Memorial Day

[Rudey]

http://www.usmemorialday.org/

As Memorial Day dawns and you all have your barbecues and extended weekends, maybe you'll have the time to reflect on what the holiday means.

In Chicago veterans are out in full force selling popies ($1) to support veterans in hospitals - veterans who are often forgotten even by our government, veterans with no living relatives, veterans who sacrificed for us. I don't know if they do this all over, but give if you can and keep them in your thoughts.

-Rudey

[DeltAlum]

Rudey,

Very nice. Thanks.

[Lil' Hannah]

I'm planning on going to the WWII memorial. I saw it when they still had the construction fences up, but it looks beautiful.

[dekeguy]

I am planning to go to the Veteran's cemetary in Hampton, VA, walk around the markers, and say to the ghosts, "Thanks guys, you are a hard act to follow and I appreciate all you have done for our country. When my turn comes to shuffle off this mortal coil I'll be honored to be among you. Save a cool one for me".

[damasa]

I always stop to realize what the day is about. I was born on Memorial Day.

[RACooper]

Originally posted by Rudey
In Chicago veterans are out in full force selling popies ($1) to support veterans in hospitals - veterans who are often forgotten even by our government, veterans with no living relatives, veterans who sacrificed for us. I don't know if they do this all over, but give if you can and keep them in your thoughts.

-Rudey

I thought the poppy thing was a Commonwealth tradition... well you live you learn.

[RACooper]

Today was an interesting day at the Soldier's Tower Memorial were I'm a guide, three visitors stood out amongst the 300 who visited today.

The first was an American student on a summer exchange who visted with I'm guessing his now ex-girlfriend... if I didn't know better I could have sworn it was Rudy... who spent his brief visit trying to convince the girl that none of the displays matter because Canada hadn't really fought in any wars, and the medals on display meant nothing because Canada doesn't have a real military so the medals were like boy scout badges.... the girl stormed out after I explained how Major Tilston won his VC and the guy laughed and said "nice story, who wrote it?"......
Lovely fellow I'm sure he'll win lots of friends this summer

The second visitor was an elderly woman who came with her grand-kids to show them the name of their grandfather in the memorial roll of students killed in WWII. She had driven all the way from Kentucky (were she was born and now lives) so that she could get a rubbing from the wall and find pictures of her late husband from the archives....

Finally the was the elder gentleman from Boston on vaction with his family who brought them in to show them what he did in the war (apparently he enlisted in the Canadian Army in 1940)... I did enjoy the look on his grandson's face when he pointed out and identified the different artifacts and people in the paintings.. but mostly I was touched about how the man wept reading the poem "In Flanders Field".
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/flanders.htm
When he was going to leave he wrote a cheque for $5000 as a donation to the tower....

This Memorial Weekend (as on Rememberance Day) remember to thank those that served, pray for those that fell, and to honour those still with us.

[A Random DphiE]

this "holiday" holds a VERY special place in my heart..

my father is a vietnam vet, and each and every memorial day & veterans day, we celebrate it as if it was his b-day...

we celebrate his sacrifices and his losses...
and thank God, we are fortunate enough to still have him around.

Hopefully next year (when i have a steady job of my own), i will be able to surprise him with a trip to DC for Veteran's Day... and give him the opportunity to experience the Vietnam Memorial firsthand... and perhaps give him the closure he longs for...

[Rio_Kohitsuji]

My dad is also a Vietnam vet, it's tough on him each year. He's lost a lot of his buddies. This year I'll be playing "Taps" again for the city's service. Maybe this year I won't cry while I'm playing.

[Tom Earp]

Rudey, well done.

My Dad, WWII still alive but not well.

Nice to have the WWII Memorial dedicated in Washington DC for Our Civilian Troops.

God Bless All of "OUR" members of the Military, Past, Present, and Current.

May The Current ones Be Safe!

Not to be remiss, even though Memorial Day is for American Troops, let us not foget those from other Countrys who are our Allies!

[honeychile]

One thing I've discovered while doing our family genealogy is that a member of my mama's family has served in every war that this country has fought, and not always survived. Just this past week, my mama mentioned that her (much) elder brother had died at Anzio beach 60 years ago to the day (24 May). It's sobering to realize how very many men have answered the call of duty to our country.

Btw, when my daddy died, almost two years ago, "Taps" was played, and the sailors there folded, then gave the flag on his casket to my mama with the words, "On behalf of the President and a greatful nation, we ask that you accept this flag as a token of gratitude for your husband." Never had those words meant so much!

We'll be leaving soon to put flowers on his grave, and that of my uncle.

[honeychile]

Godspeed to those who sacrificed all for our Land of the Free!!

[Tom Earp]

honeychile,

thank you with tears streaming down my cheeks!

That is beautiful!

My Flag is Flying in the wind!

[RioLambdaAlum]

My Daddy is a Vietnam Vet too. Each year he helps with a ceremony dedicated to the vets on Memorial Day unless he happens to be in DC at the time. I use to help at them but then when I went away to college I was never home for Memorial Day until we switched to Semesters and by then I always worked. Later today I am working on my birthday so I will miss it.

[mmcat]

21 gun salute and a wreath laying today at the fort bless cemetery here...
it's hard not to notice when you live in a town that's heavily driven by the army post.
god bless them.