, it's an honor to have known you. We all shared a love of country, and although we were devoted to our duty, I know we damn sure didn't always have a love for that! :D;)

CHEERS MATES! :cheers:
 
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