Remember what Memorial Day and Weekend are about.

So true that many think of this as the kickoff to summer only. They MUST REMEMBER that if it wasn't for our service men and women things would be a lot different...

ALL GAVE SOME & SOME GAVE ALL!!!!

 AMEN...

For Memorial, Fourth of July, 9-11, and Thanksgiving, this nation should SHUT DOWN.  Quiet is the best response for these days!

In my case, it's about work.

Where I work, more than half of my team has to be here on week-day holidays and it's all seniority based. Even at 14 years on the job, I have the lowest seniority for my job type, so that means I'll never get a holiday off. Ironically, I'm the only vet in my entire department. Yes, I'm more than a little bitter about that, especially when the other teams that do the exact same job are bigger and a smaller percentage of them have to work holidays so just due to what department you're in, you could either work one holiday or less a year, or all of them, solely based on which group you're in.

All that said, for some of us, every day is Memorial Day. My Memorial Days are the individual anniversaries of the passing of the three soldiers I lost under my command. I'll remember each of their names with my dying breath, no matter how long I live.

Thank you for this post Don!

To all of the Service Members who have sacrificed all, Thank You!  To their families, Thank You!  We would not be Free without You!

To all that continue to Serve, Thank You!

I will not forget.

Good reminder Don.

Larry

P51

There were two men who died in my platoon while I was a platoon leader in Vietnam. I will never forget.

For memorial day:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

This Memorial day, we lived,felt dawn,saw sunsets glow, loved and were loved.

Douglas

That's an amazing photo, Don.  Thanks for posting it.  

Lee, I agree.  We should shut down as much as possible on these few remembrance days.  

Don - A most powerful and sobering photo.  Thanks for the reminder .... and thanks to all who have served and continue to serve.  

Don,

   Great photo, for the true meaning of Memorial Day.  The young mother with her infant child at her husbands grave, shows the true cost of every American's freedom.  Freedom truly is the most expensive commodity on earth, brave US Military men and ladies pay for it with their very lives, and their families pay for it for ever.  

God's Speed Gentlemen

PCRR/Dave

Jerry

Thank-you for sharing, brings back many sad memories, but was very well done.

May they rest in peace and the sorrow lifted from there families to the point they remember the good times Amen

Pete Seeger said it best.
"... when will they ever learn."

NICE lllllll just plain NICE

I think the forgetting what Memorial Day is for begins with shutting everything down. I know I'm getting old but when I was in grade school we were there on the 31st--the fire whistle would be sounded and we would all stand for a minute of silence. It had an impact never to be forgotten  on us 7 year olds.

Scotie

Don

I have always been observant of Memorial Day and do not have any fun or party. Most years I or my wife, who is a nurse, would work on this weekend while if the other one was off would just stay at home in silence. Of course, I will always wonder that if you could go back in time and ask those who sacrificed it all and ask them if this is what they would want would they answer "yes"?

Memorial(Decoration)Day Is not one day nor one weekend we as Americans should remember the sacrifices of our Armed Forces year round, their furture, goals, careers,spouses and children were cut short in the defense of our personal liberty. Of all the Federal holydays this day is one of somder remembrance of those who gave their all, lest we never this forget this, proud to being an American, spending my life as a American and will die as an American.

Semper Fi

Thanks for the original post. As a veteran, I no longer participate in our local town Memorial Day Parade. I simply got sick and tired of the Boy Scouts marching along and throwing candy to the spectators, as              A TRUELY JOYOUS OCCASION!    Made me mad as he$$!

I can tell you what I know Memorial Day is NOT about:  It's not about $ale$ of anything - not furniture, not cars, not toy trains, not anything!  I will NEVER buy anything, not trains, not any dam thing from a business that promotes a Memorial Day $ale.  IMO all businesses should be CLOSED on Memorial Day.  Memorial Day is a time for somber contemplation as to the reasons so many have been made to sacrifice their lives for our country, and to appreciate what they have done.

Pete

Hot Water posted:

Thanks for the original post. As a veteran, I no longer participate in our local town Memorial Day Parade. I simply got sick and tired of the Boy Scouts marching along and throwing candy to the spectators, as              A TRUELY JOYOUS OCCASION!    Made me mad as he$$!

HW, what ARE they teaching those Scouts?

Agree with Texas Pete, for the last week all I have seen are Memorial Day sales for furnature, beds and cars, maybe we should not be suprised look what they did to Christmas with the sales and marketing. Maybe we are just to old, I remember many private residences displaying the Flag back in the late 50's,60's and 70's and memorial services at cemetaries with large attendance during this time period. 

In remembrance, www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq2BbVZ2LEc  

Please ignore the **** commercial opening.

Amen

scale rail posted:

Ironically, Pyle was a civilian war correspondent but had been a WW1 vet when he was killed by a machine gunner at the end of the war. Some books will tell you it was a sniper, but he popped his head up when being shot at by a machine gun.

His passing wasn't even overshadowed by FDR's passing around the same timeframe.

Dominic Mazoch posted:

Hot Water posted:

Thanks for the original post. As a veteran, I no longer participate in our local town Memorial Day Parade. I simply got sick and tired of the Boy Scouts marching along and throwing candy to the spectators, as              A TRUELY JOYOUS OCCASION!    Made me mad as he$$!

HW, what ARE they teaching those Scouts?

i worked out on Point Loma for a few decades and it's good to see some traditions carry on...

http://www.sandiegouniontribun...-day-scout-tribute/#

i wouldn't necessarily blame the kids... it's the scout masters who likely need some counseling in leadership.
...gary

overlandflyer posted:

i wouldn't necessarily blame the kids... it's the scout masters who likely need some counseling in leadership.
...gary

Exactly!

Thinking of you ..... and of that day, Mike.

Thank you Don

Puts it all in perspective --- makes you stop and think

This was the first one I lost.

His wife was very pregnant at the time.

Thanks for posting this Don.

I thank all who gave there lives, for our freedom !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alex

Getting ready to leave for our town's parade, then it will be good to be with friends & family.

I was elated to learn that our youngest Grandson and his Cub Pack spent Saturday honoring our fallen heroes.

Your picture says it all !!!!!

AMEN,

Fredstrains (Fred)

Great photos, Bob. Your grandson seems to be a kid you can be truly proud of.

Last year I remember seeing a picture of a real pretty young woman crying at the grave of her husband, it made me cry.

Dennis Rempel posted:

Last year I remember seeing a picture of a real pretty young woman crying at the grave of her husband, it made me cry.

I've seen it in person, far more times than I care to recall, and it's tough not to shed a tear or two, no matter how hard-hearted you think you are. I know of others on this forum who can probably say the exact same thing.

When you show up with the chaplain to tell the (always young and usually pregnant) wife that she's now a widow, it's one of the few things the war movies get correct. The reaction is usually just like you see on film. I can't bear to watch the 'notification' scenes in the movie, "We were soldiers," for that reason.

Bring back the draft, it will teach the young ones a thing or to. Never mind special rest rooms for those  who can not make up their mind.  Korea 1956-57

trooperty@comcast.net posted:

Bring back the draft, it will teach the young ones a thing or to. Never mind special rest rooms for those  who can not make up their mind.  Korea 1956-57

Yeah, and conscription did so well for the European armies through the cold war, didn't it?

Nope, the draft is the last thing an NCO or officer wants for the military. We have plenty of volunteers as it is.

In reverence and honor of Memorial Day and all the men and women that gave their lives for this country.  Golden Gate National Cemetery.

Bless all those who have gave all for the freedom for the rest of us/