Memorial Day

I helped a group put flags on graves on those who had served our nation in our many wars. In the cementaries in our area there more than 1000. I think I helped with 200 or more.
Remember our fighting men everyone…It is our armed services that we owe our Ameican Freedoms to.

thank you for the post Susan

I honored our military by attending the Memorial Day parade in my city. Lots of people, veterans were saying thank you for our support. I started to get choked up, thinking about what they do.

I bought an American flag last year and I display it all the time except during bad weather. My Mom and I noticed alot of people put one out just for today in my neighborhood. I think many do not realize the significance and blessing of living in this country and how the military fights to preserve all that we have.

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND OUR MILITARY

well for one thing i’d sure like to see the va hospitals updated and better staffed. we have a good va hospital in houston thank goodness.

To my sweet son, nephews, niece, brothers, father, and husband, and all soldiers, and their steadfast families, I thank you, I support you, I love you.

I honor our fallen almost daily as I stand at attention when, at the ned of the Jim Lehrer news posts, in silence, photos and basic stats of our young who are now lost to us.

But I also, almost daily, see returning vets with many problems. We need to support them far more than we are doing.

Every day is a day of reflection in our home, particularly with many relatives serving. But I also give thanks to the many, known and unknown, who have served before them and made the ultimate sacrifice so that we might remain a free nation.

God help us prevent unnecessary future wars. God help us prevent politicians from playing power games with our honorable and precious soldiers’ lives, and also causing immeasurable suffering to civilians and military families.

My Dad was on the front lines in the Korean war. Never talked about it much. Said he was in a trench w other guys and they got fired at. The guy next to him got hit and he didn’t. He always wondered why when my Dad was single and his fallen comrade was married w kids.

He also said he was out in the jungle and someone pointed a gun at him. My Dad had to shoot him or be shot. When he went up to him he realized it was just a teenage boy. He was sick over it but had no choice.

I discussed the import of Memorial Day with my 16-year-old son. We watched part of a program on Congressional Medal of Honor recipients on PBS. And I related the story of Tibor Rubin, a Nazi Holocaust survivor who emigrated to the U.S., learned English to become a “G.I. Joe,” and, 50 years after being recommended, for more than one act of extraordinary heroism, was finally awarded the Medal of Honor. (When asked why he thought it took so long, he replied, ‘I guess they did not like my last name.’) (See the video on Atlas Shrugs, http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2008/11/tibor-rubin-g-i.html.)

Good movie, can watch online free:

Taking Chance Free

http://www.zshare.net/video/59654381a06fe012/

Today was Ancestors Day for my family. We honored all those who proudly served to fight against tyranny.
My father was in the navy in WWII.
My grandfather was a dough boy in WWI.
My great grandfather was a 2nd lt. in the Confederate Cavalry.
My great great uncle died at the Alamo.
My great great great grandfather fought in South Carolina in the Revolutionary War.
Ancestors fought at Culloden and Bannockburn.
I’m proud to claim kin to people who believed that freedom was worth fighting and dying for.

Portia, my thanks to your family as well; you have every reason to be proud. Bless them all.

I thought about my Uncle Philip, a man I’ve never met. He was killed in action at Anzio, eight years before I was born. He was killed by a mine. No body, no headstone. There were so many killed in Anzio. It took months before his family was notified. 1943 seems a long way away. He lives in memory all these years and his time flowed into mine. I’ve never met him but I know and retell every story ever told about him. He smiles back to us from a photo taken somewhere in Europe, a soldier who looks very tired, flanked by his buddies, all three of them looking out from a picture frame. They smile across the years. “Don’t forget us. Don’t forget me.” We won’t.

Thank you, wodiej and Katmoon for your kind sentiments. I guess they’re why I care so much about what happens now and in the future. I feel like all our ancestors have left us a rich heritage and they don’t want it squandered.

FWIW I included my great grandfather’s service even though I know it will offend certain people. To them I apologize. I have no idea whether anyone in my family owned slaves or approved of slavery. They were in Tennessee at that time - a state divided in its position on that. All I do know is that he and his brothers believed they were defending their home and family. Again I apologize if it offends anyone.

Every day I say a prayer for all those out in the front lines …… may they all return home to their families.

JUST A COMMON SOLDIER

(A Soldier Died Today)

by A. Lawrence Vaincourt

He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast,

And he sat around the Legion, telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done,

In his exploits with his buddies; they were heroes, every one.

And tho’ sometimes, to his neighbors, his tales became a joke,

All his Legion buddies listened, for they knew whereof he spoke.

But we’ll hear his tales no longer for old Bill has passed away,

And the world’s a little poorer, for a soldier died today.

He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,

For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.

Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way,

And the world won’t note his passing, though a soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state,

While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell their whole life stories, from the time that they were young,

But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land

A guy who breaks his promises and cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and strife,

Goes off to serve his Country and offers up his life?

A politician’s stipend and the style in which he lives

Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that he gives.

While the ordinary soldier, who offered up his all,

Is paid off with a medal and perhaps, a pension small.

It’s so easy to forget them for it was so long ago,

That the old Bills of our Country went to battle, but we know

It was not the politicians, with their compromise and ploys,

Who won for us the freedom that our Country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand,

Would you want a politician with his ever-shifting stand?

Or would you prefer a soldier, who has sworn to defend

His home, his kin and Country and would fight until the end?

He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin,

But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict, then we find the soldier’s part

Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor while he’s here to hear the praise,

Then at least let’s give him homage at the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say,

Our Country is in mourning, for a soldier died today.

I was send this a couple of years ago. The poem reminded me of this. Be carefull, for this song by Trace Adkins might just bring a few tears to your eyes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOih0MHNmZU

Спасибо, интересно было прочитать.

It has rained for three days now, uncommon for our part of the country. The parades and cookouts were canceled and we stayed home.

We watched “Patton” on TV. There is one scene located in Italy on a battlefield where many bodies are lying ripped apart by shells and George C Scott as Patton says, “God I love war” or something to that effect. I don’t know if that was fictional or an account of something actually said by Patton. Does anyone know?

If it is true, I refuse to believe military leaders usually feel as he did. Surely the best leaders hate war and don’t relish sending men and women to their death and the best political leaders don’t lead our country into war without a strong imperative.

The Constitution gives the authority to declare war to congress only. It’s very specific. When was the last time our Congress declared war? I believe it was WW2. All other wars are unconstitutional. Our soldiers take a oath to serve trusting the government to be wise and careful when sending them into combat.

Just in case anyone thinks Memorial Day is not an appropriate occasion to discuss the legality of some of the wars our country has fought, I will say to you there is no better way to honor our soldiers than to protect them and families from politicians who squander their lives for ideology or power.

Hide the caskets and give no public recognition of the sacrifice to avoid reminding us of the cost of war so we can go shopping to save the economy from a catastrophe without guilt. Fire missiles and drop bombs so you never see the faces as I believe woodiej story so elegantly illustrated.

My Uncle Bill is one of the survivors of Iwo Jima still alive today. He lives in a small town in Texas and he is invited every year to march in the Memorial Day parade as the only resident of that town still living who fought in the Great War. He has to travel 70miles to Dallas for medical treatment covered by his VA benefits and his medicine.

I thought about him today. It’s so hard for him to go to the VA hospital and he can no longer march or even ride in the parade. According to my father, Uncle Bill has never talked about his experience in the war, but he’s always been a quiet man unlike his seven younger brothers who are very gregarious and outgoing. I know the VA does everything it can to help vets, but they aren’t ever high on the list of concerns in Washington.

Excuse my rant Susan, but I feel the best way to “Support Our Troops” is not flag-waving. Paying attention when congress or the president suggests cutting VA benefits and demanding an accounting BEFORE we go to war is the best way to honor those thousands of names on war memorials and those who wear the uniform of our country today and risk their lives in other countries. And as someone quoted Forest Gump on another thread, “That’s all I have to say about that”.

I spent the holiday at home with my kids watching a select collection of movies. The Longest Day, To Hell and Back, and Sergeant York. When my sons are a bit older, Saving Private Ryan will be added to the list as it portrays a much more realistic view of WW2 even though it’s fiction.

We usually celebrate Veteran’s day. I come from a long line of people who have served this country, as well as myself and my brothers. Almost all of my cousins have served. My Great Grandfather served in World War 1. My Grandfather and his brothers served in World War 2. Along with my Grandmother’s brothers. They’re a platoon by themselves when you take into consideration just my two Great-Grandmothers on my maternal side had 34 children between the two of them. There was never a question of serving for them. Some in the Korean War. My uncles all served in Vietnam. My father served 12 years.

But, today was a day to remember all those that sacrificed all they had to give. We watched a couple Memorials. Had a cook-out. Then, we had a moment of silence and reflection to remember both my cousins who lost their lives in Iraq. We said a prayer for those that served and are still serving this country with honor, pride, courage, and love for this great country. We also gave thanks for the sacrifices they made/make everyday for each of us. Then we lit a candle in remembrance.

To be honest, I am a Vet and most of us don’t want all of the accolades - for me, I would be honored if EVERY citizen of America and this 3rd Rock from SOL would just live their lives the best way they can and take care of their own families and stay on their own side of the fence when it’s posted that way AND if there is a penny or a minute left over? Give back if you can.

I’d gladly serve again for those freedoms.

I finally looked up the listing on The Wall of the husband of my friend. He was a Navy pilot who was killed in Vietnam. The Washington Times provided a link to an interactive search. He was 34 years old when he died in 1966 and left his wife and 3 children.

I had many high school friends that fought in the Viet Nam War, and didn’t come home alive. There were too many to count. It was half of our graduating class. On “60 Minutes” Sunday May 24th, Andy Rooney had a very reflective comment on Memorial Day. I hope some of you watched it.

As a former Marine, obviously my prayers go out to the men and women of our Armed Forces on Memorial Day. But in a quiet place in my heart, I also offer my thanks for those intelligence officers who serve in silence in many dangerous places abroad. Every day, I pray that they are not compromised. Some spend entire careers alone in some of the most inhospitable, distant reaches of the globe. Can you imagine what it must be like to be a nonofficial cover officer in Iran for several years? Can you imagine what it must be like for that officer to hear the Speaker of the House claim that the CIA constantly lied to her and other Members of Congress? Surely something to think about.