By NB Staff (Bio | Archive) May 27, 2007 - 23:34 ET
Do any of your relatives have war stories from past U.S. conflicts? Is anyone you know currently serving overseas? Share these with us in our Memorial Day tribute.
My Grandfather, dad, uncles, cousins (male and female) have and or are still in the military. I have two or three cousins over in Iraq now. One is a female who drives a truck and she is my age, seven days older than I am.
My son just returned from Afgahnistan, and is in Germany now. I served in Vietnam, 1970. My father was in the Marine Corp. in WW2. My grandfather fought in France in WW1. My gggrandfather was in the 104th PA vol. in civil war. My ggggrandfather was in the War of 1812. And my gggggrandfather was in the 1st bn Philadelphia militia in the Rev. war. Every son has served this country with pride.
I am currently serving in Iraq. Today for Memorial Day we had a special lunch. It included steak, BBQ ribs, and BBQ chicken plus all the assorted side dishes you can imagine. They had the chow hall decorated with American flags and the tables draped with red white and blue table cloths. It was a great meal.
From a retired Iraqi Freedom vet, I salute you still in theater. We had lobster for Memorial Day and because it wasn't prepared properly by the Pakistani/Indian cooks, it made some of us pretty ill. Just a little funny story from 13 months in Iraq. Reminded us of our wives cooking (just kidding, honey).
All of us are thinking of you over there. May the Lord bless you all. Take care.
"Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."
- President George W Bush September 2001 speech to a joint session of Congress.
My Dad's eldest sibling, Uncle Rink, United States Navy: KIA September 15, 1942 aboard USS Wasp (CV-7) during the Guadalcanal Campaign. USS Wasp went to the bottom after being struck by three torpedos fired from a Japanese submarine.
Reluctantly, after consulting with Rear Admiral Noyes, Capt. Sherman
ordered "abandon ship" at 15:20. All badly injured men were lowered
into rafts or rubber boats. Many unwounded men had to abandon from aft
because the forward fires were burning with such intensity. The
departure, as Capt. Sherman observed it, looked "orderly", and there
was no panic. The only delays occurred when many men showed reluctance
to leave until all the wounded had been taken off. The abandonment took
nearly 40 minutes; and, at 16:00—satisfied that no one was left on
deck, in the galleries, or in the hangar aft—Capt. Sherman swung over
the lifeline on the fantail and slid into the sea.
God bless all of you that are or have served this great country, on this Memorial Day. It’s not about a three-day weekend or a day at the beach. It’s about remembering past and present people of the armed forces. That our freedoms reflect directly from their sacrifices. I hear a lot about the greatest generation. A man that landed on the beaches of Normandy raised me. That being said, the latest generation of military men and women should be very proud of their job. It’s an all volunteer military. You know if you volunteer you will be going to war. What kind of people does this? Someone who is first, brave, as well as patriotic, unselfish, honorable. Someone that marches to a higher calling. Someone like John Greenwood sixteen years old in 1775. He walked 150 miles with nothing but the clothes on his back to Boston to fight the British. Our country is built on the solid foundation of these great and brave men and women. When our country called they answered. These are the greatest Americans, ones who risk their very lives for our and OTHER PEOPLES FREEDOM. God bless each and everyone of you and God bless America.
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc.
Ronald Reagn- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
I am the son of a World War II/Pearl Harbor veteran. My father was in battleship row aboard the U.S.S. Maryland on December 7, 1941. He proudly served in the U.S. Navy throughout the war.
My brother served with the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam in 1969. He never avoided the draft, spent almost two years in the Army and served his tour of duty. He is a past officer in a area VVA chapter.
I am proud of both of them.
A blessed Memorial Day to our troops and law enforcement officers.
Lets see I have a few cousins that served in Army not sure when. I don't have much contact with them. My dad was drafted towards the end of World War 2 but the war ended before he deployed out. My uncle (Dad's side) served in both Europe and Pacific theaters of WW2. I was about 18 when my uncle showed me pics of concentration camps he helped liberate. On my mom's side 2 uncles served in the Army. One during the Korean conflict the other in Vietnam. 2 of my brothers served in the military. One a sailor the other joined the Marine Corp during the Vietnam War but did not deploy to Vietnam. I spent 14+ years in the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. Deployed to Operation Desert Shield/Storm and Iraqi Freedom. My nephew on the wife's side got back from Iraq earlier this year. He is an Army medic recently promoted to Sargeant. I am fortunate to not have lost any family members due to war though an uncle lost his foot to a land mine. I dont remember if that happened during Vietnam or Korean War. God Bless those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this great country.
USA4freedom I have not this year but last year I participated in a large argument on Memorial Day on the Charlie Rose forums. Libs basically used Memorial Day to spit their anti war rants. Me and handful of others argued that Memorial Day should be for giving praise to the troops not for speaking out against the war. Needless to say it got ugly. Laters I have to get back to work:(
I am truly blessed to have been given the opportunity to serve this great nation. I served from 1982-2002 (USAF) and been involved in just about all the conflicts during this time frame (Flight Engineer, C-141B). I come from a long line of family members who served going back to the Civil War. My cousin served as a B-17 waist gunner during WWII and completed 25 bombing missions into Germany and Nazi held territory. My wife's grandfather drove a landing craft on D-Day. I am proud of my family's military heritage.
This day is truly a memorial to all those who served and serve this day. Let us not forget them or their sacrifice. God bless them and this great nation!
Some veterans bear visible signs of their service a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye. Others may carry the evidence inside them a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg - or perhaps another sort of inner steel the soul's ally forged in the refinery of adversity. Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem. You can't tell a vet just by looking.
What is a vet?
He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out of fuel.
He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel.
She - or he - is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang.
He is the POW who went away one person and came back another - or didn't come back AT ALL.
He is the Quantico drill instructor who has never seen combat - but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs.
He is the parade - riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand.
He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass him by.
He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb Of The Unknowns, whose presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep.
He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket - palsied now and aggravatingly slow - who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come.
He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being - a person who offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.
He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.
So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say "Thank You." That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded.
Two little words that mean a lot, "THANK YOU". added 11/10/06 He was my father, a man whose departure has left a pair of shoes that I can't fill by half.
He was my friend. He watched my back when I was watching his.
He was the high school classmate whose body was never recovered.
He was everybody's dad back in the 50's, and we were all proud of them.
He was the nameless Lieutenant who wiped the spit of demonstrators off his clean uniform.
He is my brother, my cousin, my uncle. He was our grandfathers. And he was at times afraid, but he did his duty in spite of his fear, because he thought we had something worth fighting for.
Added - 5/28/01 - when you hear the booming sound of a military jet over head, or the crisp slicing of a US warship through the water, or the creaking of large tank threads on the ground - THAT, is the sound of freedom.
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dadV
To those who have gone before us---and those who serve us now. I don't know if my poems are corny, but they come from deep inside of me. I hope you guys and gals in Iraq are checking in from time to time. I am , sometimes, very emotional. God gives us a certain span of years to be on this earth. To shorten those years to help others is a sacrifice beyond measure. I cannot quite find the words to tell you troops how proud I am of you. You stand in harm's way to protect us and to help those with whom you now spend your time. So, as poor as it is, I post it again. I pray , today, and every day for your safe return and for your victory.
Misterbill -- USN 1951-1955-- Korea
Remember
He's been lying there these 63 years
One would think I had no more tears
But it's like he just said goodbye
Walked away and could see me cry
-
And every year at the end of May
All his family and friends know the day
The day we pay tribute to those who fell
Gave life and limb to stop the hell
-
Of those who conquered Poland and France
And never gave those people the chance
To live their lives happy and free
In their own countries in liberty
-
So to the men of a beach called Gold
Where many of our soldiers lay cold
And to the boys of Pointe du Hoc
Who died climbing that terrible rock
-
We pray for you at the end of May
We wish you hadn't gone away
But we tell the world and tell them loud
Of all of you we are so proud
-
And this is true for the other lands
Where American blood seeped in the sands
Hate us if you must with all your might
But we will always do what's right
-
So bow your heads and say a prayer
And thank those warriors who let us share
A day of thoughtfulness and of love
While they look down from above
-
Father keep them in your hands.
Dad, Harry RIP
Where’s the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land? And the parent that wouldn't be honored by the sacrifice?
Thank God my Vietnam orders were rescinded at Oakland Army Base in June of 1972 and I was shipped along with damn near everybody on base to Germany. As a 2yr soldier, I lucked out.
I am going sailing today. I will fly a very, very, large flag that hung in my bar in Hoboken NJ, on 9/11.
I would bet that every person that has posted here today has the same reaction to the National Anthem as I do. My eyes water up.
I would bet that every person that post on the leftists sites have the same reaction to the National Anthem, they grind their teeth.
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc.
Ronald Reagn- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
If you still have that bar, I'll come vist one day, and raise a glass to those who have, now, and will serve. In the mean time, raise a root beer for Snoopy and Bill Mauldin.
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dadV
FastEd and USA---GI Joe and Willy--how well I remember them and Ernie Pyle. (In my older years, I used to live in Montvale NJ--had tickets to the Giants for 8 years.)
A puzzlement--As I best recall--I was very young---in the Stars and Stripes my brother used to send to us, were columns by a young reporter. Of course, after all these years, I have forgotten quite a bit, but I remember I liked his columns. I wonder happened to turn him (IMHO, like Murtha) into the person he is today.. Andy Rooney...
USA4---War story re: the National Anthem. I, like you, get emotional when they play the anthem. Many thoughts run through my mind, friends, experiences, memories of being in other countries and a feeling of intense love and gratitude for being born in America.
The story--I moved to Atlanta in 1996. To my surprise, I was able to get season tickets to the Falcons. The section I sat in included a fellow who talked throughout the playing/singing of the anthem. I glared, but said nothing. I renewed my ticket the next year and so did he. He was a verrry large man--I would guess 6' 4in. about 280-300 pounds. At the third game after the anthem, I turned around and from my lofty height of 5' 8 1/2 ins. I said to him--"If you open your mouth again while they are singing the anthem, I am going to step back there and we are going to have a fight. If I can risk getting my butt blown off for the country, I can risk fighting you. Show some respect to your country and those who fought for it." My friend who came to the game with me, thought I was going to get crushed, but before the man could respond, his group of friends said to him, "see, we told you you shouldn't do it and that guy is right". Well it's 8 more year since then and he is still quiet during the anthem.
God bless America!
Where’s the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land? And the parent that wouldn't be honored by the sacrifice?
Misterbill,
I was raised by my Grandfather who landed on the beaches of Normandy. His time in the war was just like the Band of Brothers; he ended up in a German villa in Austria, by a lake. He did not talk about the bad things too much. His friend was killed right next to him. How upset he got when he told me about a young German soldier he killed that was about my age (17) at the time. Mostly about how cold it was. He was so humble that when he was invited to the launching of the USS Normandy. He asked me, why would they invite me? How lucky was I to be raised by such a man? I always think of him as they play the National Anthem. His folded flag, now in a case is always on my mantel.
I understood the term: police up this room. ( the son/grandson of a master sargent.)
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc.
Ronald Reagn- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
USA4---I rather suspect---a man like that raised a grandson with the same love and respect of country as he had . The boys of Pointe de Hoc, Montecassino, and Gold, Omaha, Kwajalein to name a very few were a different and special breed. I followed the progress of the war, faithfully, every day in the newspapers and on the radio. I have a son who is only a few years older than my grandchildren and I was sharing with him, the absolute adoration the boys of WW2 had for their mothers. Mom and apple pie really had a meaning then. Life was less technically advanced, but more family oriented. As I enter the declining years of my life, I find myself, more and more, missing the simplicity, love and friendship of a world that seems to grow colder every year. I guess you can see why they were my heros.If you get a chance, read :
"The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors -- The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour" by James D. Hornfischer More about the boys of courage.
PS When Dad came home we had to put up with "tight corners" on the beds when we made them. Every Saturday and Sunday, we kids were to do most of the chores , so Mom could relax. He always made breakfast on the weekends. When we were punished we were "restricted to quarters". He was on the uSS Quincy on DDay. The ship was later transferred to the Pacific fleet. He never met up with my brother who was in the Marines until they were both home.
Where’s the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land? And the parent that wouldn't be honored by the sacrifice?
My dad was a twenty-year soldier and a veteran of the assault/capture of Peleliu; his unit was training for the assault on the Japanese mainland when the a-bombs ended the war. I did twelve years in the Medical Corps myself.
It isn't much of a story, but it might help asshats like Jonathan Alter understand how different they are from men in the military: I spent January through April 1993 in beautiful downtown Mogadishu. One of our patients was a young Marine sergeant hospitalized with one of the local mosquito fevers; he had come in hot and smelly, and his hair, skin, and clothes were all the same terra-cotta color from the red dust he'd been living in upcountry. He wasn't desperately ill, and there wasn't anything particular we could do for him, but we couldn't send him back to his unit until his fever went away. Within twenty-four hours he was pacing the ward, itching to get back to his unit.
"What's your hurry?" I asked. "You're sleeping on clean sheets, shower every morning, and get three hot meals a day." (This is as close as it gets to paradise for a Marine in the field.) "And besides, nobody's shooting at you in here."
He replied something along the lines of, "Sir, my buddies aren't getting any of this." (I should have seen that coming.) Then: "And I don't mind too much if somebody's shooting at me, because you know what? That's a problem I can fix."
I'm on my way out to honor our local heroes at the parade and wanted to stop by here to thank all of you who have served past present and future to help keep us safe and free. Thank you all for your brave heroic service!
I have one nephew David C. Westmoreland in Afghanistan. Also one nephew Mark Hill in Baghdad. God bless our boys and girls in the service of our country.
My appreciation and thanks go out to all fellow Americans who have served our country bravely. My dad was a master sergeant in the Army, as was two of my uncles and father-in-law, my brother-in-law was in the Navy, and my grandfather was a Seabee in WW2. I salute all of them, and all of you!
PSGT Johnny Quenga, SGT Oren Miller, SP4 Ronald Groff, SP4 Andrew "Ace" Johnson, PFC Raymond Rhamy, June 25, 1967. Rest well my brothers, we'll never forget. We gave'm hell didn't we.
FELIX DELGRECO represents the best ideals of "service to country."
He didn't fit the left's stereotype of enlisted military. He was from an upper middle class family and had been accepted at a top Northeastern college. He volunteered to go to Iraq, although his service in Bosnia exempted him.
Before leaving for Iraq, he set up programs to collect and distribute supplies to Iraqi children.
I camped with Felix many times in the Boy Scouts (he was an Eagle Scout) and he was thoughtful toward others, but fun, and he always had a ready smile. He was a gourmet camp cook, and he often played his harmonica around the campfire. Felix was very popular among the other Scouts and the Adult Leaders. There was always a group of boys around him. When he became too old to be a Boy Scout, Felix returned as an Adult Leader to continue helping younger Scouts grow.
Thank you, Felix. I'm proud to have known you and to have been your friend. I will always mourn your loss of life in Iraq and honor your memory...as I do all those who have lost their lives in service to our country.
My grandmother was a WWII gold star mother. In the window of her bedroom hung a small banner that had three stars on it indicating that she had three sons in the military.
She had two sons in the Army Air Force and one in the Navy. One son was a B29 mechanic stationed in Brownsville, Texas. One son was a Pharmacists Mate stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. The third son, the eldest, flew Night Fighters in the Philippines.
The third son, unfortunately, didn’t survive the war. He died of wounds he received when his Night Fighter was shot done. What made it doubly tragic was that it happened just weeks before Japan surrendered.
When my grandparents wanted to bring him home after the war, they were told that as his final request he wanted to be buried with his buddies in the Philippines. And there he remains to this day.
In remembrance of him, I keep a 5”x7” photo of him in his flight suit that was taken while taking flight training in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1942.
I also have a 20”x20” color photograph of the cemetery in the Philippines were he is buried along with a small insert of his grave site.
pocomoco---I remember well, the flags--I was 8 years old at the start and 11 years at the end. It took a while to get all the bad news, even after the war ended for the letters and that feared olive drab automobile to pull up in front of someone's house and a military officer would step out with an envelope in hand. I remember we were cautioned by my mother to be silent out of respect, when we passed the windows with the gold flags. We were blessed, our two blue stars came home unscathed.
Where’s the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land? And the parent that wouldn't be honored by the sacrifice?
Our daughter Carolyn is a 2nd class petty officer aboard the John C Stennis Aircraft Carrier (CVN 74) which many of you know is currently deployed in the Persian Gulf. This is her 2nd deployment since being in the Navy and has just re-inlisted for another 4 years. Her duties are to assist the air boss in the tower and coordinate flights on and off the deck. She is also trained to perform navigational tasks on the flight deck and is certified elevator and tractor operator.
She entered the Navy after graduating High School and was called into service because of 9/11.
She is on duty as we speak and the crew are experiencing very hard hours and very hot temperatures. Many of the missions are to support military ops in Afganistan and Iraq. She is a true warrior and proud American.
I moved into a house in Vancouver, WA about a month ago. Saturday I put up a flag, and got a set of solar-powered LED floodlights from Home Depot to light it up at night.
Lee T.
U.S. Navy 1984-2004 --> end of the cold war, Operation Joint Endeaver, Operation Joint Forge, Operation Joint Guard, Operation Iraqi Freedom (I stayed "on the bench" through Desert Storm/Desert Shield -- on active duty other places)
The history of the race, and each individual's experience, are thick with evidence that a truth is not hard to kill and that a lie told well is immortal.-- Mark Twain
My Uncle Bob was a bomber pilot during WWII. He and his crew were shot down and were taken captive. Thank God it was at the end of the War, he was awarded a Purple Heart as were the other surviving members of his crew. He lived to be 78, he died of kidney cancer.
He was a war hero, but he never talked about his experiences. My dad remembers when the family received news that his plane had been shot down. It wasn't for a few weeks that they got news that he was alive and being held captive.
My nephew serves in the Army and has done one tour in Iraq. We are all very proud.
A tired and disgusted Iowa soldier fired off an e-mail a few days ago, telling family and friends how things are going in Iraq.
A Blackhawk helicopter pilot, Chief Warrant Officer Jim Funk has flown more than 80 combat missions since he arrived there in October.
He described his Boone-based unit's successes after 5,000 hours of flying out of LSA Anaconda, a huge American base north of Baghdad. He talked about the tragedies he and his fellow Iowans have witnessed and his worries of becoming complacent as he goes on mission after mission.
Morale?
"We're treading water," the Ames man told the people closest to him. "We continue to kick butt on missions and take care of each other, even though we know the American public and government DOES NOT stand behind us.
Ohhhh, they all say they support us, but how can you support me (the soldier) if you don't support my mission or my objectives. We watch the news over here. Every time we turn it on we see the American public and Hollywood conducting protests and rallies against our 'illegal occupation' of Iraq."
His greatest frustration? The performance of the people who deliver the news to the American people.
I'll let him say it, in his own words, in the letter, which found its way to me:
"Hello media, do you know you indirectly kill American soldiers every day? You inspire and report the enemy's objective every day. You are the enemy's greatest weapon. The enemy cannot beat us on the battlefield so all he does is try to wreak enough havoc and have you report it every day. With you and the enemy using each other, you continually break the will of the American public and American government.
"We go out daily and bust and kill the enemy, uncover and destroy huge weapons caches and continue to establish infrastructure. So daily we put a whoopin on the enemy, but all the enemy has to do is turn on the TV and get re-inspired. He gets to see his daily roadside bomb, truck bomb, suicide bomber or mortar attack. He doesn't see any accomplishments of the U.S. military (FOX, you're not exempt, you suck also).
"Let's give you an example. A couple of days ago we conducted an air assault. We lifted troops into an area for an operation. The operation went well and our ground troops killed (insurgents) and took several prisoners, freed a few hostages and uncovered a weapons cache containing munitions and chemicals that were going to be used in improvised bombs.
"The next morning I woke up and turned on AFN (Armed Forces Network) and watched the nightly news (NBC). Nothing, none of that reported. But the daily car bomb report was reported, and the file footage was not even from the event. There was a car bomb in the Sadr City area and your news report showed old car bomb footage from another part of town from some other time.
"So we really set the enemy back that night but all the enemy had to do was turn on the news and be reassured that the enemy's agenda (objective) was still going to be fed to the American public.
"We, the soldiers, keep breaking the back of the enemy. You, the media, keep rejuvenating the enemy.
"How hard would it be to contact the PAO (public affairs officer) of the 1st CAV, 36th CAB, 25th ID or the Marines and ask what did you guys accomplish today - good and bad? How about some insurgent blooper videos? Now that would be something to show on the evening news.
"Media, we know you hate the George Bush administration, but report both sides, not just your one-sided agenda. You have got to realize how you are continually motivating every extremist, jihadist and terrorist to continue their resolve to kill American soldiers."
It's a punch in the nose to the news media from Funk, 39, a full-time employee of the Iowa National Guard.
Why did he write it?
"I am just tired of busting my butt over here and coming home every night and turning on the TV (Armed Forces Network) and hearing how we are failing miserably," he told me in an e-mail.
You may agree with what Funk has to say. You may not.
Many in my business certainly won't. But Funk is a soldier, fighting a war, who has earned the right to be heard.
aca - it's letters like that - prove the media is working for the oppositiona nd has NO patriotism - AND, they are cowards. They will never rspond here, for fear that their agenda will be exposed for all to see. Thanks to everyone who serves, had served, and like wished to serve. We sleep well at night because there are people who will protect us - and it ain't the media.
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dadV
My family served faithfully for much of the 20th century. We have been lucky in that we suffered no losses.
On my father’s side, my grandfather was in training camp when WWI ended. My dad was a Sonarman 2nd during WWII. He taught equipment repair at the Fleet Sonar School, Key West. At the same time my mom was a civilian secretary in the base chaplain’s office. After the war an earning his degree he work for Hughes Aircraft Company for 36 years, helping to develop such interesting things as the Sidewinder, Maverick, Phoenix, and TOW missiles. The TOW Field Test Set is his baby.
On my mom’s side of the family, an old boyfriend of hers was killed on the Arizona. Her oldest brother was exempt from military service because he was an aeronautical engineer employed by North American Aviation where he worked on the B-25 Mitchell. Her second brother was NROTC at the University of Minnesota, and after graduation served as ensign and lieutenant (jg) on Salt Lake City.
As for me, my feet are to flat and my eyes to bad to have served, much to my eternal regret. The last time I cried was when the campaign in Afghanistan started and I realized that this was the last great war of my lifetime, and I could not be an active part of it.
To Gramps, Dad, Uncle Bo, Uncle Scott and all the rest of you noble and gallant veterans: Thank you from the bottom of my heart! God bless you, and GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Evil usually triumphs unless Good is very, very careful - Leonard McCoy, Starfleet Medical Corps
First of all, I think the real meaning of today is slowly being forgotten. All too often, I see and hear the phrase "Happy Memorial Day" as if this was merely another day to celebrate time off from work, but it should be a day of reverence for all the American service folks who gave their lives in defense of our nation. I was fortunate enough to have served during a time of peace, but if I were of age today, I would most certainly enlist again. Not out of desperation, or a hopeless future, surely not for the money, but rather, an inner sense of obligation that seems so rare today among people.
To all my fellow vets - thank you for your service.
What a great topic to make us truly reflect upon this day....
Both my father and my step-father served in WWII in the Army Air Corps. My mother's brother was a naval officer in the Pacific. My mom was an executive secretary at Wright Aeronaticaul in New York and other production facilities for the duration of the war (and some of her stories are the best). My grandfather was an Artillery Officer in WWI.
The odd thing....my ex-husband and I were on our way to our first posting (Fort Riley) when Ronald Reagan was elected in a landslide three days after we were married (oh was he furious....a lifelong dem). We were stuck in a dry county.....that was quite the honeymoon....reporting in we went straight to tank gunnery to meet the colonel. I have to laugh at that memory.
To all of those who are currently serving to keep us safe, you have my eternal gratitude.
Occasionally, but not often, do I quote Biblical scripture, but John 15: 13 seems incredibly appropriate for this thread and this day: "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
That love must be even greater when a man or woman lay down their lives for folk they don't even know. For those on the religious left (if there is any such thing), for you to denigrate the sacrifice of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines is not only obscene, it is profane. You may be pacifists or conscientious objectors, or just in disagreement with this war, but do not profane this day. Lay aside your vitriol and display some gratitude for those who made the ultimate sacrifice in order that you might have the right to publicly object. You can take up your treasonous cause again tomorrow.
"A communist is someone who reads Marx. An anti-communist is someone who understands Marx." Ronald Reagan
From the Navy, by way of the USMC, for my father who now RIP in a prominent National Cemetary. He was a veteran of the V Amphibious Corps' assault on Iwo Jima. I'd trade all the pride in the world to have him back with us for a time. He wasn't ready to go when his time came.
I found a second one in the estate. It had 48 stars. I can only guess who that one that was for since I don't recall a military funeral in the family before 1959 back to when my memories stop. My best guess is that one is from 1945 and came from my grandparent's estate.
I found out recently that a cousin is currently back in-theatre in Iraq. His whereabouts are unknown, however he does frequently correspond with his mother. His service so inspired his brother, that his brother enlisted, and is due to be shipped out this summer, also to Iraq.
For those that doubt the quality of our services, I just want to take the time to thank the US Army for turning two promising young men into adults. Their service will not be forgotten.
I do ask, however for inspiration. I'm hoping to send the one in-theatre a package within the next week, however I've never sent a package to a soldier. His mother is expected to tell me some of the things he may want, however..... what else would a soldier want? Thanks!
Please make sure your train of thought carries freight.
Ditto, Amber. I met my husband in Kuwait in '03 and we had our honeymoon in Iraq in '04-'05. I'm out now, got the baby to take care of while The Man is in South Korea. If I may, I would like to share my own war story, which few people know...
The closest to Hell that I have ever been is in Kuwait, July '05. I don't remember where we were, but we were in the back of a modifed school bus/ambulance, waiting to be medevac-ed to Landstuhl, Germany. A July night in Kuwait is damn hot. I can remember every call and cry for water. And a soldier saying to the medics, "Give him my water, he's hurt worse". Before anyone gets any lofty ideas of me, I was on the back of that bus because I had my appendix taken out. I don't know how long we were on that bus, but I remember laying on a gurney, holding the hand of the guy next to me, who had been hit with an IED and I told him that we would be cool soon. I never knew his name.
My son Robert, Corporal of Marines, is serving in Iraq. His beautiful wife, also a Marine, came and spent Memorial Day weekend with us. She is a little more than 7 months pregnant with their first child - our first grandchild - and another future Devil Dog !!
Robert will still be deployed when his son is born - but he is taking it all in stride.
We ask only for everyone's constant prayers that all our soldiers, Marines and other armed service men and women stationed in Iraq and Afganistan come home safe to their friends and family.
Stickfarm "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
We ask only for everyone's constant prayers that all our soldiers, Marines and other armed service men and women stationed in Iraq and Afganistan come home safe to their friends and family.
My maternal grandfather, T.J. was on the USS Argon when it was attacked at Pearl Harbor, along with 2 of his brothers. My paternal grandfather, W. J. T., was the only survivor of a WWII plane crash. My father, W. C. T. served proudly in Vietnam. I have two brothers currently serving: Lt. AWT flies F-18s for our Navy (Stingers!) and just returned from deployment; and 1LT RTT is a Westpoint grad, boots on the ground in Iraq. He is in a cavalry unit (Crazyhorse!). I am overcome with gratitude and humbled when I think of the men in my family in service to our great nation. It brings me to my knees when I think of all men and women who have ever served. May God bless and keep you all. I pray for His supernatural protection over my brother and his men in Iraq, as well as all our troops. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Went to a Memorial Day Service put on by the VFW at the local cemetary. We were all encouraged to remember one of the fallen they had listed. Got home prayed, found his name here, and left condolences to his friends and family.
Supreme Court, National Security, Borders, Fiscal Restraint, my litmus test for President.
My older brother saw action in Panama with the Rangers.
I'm stuck stateside waiting to be medically cleared to join my unit. Did 6 years active the first go-round, took 12 years off, but I'm back on active duty.
For Memorial day, invited a bunch of guys who are heading over soon for a cookout. Very emotional time for all of us. Most of the guys either just got here or were waiting for babies to be born.
"We sleep safe in our beds, because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." George Orwell
Big Sarge - been waiting to relate this to someone who'd know - have fun with your brother.
"tis a marching cadance, relayed to me by an old friend, MP Korea - drives the rangers crazy, but . . .
While marching, the candance goes as follows: I don't go out with girls anymore, I lead the life of danger I stay at home and play with myself Weeee, I'm a Ranger!
When and if they they laugh - I owe them a beer!
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dadV
It occurred to me to remind everyone here - there is something you can do to honor the fallen and the still serving - not just on Memorial Day - but 365 days a year.
ANYTIME you see a member of the Armed Forces out in uniform, go out of your way to walk up to them and say "Thank you for your service. I appreciate your sacrifice." This honors not only the memory of the fallen, but the living as well.
One day up at the Marathon near us, a very nice fellow saw the "My Son Is A US Marine" bumper sticker, and came up and thanked ME for HIS service. Blew me away. It made my day for a week.
My wife knows the ritual by now - after four years. If there is someone in the mall or the store where we are at - my AFMRD (armed forces member radar detector) will home in on them - lol. I know how much it means to my son when he is traveling - he's had people fill his gas tank, buy him dinner - you name it. Those small acts of kindness go a LONG way to bucking his morale up.
Try it - I promise not only will the GI feel good - you will too !
Stickfarm "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
Stick - many years ago, (47, to be exact), I had the honor to be the American flag bearer in our annual Armed Forces Day parades, and, back then, folks DID show a great deal of respect to uniformed Armed Services people, and I know firsthand how good that felt. You and your family are to be commended for your thoughtfulness and kindness and GOD keep your US Marine safe and well.
Stick, as a current servicemember, I can atest to the fact that I am humbled anytime someone thanks me for my service. Each time it happens, I know deep in my heart that the sacrifices that my soldiers and I make are truely appreciated.
I know it's late in the day but wanted to add this story in memory of one of my uncles who served in the Canadian Armed Forces during WWII. He was near-fatally wounded by shrapnel while in a trench somewhere in Germany. He was a quiet person with a wonderful sense of humour. He married one of his nurses during his recovery and they were together for the rest of their lives. He passed away a few years ago in his late 70's and at his funeral, one of his war buddies told this story that none of us had ever been told. Apparently when he was wounded my uncle experienced his soul leaving his body and he found himself standing by a river. Across the river stood an angel who told him it was not yet his time, he must go back. At the end of his talk, his war buddy then said, "God has decided it is his time, and he has crossed that river now." There wasn't a dry eye in the room after that. May God bless all who have served and are serving, and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. We shall see them again on the other side of that river of God.
Amen to a beautiful tribute for your Uncle and all those that have given the ultimate sacrifice.
So many wonderful posts today and I want to take the time to thank all of you for giving me a wonderful rich history of what makes and continues to make this country what it is...and will stay....
My great uncle John was one of the victims of the "Bataan Death March." He was one of the first members of his family to be born in the U.S. (they were Polish). He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in his native Vermont, and ended up in the Philippines. He was captured there, and died due to the brutality of the Japanese.
Interestingly enough, I have a cousin on my father's side who was born and raised in the Philippines, and joined the Marines when he wasn't even a citizen. He is still in the Marines, and the last I heard, he's down in North Carolina.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
My Grandfather, dad, uncles,
May 28, 2007 - 00:12 ET byMy Grandfather, dad, uncles, cousins (male and female) have and or are still in the military. I have two or three cousins over in Iraq now. One is a female who drives a truck and she is my age, seven days older than I am.
::: waves to Heidi ::::
:o)
May the good Lord keep them s
May 28, 2007 - 00:18 ET by bigtimerMay the good Lord keep them safe.
All of them .....
I want to thank all for their sacrifices to keep us free....past and present....my gratitude is forever.
My son just returned from Afg
May 28, 2007 - 09:30 ET by danangvetMy son just returned from Afgahnistan, and is in Germany now. I served in Vietnam, 1970. My father was in the Marine Corp. in WW2. My grandfather fought in France in WW1. My gggrandfather was in the 104th PA vol. in civil war. My ggggrandfather was in the War of 1812. And my gggggrandfather was in the 1st bn Philadelphia militia in the Rev. war. Every son has served this country with pride.
God bless all.
Ben DYou went back there with
May 28, 2007 - 00:45 ET by MilesDBen B
You went back there with one arm
Harder working than ever
You're the greatest!!!
Hug to cc
me
My wifes Uncle is a Batan Mar
May 28, 2007 - 02:13 ET by Dan The Man 2My wifes Uncle is a Batan March survivor and my cousin lost his leg in Vietnam. Have some church brothers who have some over in Iraq.
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark. -- save my gun, shoot a liberal.
I am currently serving in Ira
May 28, 2007 - 04:34 ET by USMC1776I am currently serving in Iraq. Today for Memorial Day we had a special lunch. It included steak, BBQ ribs, and BBQ chicken plus all the assorted side dishes you can imagine. They had the chow hall decorated with American flags and the tables draped with red white and blue table cloths. It was a great meal.
Hope is not a course of action.
Thank you Marine
May 28, 2007 - 04:42 ET by Cool ArrowIt's war and I hate that you have to fight it. But it's gotta be done.
Come home safe in victory.
I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.
USMC -- sir, so glad you ch
May 28, 2007 - 06:02 ET by Jack BauerUSMC -- sir, so glad you checked in on Memorial Day.
Please accept my gratitude and congratulations (and all Newsbusters, I'm sure) for the great job you and all your comrades in arms are doing.
The honor and the victories of the US military in Iraq will echo through time.
From a retired Iraqi Freedom
May 28, 2007 - 06:05 ET by ArchConservativeFrom a retired Iraqi Freedom vet, I salute you still in theater. We had lobster for Memorial Day and because it wasn't prepared properly by the Pakistani/Indian cooks, it made some of us pretty ill. Just a little funny story from 13 months in Iraq. Reminded us of our wives cooking (just kidding, honey).
All of us are thinking of you over there. May the Lord bless you all. Take care.
"Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."
- President George W Bush September 2001 speech to a joint session of Congress.
Thank you for your service! S
May 28, 2007 - 07:26 ET by Steve08080Thank you for your service! Stay safe and God bless.
god bless
May 28, 2007 - 17:09 ET by tblotWe are thinking of all of you over there Stay safe and thank you for all you have been doing
My Dad's eldest sibling, Un
May 28, 2007 - 05:51 ET by John in CAMy Dad's eldest sibling, Uncle Rink, United States Navy: KIA September 15, 1942 aboard USS Wasp (CV-7) during the Guadalcanal Campaign. USS Wasp went to the bottom after being struck by three torpedos fired from a Japanese submarine.
Give a Democrat Party free America a chance!
Guadalcanal and Cindy Sheehan
May 28, 2007 - 05:54 ET by Cool ArrowI can hear Cindy Sheehan now'
Roosevelt lied, People died.
Gore lied, nobody fried
I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.
God bless all of you that are
May 28, 2007 - 05:58 ET by USA4freedomGod bless all of you that are or have served this great country, on this Memorial Day. It’s not about a three-day weekend or a day at the beach. It’s about remembering past and present people of the armed forces. That our freedoms reflect directly from their sacrifices. I hear a lot about the greatest generation. A man that landed on the beaches of Normandy raised me. That being said, the latest generation of military men and women should be very proud of their job. It’s an all volunteer military. You know if you volunteer you will be going to war. What kind of people does this? Someone who is first, brave, as well as patriotic, unselfish, honorable. Someone that marches to a higher calling. Someone like John Greenwood sixteen years old in 1775. He walked 150 miles with nothing but the clothes on his back to Boston to fight the British. Our country is built on the solid foundation of these great and brave men and women. When our country called they answered. These are the greatest Americans, ones who risk their very lives for our and OTHER PEOPLES FREEDOM. God bless each and everyone of you and God bless America.
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc.
Ronald Reagn- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
A proud son
May 28, 2007 - 06:20 ET by goldenthroatI am the son of a World War II/Pearl Harbor veteran. My father was in battleship row aboard the U.S.S. Maryland on December 7, 1941. He proudly served in the U.S. Navy throughout the war.
My brother served with the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam in 1969. He never avoided the draft, spent almost two years in the Army and served his tour of duty. He is a past officer in a area VVA chapter.
I am proud of both of them.
A blessed Memorial Day to our troops and law enforcement officers.
God bless America.
Has anyone look at the left w
May 28, 2007 - 06:26 ET by USA4freedomHas anyone look at the left wing blogs to see how they are celebrating Memorial Day? I bet that would be interesting!
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc.
Ronald Reagn- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
Lets see I have a few cousins
May 28, 2007 - 07:00 ET by jcrapes4Lets see I have a few cousins that served in Army not sure when. I don't have much contact with them. My dad was drafted towards the end of World War 2 but the war ended before he deployed out. My uncle (Dad's side) served in both Europe and Pacific theaters of WW2. I was about 18 when my uncle showed me pics of concentration camps he helped liberate. On my mom's side 2 uncles served in the Army. One during the Korean conflict the other in Vietnam. 2 of my brothers served in the military. One a sailor the other joined the Marine Corp during the Vietnam War but did not deploy to Vietnam. I spent 14+ years in the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. Deployed to Operation Desert Shield/Storm and Iraqi Freedom. My nephew on the wife's side got back from Iraq earlier this year. He is an Army medic recently promoted to Sargeant. I am fortunate to not have lost any family members due to war though an uncle lost his foot to a land mine. I dont remember if that happened during Vietnam or Korean War. God Bless those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this great country.
USA4freedom I have not this year but last year I participated in a large argument on Memorial Day on the Charlie Rose forums. Libs basically used Memorial Day to spit their anti war rants. Me and handful of others argued that Memorial Day should be for giving praise to the troops not for speaking out against the war. Needless to say it got ugly. Laters I have to get back to work:(
Military Service
May 28, 2007 - 07:23 ET by Steve08080I am truly blessed to have been given the opportunity to serve this great nation. I served from 1982-2002 (USAF) and been involved in just about all the conflicts during this time frame (Flight Engineer, C-141B). I come from a long line of family members who served going back to the Civil War. My cousin served as a B-17 waist gunner during WWII and completed 25 bombing missions into Germany and Nazi held territory. My wife's grandfather drove a landing craft on D-Day. I am proud of my family's military heritage.
This day is truly a memorial to all those who served and serve this day. Let us not forget them or their sacrifice. God bless them and this great nation!
WHAT IS A VET?Some veterans b
May 28, 2007 - 07:49 ET by FastEdWHAT IS A VET?
Some veterans bear visible signs of their service a missing limb, a jagged
scar, a certain look in the eye. Others may carry the evidence inside
them a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg -
or perhaps another sort of inner steel the soul's ally forged in the
refinery of adversity. Except in parades, however, the men and women
who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem. You can't tell a
vet just by looking.
What is a vet?
He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating
two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run
out of fuel.
He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown
frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales
by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel.
She - or he - is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep
sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang.
He is the POW who went away one person and came back another - or didn't
come back AT ALL.
He is the Quantico drill instructor who has never seen combat - but has
saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang
members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs.
He is the parade - riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals
with a prosthetic hand.
He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass
him by.
He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb Of The Unknowns, whose presence
at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of
all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the
battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep.
He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket - palsied now
and aggravatingly slow - who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who
wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the
nightmares come.
He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being - a person who
offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country,
and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice
theirs.
He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he
is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the
finest, greatest nation ever known.
So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just
lean over and say "Thank You." That's all most people need, and in most
cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded
or were awarded.
Two little words that mean a lot, "THANK YOU".
added 11/10/06
He was my father, a man whose departure has left a pair of shoes that I can't fill by half.
He was my friend. He watched my back when I was watching his.
He was the high school classmate whose body was never recovered.
He was everybody's dad back in the 50's, and we were all proud of them.
He was the nameless Lieutenant who wiped the spit of demonstrators off his clean uniform.
He is my brother, my cousin, my uncle. He was our grandfathers. And he was at times afraid, but he did his duty in spite of his fear, because he thought we had something worth fighting for.
Added - 5/28/01 - when you hear the booming sound of a military jet over head, or the crisp slicing of a US warship through the water, or the creaking of large tank threads on the ground - THAT, is the sound of freedom.
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
well said. These are the b
May 28, 2007 - 08:10 ET by USA4freedomwell said.
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc.
Ronald Reagn- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
To those who have gone before us---
May 28, 2007 - 10:10 ET by misterbillTo those who have gone before us---and those who serve us now. I don't know if my poems are corny, but they come from deep inside of me. I hope you guys and gals in Iraq are checking in from time to time. I am , sometimes, very emotional. God gives us a certain span of years to be on this earth. To shorten those years to help others is a sacrifice beyond measure. I cannot quite find the words to tell you troops how proud I am of you. You stand in harm's way to protect us and to help those with whom you now spend your time. So, as poor as it is, I post it again. I pray , today, and every day for your safe return and for your victory.
Misterbill -- USN 1951-1955-- Korea
Remember
He's been lying there these 63 years
One would think I had no more tears
But it's like he just said goodbye
Walked away and could see me cry
-
And every year at the end of May
All his family and friends know the day
The day we pay tribute to those who fell
Gave life and limb to stop the hell
-
Of those who conquered Poland and France
And never gave those people the chance
To live their lives happy and free
In their own countries in liberty
-
So to the men of a beach called Gold
Where many of our soldiers lay cold
And to the boys of Pointe du Hoc
Who died climbing that terrible rock
-
We pray for you at the end of May
We wish you hadn't gone away
But we tell the world and tell them loud
Of all of you we are so proud
-
And this is true for the other lands
Where American blood seeped in the sands
Hate us if you must with all your might
But we will always do what's right
-
So bow your heads and say a prayer
And thank those warriors who let us share
A day of thoughtfulness and of love
While they look down from above
-
Father keep them in your hands.
Dad, Harry RIP
Where’s the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land? And the parent that wouldn't be honored by the sacrifice?
Sir Walter Scott & Noel Sheppard
President Bush honors our heroes
May 28, 2007 - 07:58 ET by Cool ArrowPresident Bush honors our fallen troops.
Rosie Odonnel unavailable for comment.
Thank God my Vietnam orders were rescinded at Oakland Army Base in June of 1972 and I was shipped along with damn near everybody on base to Germany. As a 2yr soldier, I lucked out.
Thank you Richard Milhous Nixon. Rest in peace.
I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.
I am going sailing today. I w
May 28, 2007 - 08:16 ET by USA4freedomI am going sailing today. I will fly a very, very, large flag that hung in my bar in Hoboken NJ, on 9/11.
I would bet that every person that has posted here today has the same reaction to the National Anthem as I do. My eyes water up.
I would bet that every person that post on the leftists sites have the same reaction to the National Anthem, they grind their teeth.
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc.
Ronald Reagn- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
If you still have that bar, I
May 28, 2007 - 10:36 ET by FastEdIf you still have that bar, I'll come vist one day, and raise a glass to those who have, now, and will serve. In the mean time, raise a root beer for Snoopy and Bill Mauldin.
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
I sold the bar about 3 years
May 28, 2007 - 12:26 ET by USA4freedomI sold the bar about 3 years ago. 15 years is a long time in the biz.
but I like the Bill Mauldin idea.
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc.
Ronald Reagn- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
FastEd and USA---GI Joe and Willy--
May 28, 2007 - 13:24 ET by misterbillFastEd and USA---GI Joe and Willy--how well I remember them and Ernie Pyle. (In my older years, I used to live in Montvale NJ--had tickets to the Giants for 8 years.)
A puzzlement--As I best recall--I was very young---in the Stars and Stripes my brother used to send to us, were columns by a young reporter. Of course, after all these years, I have forgotten quite a bit, but I remember I liked his columns. I wonder happened to turn him (IMHO, like Murtha) into the person he is today.. Andy Rooney...
Where the pubs hav RHINO's, t
May 28, 2007 - 18:57 ET by FastEdWhere the pubs hav RHINO's, the demolibs have REMEF's. Seems andy became one of those, after being at Can't Buy Sincerity.
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
USA4---War story re: the National Anthem
May 28, 2007 - 10:37 ET by misterbillUSA4---War story re: the National Anthem. I, like you, get emotional when they play the anthem. Many thoughts run through my mind, friends, experiences, memories of being in other countries and a feeling of intense love and gratitude for being born in America.
The story--I moved to Atlanta in 1996. To my surprise, I was able to get season tickets to the Falcons. The section I sat in included a fellow who talked throughout the playing/singing of the anthem. I glared, but said nothing. I renewed my ticket the next year and so did he. He was a verrry large man--I would guess 6' 4in. about 280-300 pounds. At the third game after the anthem, I turned around and from my lofty height of 5' 8 1/2 ins. I said to him--"If you open your mouth again while they are singing the anthem, I am going to step back there and we are going to have a fight. If I can risk getting my butt blown off for the country, I can risk fighting you. Show some respect to your country and those who fought for it." My friend who came to the game with me, thought I was going to get crushed, but before the man could respond, his group of friends said to him, "see, we told you you shouldn't do it and that guy is right". Well it's 8 more year since then and he is still quiet during the anthem.
God bless America!
Where’s the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land? And the parent that wouldn't be honored by the sacrifice?
Sir Walter Scott & Noel Sheppard
Misterbill, I was raised by
May 28, 2007 - 12:24 ET by USA4freedomMisterbill,
I was raised by my Grandfather who landed on the beaches of Normandy. His time in the war was just like the Band of Brothers; he ended up in a German villa in Austria, by a lake. He did not talk about the bad things too much. His friend was killed right next to him. How upset he got when he told me about a young German soldier he killed that was about my age (17) at the time. Mostly about how cold it was. He was so humble that when he was invited to the launching of the USS Normandy. He asked me, why would they invite me? How lucky was I to be raised by such a man? I always think of him as they play the National Anthem. His folded flag, now in a case is always on my mantel.
I understood the term: police up this room. ( the son/grandson of a master sargent.)
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc.
Ronald Reagn- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
USA4---I rather suspect---
May 28, 2007 - 13:18 ET by misterbillUSA4---I rather suspect---a man like that raised a grandson with the same love and respect of country as he had . The boys of Pointe de Hoc, Montecassino, and Gold, Omaha, Kwajalein to name a very few were a different and special breed. I followed the progress of the war, faithfully, every day in the newspapers and on the radio. I have a son who is only a few years older than my grandchildren and I was sharing with him, the absolute adoration the boys of WW2 had for their mothers. Mom and apple pie really had a meaning then. Life was less technically advanced, but more family oriented. As I enter the declining years of my life, I find myself, more and more, missing the simplicity, love and friendship of a world that seems to grow colder every year. I guess you can see why they were my heros.If you get a chance, read :
"The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors -- The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour" by James D. Hornfischer
More about the boys of courage.
PS When Dad came home we had to put up with "tight corners" on the beds when we made them. Every Saturday and Sunday, we kids were to do most of the chores , so Mom could relax. He always made breakfast on the weekends. When we were punished we were "restricted to quarters". He was on the uSS Quincy on DDay. The ship was later transferred to the Pacific fleet. He never met up with my brother who was in the Marines until they were both home.
Where’s the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land? And the parent that wouldn't be honored by the sacrifice?
Sir Walter Scott & Noel Sheppard
My dad was a twenty-year so
May 28, 2007 - 08:35 ET by dervishMy dad was a twenty-year soldier and a veteran of the assault/capture of Peleliu; his unit was training for the assault on the Japanese mainland when the a-bombs ended the war. I did twelve years in the Medical Corps myself.
It isn't much of a story, but it might help asshats like Jonathan Alter understand how different they are from men in the military: I spent January through April 1993 in beautiful downtown Mogadishu. One of our patients was a young Marine sergeant hospitalized with one of the local mosquito fevers; he had come in hot and smelly, and his hair, skin, and clothes were all the same terra-cotta color from the red dust he'd been living in upcountry. He wasn't desperately ill, and there wasn't anything particular we could do for him, but we couldn't send him back to his unit until his fever went away. Within twenty-four hours he was pacing the ward, itching to get back to his unit.
"What's your hurry?" I asked. "You're sleeping on clean sheets, shower every morning, and get three hot meals a day." (This is as close as it gets to paradise for a Marine in the field.) "And besides, nobody's shooting at you in here."
He replied something along the lines of, "Sir, my buddies aren't getting any of this." (I should have seen that coming.) Then: "And I don't mind too much if somebody's shooting at me, because you know what? That's a problem I can fix."
Thank you Vets and all who serve!
May 28, 2007 - 08:39 ET by Dee BunkI'm on my way out to honor our local heroes at the parade and wanted to stop by here to thank all of you who have served past present and future to help keep us safe and free. Thank you all for your brave heroic service!
I have one nephew David C. We
May 28, 2007 - 08:42 ET by DBWI have one nephew David C. Westmoreland in Afghanistan. Also one nephew Mark Hill in Baghdad. God bless our boys and girls in the service of our country.
My appreciation and thanks go
May 28, 2007 - 09:04 ET by Roger the ShrubberMy appreciation and thanks go out to all fellow Americans who have served our country bravely. My dad was a master sergeant in the Army, as was two of my uncles and father-in-law, my brother-in-law was in the Navy, and my grandfather was a Seabee in WW2. I salute all of them, and all of you!
God Bless The United States Military
May 28, 2007 - 09:11 ET by Free StinkerA High School buddy of mine is an officer in the 101st Airborne.
Jon, stay safe and God Bless You.
.
God Bless The United States Military.
PSGT Johnny Quenga, SGT Ore
May 28, 2007 - 09:27 ET by Ran56PSGT Johnny Quenga, SGT Oren Miller, SP4 Ronald Groff, SP4 Andrew "Ace" Johnson, PFC Raymond Rhamy, June 25, 1967. Rest well my brothers, we'll never forget. We gave'm hell didn't we.
FELIX DELGRECO
May 28, 2007 - 09:34 ET by RJFELIX DELGRECO represents the best ideals of "service to country."
He didn't fit the left's stereotype of enlisted military. He was from an upper middle class family and had been accepted at a top Northeastern college. He volunteered to go to Iraq, although his service in Bosnia exempted him.
Before leaving for Iraq, he set up programs to collect and distribute supplies to Iraqi children.
I camped with Felix many times in the Boy Scouts (he was an Eagle Scout) and he was thoughtful toward others, but fun, and he always had a ready smile. He was a gourmet camp cook, and he often played his harmonica around the campfire. Felix was very popular among the other Scouts and the Adult Leaders. There was always a group of boys around him. When he became too old to be a Boy Scout, Felix returned as an Adult Leader to continue helping younger Scouts grow.
Thank you, Felix. I'm proud to have known you and to have been your friend. I will always mourn your loss of life in Iraq and honor your memory...as I do all those who have lost their lives in service to our country.
Memorial Day Remembrance
May 28, 2007 - 09:53 ET by pocomocoMy grandmother was a WWII gold star mother. In the window of her bedroom hung a small banner that had three stars on it indicating that she had three sons in the military.
She had two sons in the Army Air Force and one in the Navy. One son was a B29 mechanic stationed in Brownsville, Texas. One son was a Pharmacists Mate stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. The third son, the eldest, flew Night Fighters in the Philippines.
The third son, unfortunately, didn’t survive the war. He died of wounds he received when his Night Fighter was shot done. What made it doubly tragic was that it happened just weeks before Japan surrendered.
When my grandparents wanted to bring him home after the war, they were told that as his final request he wanted to be buried with his buddies in the Philippines. And there he remains to this day.
In remembrance of him, I keep a 5”x7” photo of him in his flight suit that was taken while taking flight training in Clarksdale, Mississippi in 1942.
I also have a 20”x20” color photograph of the cemetery in the Philippines were he is buried along with a small insert of his grave site.
pocomoco---I remember well, the flags--
May 28, 2007 - 10:44 ET by misterbillpocomoco---I remember well, the flags--I was 8 years old at the start and 11 years at the end. It took a while to get all the bad news, even after the war ended for the letters and that feared olive drab automobile to pull up in front of someone's house and a military officer would step out with an envelope in hand. I remember we were cautioned by my mother to be silent out of respect, when we passed the windows with the gold flags. We were blessed, our two blue stars came home unscathed.
Where’s the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land? And the parent that wouldn't be honored by the sacrifice?
Sir Walter Scott & Noel Sheppard
Our Daughter Carolyn Crenshaw
May 28, 2007 - 10:11 ET by charlietexasOur daughter Carolyn is a 2nd class petty officer aboard the John C Stennis Aircraft Carrier (CVN 74) which many of you know is currently deployed in the Persian Gulf. This is her 2nd deployment since being in the Navy and has just re-inlisted for another 4 years. Her duties are to assist the air boss in the tower and coordinate flights on and off the deck. She is also trained to perform navigational tasks on the flight deck and is certified elevator and tractor operator.
She entered the Navy after graduating High School and was called into service because of 9/11.
She is on duty as we speak and the crew are experiencing very hard hours and very hot temperatures. Many of the missions are to support military ops in Afganistan and Iraq. She is a true warrior and proud American.
From her parents Charlie and Julie Crenshaw
Austin, Texas
Go Navy----------
May 28, 2007 - 10:20 ET by misterbillGo Navy----------My best to Carolyn--way to go!!!!
Also, my best to Charlie and Julie Crenshaw--you sure know how to raise a good citizen!
Prayers for you today!!!
Where’s the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land? And the parent that wouldn't be honored by the sacrifice?
Sir Walter Scott & Noel Sheppard
daughter
May 28, 2007 - 17:23 ET by tblotThat is really cool what she does. When you talk to her tell her we are with her and will be praying for her and her shipmates
From a father of a daughter,
May 28, 2007 - 19:05 ET by FastEdFrom a father of a daughter, who has never known what it is to walk - thank her, please, for being able to protect mine.
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
I moved into a house in Van
May 28, 2007 - 10:22 ET by lnthompI moved into a house in Vancouver, WA about a month ago. Saturday I put up a flag, and got a set of solar-powered LED floodlights from Home Depot to light it up at night.
Lee T.
U.S. Navy 1984-2004 --> end of the cold war, Operation Joint Endeaver, Operation Joint Forge, Operation Joint Guard, Operation Iraqi Freedom (I stayed "on the bench" through Desert Storm/Desert Shield -- on active duty other places)
The history of the race, and each individual's experience, are thick with evidence that a truth is not hard to kill and that a lie told well is immortal.-- Mark Twain
My Uncle Bob was a bomber pi
May 28, 2007 - 11:09 ET by msh1973My Uncle Bob was a bomber pilot during WWII. He and his crew were shot down and were taken captive. Thank God it was at the end of the War, he was awarded a Purple Heart as were the other surviving members of his crew. He lived to be 78, he died of kidney cancer.
He was a war hero, but he never talked about his experiences. My dad remembers when the family received news that his plane had been shot down. It wasn't for a few weeks that they got news that he was alive and being held captive.
My nephew serves in the Army and has done one tour in Iraq. We are all very proud.
Memorial Day Tribute
May 28, 2007 - 11:19 ET by acumenMemorial Day Tribute -
A tired and disgusted Iowa soldier fired off an e-mail a few days ago, telling family and friends how things are going in Iraq.
A Blackhawk helicopter pilot, Chief Warrant Officer Jim Funk has flown more than 80 combat missions since he arrived there in October.
He described his Boone-based unit's successes after 5,000 hours of flying out of LSA Anaconda, a huge American base north of Baghdad. He talked about the tragedies he and his fellow Iowans have witnessed and his worries of becoming complacent as he goes on mission after mission.
Morale?
"We're treading water," the Ames man told the people closest to him. "We continue to kick butt on missions and take care of each other, even though we know the American public and government DOES NOT stand behind us.
Ohhhh, they all say they support us, but how can you support me (the soldier) if you don't support my mission or my objectives. We watch the news over here. Every time we turn it on we see the American public and Hollywood conducting protests and rallies against our 'illegal occupation' of Iraq."
His greatest frustration? The performance of the people who deliver the news to the American people.
I'll let him say it, in his own words, in the letter, which found its way to me:
"Hello media, do you know you indirectly kill American soldiers every day? You inspire and report the enemy's objective every day. You are the enemy's greatest weapon. The enemy cannot beat us on the battlefield so all he does is try to wreak enough havoc and have you report it every day. With you and the enemy using each other, you continually break the will of the American public and American government.
"We go out daily and bust and kill the enemy, uncover and destroy huge weapons caches and continue to establish infrastructure. So daily we put a whoopin on the enemy, but all the enemy has to do is turn on the TV and get re-inspired. He gets to see his daily roadside bomb, truck bomb, suicide bomber or mortar attack. He doesn't see any accomplishments of the U.S. military (FOX, you're not exempt, you suck also).
"Let's give you an example. A couple of days ago we conducted an air assault. We lifted troops into an area for an operation. The operation went well and our ground troops killed (insurgents) and took several prisoners, freed a few hostages and uncovered a weapons cache containing munitions and chemicals that were going to be used in improvised bombs.
"The next morning I woke up and turned on AFN (Armed Forces Network) and watched the nightly news (NBC). Nothing, none of that reported. But the daily car bomb report was reported, and the file footage was not even from the event. There was a car bomb in the Sadr City area and your news report showed old car bomb footage from another part of town from some other time.
"So we really set the enemy back that night but all the enemy had to do was turn on the news and be reassured that the enemy's agenda (objective) was still going to be fed to the American public.
"We, the soldiers, keep breaking the back of the enemy. You, the media, keep rejuvenating the enemy.
"How hard would it be to contact the PAO (public affairs officer) of the 1st CAV, 36th CAB, 25th ID or the Marines and ask what did you guys accomplish today - good and bad? How about some insurgent blooper videos? Now that would be something to show on the evening news.
"Media, we know you hate the George Bush administration, but report both sides, not just your one-sided agenda. You have got to realize how you are continually motivating every extremist, jihadist and terrorist to continue their resolve to kill American soldiers."
It's a punch in the nose to the news media from Funk, 39, a full-time employee of the Iowa National Guard.
Why did he write it?
"I am just tired of busting my butt over here and coming home every night and turning on the TV (Armed Forces Network) and hearing how we are failing miserably," he told me in an e-mail.
You may agree with what Funk has to say. You may not.
Many in my business certainly won't. But Funk is a soldier, fighting a war, who has earned the right to be heard.
Carlson: Shift news to successes in Iraq, soldier urges - Columnist John Carlson can be reached at (515) 284-8204 or jcarlson@dmreg.com
aca - it's letters like that
May 28, 2007 - 19:11 ET by FastEdaca - it's letters like that - prove the media is working for the oppositiona nd has NO patriotism - AND, they are cowards. They will never rspond here, for fear that their agenda will be exposed for all to see. Thanks to everyone who serves, had served, and like wished to serve. We sleep well at night because there are people who will protect us - and it ain't the media.
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
This from a long time lurker
May 28, 2007 - 12:07 ET by ClarinetAndrewThis from a long time lurker here at NewBusters.
My family served faithfully for much of the 20th century. We have been lucky in that we suffered no losses.
On my father’s side, my grandfather was in training camp when WWI ended. My dad was a Sonarman 2nd during WWII. He taught equipment repair at the Fleet Sonar School, Key West. At the same time my mom was a civilian secretary in the base chaplain’s office. After the war an earning his degree he work for Hughes Aircraft Company for 36 years, helping to develop such interesting things as the Sidewinder, Maverick, Phoenix, and TOW missiles. The TOW Field Test Set is his baby.
On my mom’s side of the family, an old boyfriend of hers was killed on the Arizona. Her oldest brother was exempt from military service because he was an aeronautical engineer employed by North American Aviation where he worked on the B-25 Mitchell. Her second brother was NROTC at the University of Minnesota, and after graduation served as ensign and lieutenant (jg) on Salt Lake City.
As for me, my feet are to flat and my eyes to bad to have served, much to my eternal regret. The last time I cried was when the campaign in Afghanistan started and I realized that this was the last great war of my lifetime, and I could not be an active part of it.
To Gramps, Dad, Uncle Bo, Uncle Scott and all the rest of you noble and gallant veterans: Thank you from the bottom of my heart! God bless you, and GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Evil usually triumphs unless Good is very, very careful - Leonard McCoy, Starfleet Medical Corps
Memorial Day
May 28, 2007 - 12:20 ET by Emma GrumpFirst of all, I think the real meaning of today is slowly being forgotten. All too often, I see and hear the phrase "Happy Memorial Day" as if this was merely another day to celebrate time off from work, but it should be a day of reverence for all the American service folks who gave their lives in defense of our nation. I was fortunate enough to have served during a time of peace, but if I were of age today, I would most certainly enlist again. Not out of desperation, or a hopeless future, surely not for the money, but rather, an inner sense of obligation that seems so rare today among people.
To all my fellow vets - thank you for your service.
What a great topic to make us
May 28, 2007 - 12:28 ET by BlondeWhat a great topic to make us truly reflect upon this day....
Both my father and my step-father served in WWII in the Army Air Corps. My mother's brother was a naval officer in the Pacific. My mom was an executive secretary at Wright Aeronaticaul in New York and other production facilities for the duration of the war (and some of her stories are the best). My grandfather was an Artillery Officer in WWI.
The odd thing....my ex-husband and I were on our way to our first posting (Fort Riley) when Ronald Reagan was elected in a landslide three days after we were married (oh was he furious....a lifelong dem). We were stuck in a dry county.....that was quite the honeymoon....reporting in we went straight to tank gunnery to meet the colonel. I have to laugh at that memory.
To all of those who are currently serving to keep us safe, you have my eternal gratitude.
Occasionally, but not often,
May 28, 2007 - 12:43 ET by MikeBOccasionally, but not often, do I quote Biblical scripture, but John 15: 13 seems incredibly appropriate for this thread and this day: "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
That love must be even greater when a man or woman lay down their lives for folk they don't even know. For those on the religious left (if there is any such thing), for you to denigrate the sacrifice of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines is not only obscene, it is profane. You may be pacifists or conscientious objectors, or just in disagreement with this war, but do not profane this day. Lay aside your vitriol and display some gratitude for those who made the ultimate sacrifice in order that you might have the right to publicly object. You can take up your treasonous cause again tomorrow.
"A communist is someone who reads Marx. An anti-communist is someone who understands Marx." Ronald Reagan
Mike, that says it all. Tha
May 28, 2007 - 12:48 ET by BlondeMike, that says it all. Thank you.
Another great day! I get t
May 28, 2007 - 12:46 ET by MilesDAnother great day!
I get to display the 5x8 ft Flag that the Navy gave us for my Dad
On the front porch.
Thanks to my dear Sister
For hounding the Navy until they gave you the bronze Plaque
For his grave stone.
(hey hon - I don't know if the Navy will give us two Flags - I'll check though)
I have one of those flags too
May 28, 2007 - 23:36 ET by NL207I have one of those flags too. It has 3 spent rounds wrapped in it and I will never unfurl it in my lifetime.
From your Dad? Was he in t
May 29, 2007 - 00:21 ET by MilesDFrom your Dad? Was he in the Navy too? You must be very proud
Well my friend NL, here is what they look like on the front of your house!
Mimi and Bop, we love you
From the Navy, by way of the
May 29, 2007 - 00:59 ET by NL207From the Navy, by way of the USMC, for my father who now RIP in a prominent National Cemetary. He was a veteran of the V Amphibious Corps' assault on Iwo Jima. I'd trade all the pride in the world to have him back with us for a time. He wasn't ready to go when his time came.
I found a second one in the estate. It had 48 stars. I can only guess who that one that was for since I don't recall a military funeral in the family before 1959 back to when my memories stop. My best guess is that one is from 1945 and came from my grandparent's estate.
Salute!
May 28, 2007 - 13:08 ET by dmntd1A Salute to our Veterans!
I found out recently that a cousin is currently back in-theatre in Iraq. His whereabouts are unknown, however he does frequently correspond with his mother. His service so inspired his brother, that his brother enlisted, and is due to be shipped out this summer, also to Iraq.
For those that doubt the quality of our services, I just want to take the time to thank the US Army for turning two promising young men into adults. Their service will not be forgotten.
I do ask, however for inspiration. I'm hoping to send the one in-theatre a package within the next week, however I've never sent a package to a soldier. His mother is expected to tell me some of the things he may want, however..... what else would a soldier want? Thanks!
Please make sure your train of thought carries freight.
I met the man I married when
May 28, 2007 - 14:03 ET by amberI met the man I married when I was in. Now I am home supporting him and the kids while he is in Iraq. I would not trade my time, it was wonderful.
Ditto, Amber. I met my husb
May 28, 2007 - 14:13 ET by SarahAnnieDitto, Amber. I met my husband in Kuwait in '03 and we had our honeymoon in Iraq in '04-'05. I'm out now, got the baby to take care of while The Man is in South Korea. If I may, I would like to share my own war story, which few people know...
The closest to Hell that I have ever been is in Kuwait, July '05. I don't remember where we were, but we were in the back of a modifed school bus/ambulance, waiting to be medevac-ed to Landstuhl, Germany. A July night in Kuwait is damn hot. I can remember every call and cry for water. And a soldier saying to the medics, "Give him my water, he's hurt worse". Before anyone gets any lofty ideas of me, I was on the back of that bus because I had my appendix taken out. I don't know how long we were on that bus, but I remember laying on a gurney, holding the hand of the guy next to me, who had been hit with an IED and I told him that we would be cool soon. I never knew his name.
Nebraskans for War: Peace through Strength
Thank you both ...you are gre
May 28, 2007 - 16:48 ET by bigtimerThank you both ...you are great women, my hope is you all will all be reunited, with memories only you can share as a family.
God Bless You All..
My son Robert, Corporal of Ma
May 28, 2007 - 16:37 ET by StickfarmMy son Robert, Corporal of Marines, is serving in Iraq. His beautiful wife, also a Marine, came and spent Memorial Day weekend with us. She is a little more than 7 months pregnant with their first child - our first grandchild - and another future Devil Dog !!
Robert will still be deployed when his son is born - but he is taking it all in stride.
We ask only for everyone's constant prayers that all our soldiers, Marines and other armed service men and women stationed in Iraq and Afganistan come home safe to their friends and family.
Stickfarm
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
We ask only for everyone's c
May 28, 2007 - 16:45 ET by bigtimerWe ask only for everyone's constant prayers that all our soldiers, Marines and other armed service men and women stationed in Iraq and Afganistan come home safe to their friends and family.
You got it....
Thank them for us.
My gratitude is endless.
Family of Service
May 28, 2007 - 16:46 ET by TexasNantzMy maternal grandfather, T.J. was on the USS Argon when it was attacked at Pearl Harbor, along with 2 of his brothers. My paternal grandfather, W. J. T., was the only survivor of a WWII plane crash. My father, W. C. T. served proudly in Vietnam. I have two brothers currently serving: Lt. AWT flies F-18s for our Navy (Stingers!) and just returned from deployment; and 1LT RTT is a Westpoint grad, boots on the ground in Iraq. He is in a cavalry unit (Crazyhorse!). I am overcome with gratitude and humbled when I think of the men in my family in service to our great nation. It brings me to my knees when I think of all men and women who have ever served. May God bless and keep you all. I pray for His supernatural protection over my brother and his men in Iraq, as well as all our troops. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Went to a Memorial Day Servic
May 28, 2007 - 16:47 ET byWent to a Memorial Day Service put on by the VFW at the local cemetary. We were all encouraged to remember one of the fallen they had listed. Got home prayed, found his name here, and left condolences to his friends and family.
Supreme Court, National Security, Borders, Fiscal Restraint, my litmus test for President.
My older brother saw action i
May 28, 2007 - 16:52 ET by Big SargeMy older brother saw action in Panama with the Rangers.
I'm stuck stateside waiting to be medically cleared to join my unit. Did 6 years active the first go-round, took 12 years off, but I'm back on active duty.
For Memorial day, invited a bunch of guys who are heading over soon for a cookout. Very emotional time for all of us. Most of the guys either just got here or were waiting for babies to be born.
"We sleep safe in our beds, because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." George Orwell
Big Sarge - been waiting to r
May 28, 2007 - 19:17 ET by FastEdBig Sarge - been waiting to relate this to someone who'd know - have fun with your brother.
"tis a marching cadance, relayed to me by an old friend, MP Korea - drives the rangers crazy, but . . .
While marching, the candance goes as follows:
I don't go out with girls anymore,
I lead the life of danger
I stay at home and play with myself
Weeee, I'm a Ranger!
When and if they they laugh - I owe them a beer!
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
Thanks, I needed something to
May 28, 2007 - 22:10 ET by Big SargeThanks, I needed something to counter his "What holds up a chicken?" crack.
I'm sure he won't laugh as much as I did.
It occurred to me to remind e
May 28, 2007 - 19:47 ET by StickfarmIt occurred to me to remind everyone here - there is something you can do to honor the fallen and the still serving - not just on Memorial Day - but 365 days a year.
ANYTIME you see a member of the Armed Forces out in uniform, go out of your way to walk up to them and say "Thank you for your service. I appreciate your sacrifice." This honors not only the memory of the fallen, but the living as well.
One day up at the Marathon near us, a very nice fellow saw the "My Son Is A US Marine" bumper sticker, and came up and thanked ME for HIS service. Blew me away. It made my day for a week.
My wife knows the ritual by now - after four years. If there is someone in the mall or the store where we are at - my AFMRD (armed forces member radar detector) will home in on them - lol. I know how much it means to my son when he is traveling - he's had people fill his gas tank, buy him dinner - you name it. Those small acts of kindness go a LONG way to bucking his morale up.
Try it - I promise not only will the GI feel good - you will too !
Stickfarm
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
Stick....Great advice...Somet
May 28, 2007 - 20:03 ET by bigtimerStick....
Great advice...
Something I have always done and will continue to do with pleasure and gratitude.
Memorial Day
May 28, 2007 - 20:27 ET by Emma GrumpStick - many years ago, (47, to be exact), I had the honor to be the American flag bearer in our annual Armed Forces Day parades, and, back then, folks DID show a great deal of respect to uniformed Armed Services people, and I know firsthand how good that felt. You and your family are to be commended for your thoughtfulness and kindness and GOD keep your US Marine safe and well.
Stick, as a current serviceme
May 28, 2007 - 22:20 ET by Big SargeStick, as a current servicemember, I can atest to the fact that I am humbled anytime someone thanks me for my service. Each time it happens, I know deep in my heart that the sacrifices that my soldiers and I make are truely appreciated.
I know it's late in the day b
May 28, 2007 - 21:47 ET by SnowWhiteI know it's late in the day but wanted to add this story in memory of one of my uncles who served in the Canadian Armed Forces during WWII. He was near-fatally wounded by shrapnel while in a trench somewhere in Germany. He was a quiet person with a wonderful sense of humour. He married one of his nurses during his recovery and they were together for the rest of their lives. He passed away a few years ago in his late 70's and at his funeral, one of his war buddies told this story that none of us had ever been told. Apparently when he was wounded my uncle experienced his soul leaving his body and he found himself standing by a river. Across the river stood an angel who told him it was not yet his time, he must go back. At the end of his talk, his war buddy then said, "God has decided it is his time, and he has crossed that river now." There wasn't a dry eye in the room after that. May God bless all who have served and are serving, and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. We shall see them again on the other side of that river of God.
SW...Thank you for sharing th
May 28, 2007 - 21:57 ET by bigtimerSW...
Thank you for sharing that...
Amen to a beautiful tribute for your Uncle and all those that have given the ultimate sacrifice.
So many wonderful posts today and I want to take the time to thank all of you for giving me a wonderful rich history of what makes and continues to make this country what it is...and will stay....
Strong and Free.
Their day is over--but we should not forget--
May 28, 2007 - 23:35 ET by misterbillTheir day is over--but we should not forget-- I like our anthem because it's our anthem, but I love this---we should never forget---
Oh beautiful, for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.
Oh beautiful, for pilgrims' feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw;
Confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law!
Oh beautiful, for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine,
'Til all success be nobleness, and ev'ry gain divine!
Oh beautiful, for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years,
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!
Where’s the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land? And the parent that wouldn't be honored by the sacrifice?Sir Walter Scott & Noel Sheppard
Thank you... those important
May 28, 2007 - 23:53 ET by bigtimerThank you... those important historic beautiful words say it all.
Perfect close for this special day.
For those on NB that have ser
May 28, 2007 - 23:12 ET by msh1973For those on NB that have served or are currently serving...thank you from my family to yours!
My great uncle John
May 28, 2007 - 23:25 ET by Matthew BalanMy great uncle John was one of the victims of the "Bataan Death March." He was one of the first members of his family to be born in the U.S. (they were Polish). He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in his native Vermont, and ended up in the Philippines. He was captured there, and died due to the brutality of the Japanese.
Interestingly enough, I have a cousin on my father's side who was born and raised in the Philippines, and joined the Marines when he wasn't even a citizen. He is still in the Marines, and the last I heard, he's down in North Carolina.