Memorial Day

[teach]

Thank you to all those who have served or are currently serving our country. Where would we be without your sacrifice.

[Skyowl's Wife]

Thanks for reminding, Teach!

[pathfinder3081]

And a Happy day for us all, let us remember them all. Short story: I just return home from the state park, went there to grab a campsite, wife gets off of work shortly.
I pull up to the site start completeing the set up and start to hoist the tarp over the table. An older man walks up, "Looks like you can use a hand"... He is wearing a navy siganture hat noteing a ship. +RETIRED (smile) I extend my hand, give him my name and say United States Marine. Big smile comes to his face, he holds the pole as I stake out the poles. "I was with the Marines he said, 18 years." I get a little chill, " he was a corpman..." Why this comrade crap brings memories, laughter and tears to me?
I am giddy still and talk to him about my own father; Korea and Veitnam... He says "me too". He is the "camp host" this week at the park and I have the honor of being right accross from his 1975' motorhome (it is mint condition~!)
He has a Marine Corp Flag! Navy Flag and the good ole stars and stripes. Hanging at his campsite. No desk top stuff either. 3' x4'...he has.
I miss my father, I miss my comrades not here anymore.. I think before we bug out, I am gonna bake a cake.. Light the candles and blow them out with this Salior and his wife this weekend.
Freinds, we are surrounded by youngs ones, old ones too. No one gave more than the other, but the older ones wont have the time to hear your thankful words much longer.
To the Sailor, the Soilder, the Airman, and the Marine... Gods peace and my respect. PF

[unswydd]

Thanks for the reminder too Teach!
PF,
Great story. I'm glad you got to meet him and thank him. I always go to our town parade and for the taps at the park. I get really teary and hide behind a tree. I miss my dad too. He was in Pearl Harbor, lost a lot of buddies and his best friend from home. I didn't get to know him very well and therefore didn't get to thank him enough. Is it ever enough? I doubt it. So I thank those I can.

Thank you to all on this site who gave and are giving now.
I will be at the parade on Monday come rain or shine, it usually rains tho. I will be saying a very special prayer for our troops.

[monet861]

I agree, great story. I find it amazing the number of people (inspectors, suppliers, buyers, etc.) I run into and we start chatting about whatever and it turns out they or their children served and we always find some common stories. For me the first question is alway about where I went to boot camp and being on the East coast that is usually one of the similarities. Gotta love Parris Island during the summer.

It makes me a little sick at how forgetful people have become though. We fly old stars and stripes everyday and I have both my grandfathers flags on my mantle. We drive through the neighborhood and rarly see any others except for Memorial Day and 4th of July.

[Mags]

Always Remember, Never Forget............ Amen & Amen.

[themachenic,]

i am a navy vet thank you all for remembering us!!!

[coxmw]

Never forget.

Mike
US Army '86-'92

[Skyowl's Wife]

Ahhhh, American men!

Yes, that is a little sexist, but it's been mostly men who have died on the battlefield for this country.

To win our freedom, 25,324 proto-Americans died in the Revolutionary war. What their deaths mean is personal to each of us, depending on the place in your heart for this country. I happen to think it's the greatest force for good that has ever been seen on the face of the planet. All of those we honor today were the instruments of that good force!

The Civil War, the "War of Northern Agression" to some, was waged to remind the FedGov that the states hold the keys to the "UNITED" states. A happy side effect of that war was to end slavery earlier than it would have - it was dying anyway. The most deadly conflict we've been in, 618,222 Americans died in that war, the most horrible of family squabbles. More will probably die in the next one. :(

There were several smaller wars (Mexican, Spanish, War of 1812, etc.) prior to World War I. Almost local clashes.

The reasons for WWI are contradictory. Some say it was because Wilson was a fascist and the fascist religion-of-the-day was militarism and nationalism. Some say it was because of the many alliances that existed at the time, and since our allies were under attack, we were under attack. Suspect it's somewhere in between those two. American dead from all causes was 116,516. It's interesting to note that more died from disease and accidents (63,114) than war wounds (53,402). I have read that the "Spanish Flu" is what actually ended that war. There were so many sick and dead that no one could field an army. In any event, we honor those 116,516 Americans, even if the reasons for the war were suspect.

WWII causes are considerably more clear cut. Alliances in Europe and a sneak attack on Americans in Hawaii. America's "Greatest Generation" fought that war, with the support of most of America. 405,399 died defeating fascism. When I think of "war dead" it is usually these or those from Vietnam that are in my head. The WWII Memorial on the DC Mall is a beautiful one, if you get a chance to see it, do!

The Korean war was to stop another flavor of socialism being spread by the red Chinese. 36,568 American men and women died, but the Reds were stopped in Asia for the time being.

And then came Vietnam. Oy vey. Vietnam invited us to assist them stop the incursion of the Red Chinese part II. We started out with advisors and grew to an undeclared war. 58,177 Americans died, mostly because the libs in the White House wouldn't let the military do their jobs, micro-managing the war from DC. It has also been suggested that this war was prolonged because libs wanted to get richer, since they were in charge of the military-industrial complex that they bleat about today. [/rant]

The Gulf War "only" killed 383 Americans. We had learned to "soften up" our targets from afar, saving many American lives. YAY! We threw another flavor of sociailist, this time Islamofascist, out of an allied country they had invaded.

The Iraq/Afghanistan War has been fought, you all know the reasons... We've lost, as of 24 May 2009, 4962 men and women. They fought and died over there so we don't end up with homicide bombers killing people at the mall over here.

Each of these dead are honored, revered by most Americans. Tomorrow, we will probably go to the cemetary and share a moment of silence with them, maybe leave a boquet of flowers. Then we'll celebrate them by doing what they would probably have rather been doing, namely BBQing and spending time with family.

Thank you, gentlemen and ladies, I hope God has a FINE place for, and blesses, every one of you!

[Mags]

Nobody else posted...........****in' heathin' slackers!

I have many brothers in arms whom may seek refuge in the shadow of my shield anyday. It shames me that this thread didn't get more posts. :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

[Skyowl's Wife]

Not guilty.

I spent the day with my retired Army husband, marine son, army son-in-law, thinking about my stepfather buried in the close National Cemetary, my father-in-law buried in the one in Santa Fe, and my nephew buried in Arlington.

I spent the day before cooking everything in sight for those men.

Every man or women in uniform I see, I tell them, "We appreciate you!".

I run a lab to test computerized equipment and software for the military. I'm a bitch about it, too. I want absolutely the best product for the men and women who have made it so that I and my grandchildren can sleep at night. I want them safe and alive, I want them to be able to help the other guys die for their country. I'm not afraid to throw that in the face of a less-than-responsive developer. The military I work with love it, the developers - meh, not so much :D.

There haven't been many posts at all today, I suspect most were doing something similar. The Colonists are a supportive bunch, from what I've seen or I wouldn't have hung around.

[Bryon]

To all the military men and women out there, Thank you for what you do.



On Memorial Day, we honor and remember those who gave their last full measure in behalf of freedom and their Country. Here are some reminders for your edification.

In alphabetical order. Just Europe .



1. The American Cemetery at Aisne-Marne , France . A total of 2289 of our military dead.







2. The American Cemetery at Ardennes , Belgium . A total of 5329 of our dead.





3. The American Cemetery at Brittany, France . A total of 4410 of our military dead.





4. Brookwood , England American Cemetery. A total of 468 of our dead.





5. Cambridge , England . 3812 of our military dead.





6. Epinal , France American Cemetery. A total of 5525 of our Military dead.





7. Flanders Field , Belgium . A total of 368 of our military.





8. Florence , Italy . A total of 4402 of our military dead.





9. Henri-Chapelle , Belgium . A total of 7992 of our military dead.





10. Lorraine , France . A total of 10,489 of our military dead.





11. Luxembourg , Luxembourg . A total of 5076 of our military dead.





12. Meuse-Argonne. A total of 14246 of our military dead.





13. Netherlands , Netherlands . A total of 8301 of our military dead.





14. Normandy , France . A total of 9387 of our military dead.





15. Oise-Aisne , France . A total of 6012 of our military dead.





16. Rhone , France . A total of 861 of our military dead.





17. Sicily , Italy . A total of 7861 of our military dead.





18. Somme , France . A total of 1844 of our military dead.





19. St. Mihiel , France . A total of 4153 of our military dead.





20. Suresnes , France . A total of 1541 of our military dead.



Adding these all up that's 104,366 of our men and women.

We should continuously remind everyone of these sacrifices.

Never confuse arrogance with leadership.

We need apologize to no one.

As Americans, let's all look forward.











A government big enough to give you everything you want,
is strong enough to take everything you have.

Thomas Jefferson

[Mags]

That's the point SO's Wife. Taking a moment out of our busy day away from family, friends and loved ones so we're not just paying lip service.......

[Bryon]

Mags, I for one do not have a computer at my house. I had to wait until today to post.

[Mags]

No sweat man.......... Not really trying to point fingers, we could all do more. Just sayin' slapping that magnetic yellow ribbon on your car just doesn't get it.