My Memorial Day

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I sit her at my computer on the night before Memorial day, and ponder what my day will be like. I intend to take a little trip, you see, and like any intelligent being, I am planning it in advance. The weather tomorrow is supposed to be overcast and rainy, but rather than dampen the mood, I imagine it will enhance it. It is altogether fitting that the weather reflect the somber yet joyful emotions required for my trip. I plan on visiting my local cemetery, you see.

I see myself strolling through the even graves, row upon row. I shall consider all the lives represented by the seemingly endless markers, and I imagine I will be drawn to one or more adorned with the flag of the United States. As I peer down upon the hallowed resting place of a man or woman who gave a portion, or perhaps, all, of their life in service of this country I will remember. I will remember how lucky I am to be well fed while so many in this world go to bed hungry. I will remember the priviledge I enjoy of living among others with the freedom to live, be happy and prosper. I will remember that there are places where a group of government thugs could tear me from my home and family to imprison or kill me, with nothing more than a whim or the whispered suggestion of wrong thinking to condemn me. Most of all I will remember that the liberties that I so blissfully take for granted were paid for at a terrible price.

At some point during my stroll, I will probably fall to my knees and silently pray to a God whose form I am not sure of, asking that the fallen never be forgotten and entreating him for the strength within myself to make sure their sacrifices were not in vain.

I will commend the courage of the 4,435 who died standing up to the most powerful empire in the world, saying 'Enough! All men are created equal!"

I will regret the passing of those 2,260 who, in the War of 1812, gave their lives in a war which was fairly pointless, but none the less validated the United States as a power to rival those in Europe.

I will cherish the memory of 13,283 who followed the lead of a heroic few Texans and stood off an invading Mexican army.

I will weep bitter tears as I consider that 558,052 American men, women and children paid the ultimate price while fighting each other, and the result is a union that would never again be questioned. These people died in the cause of unity, and the nation they fought to save has gone on to lead the world.

I will consider what it must have been like for the 2,446 who died fighting a minor European power in 1898. Historically, the Spanish American War may be trivial, but they answered the call all the same.

I will give endless thanks that I did not have to experience the absolute horror of trench warfare in Europe, while honoring the 116,708 who were killed doing nothing less than standing against the Kaiser’s crack troops, fresh from the Eastern front, expecting to roll the Allies into the channel. WWI could easily have been a German victory without them.

I will stand in awe of the willingness displayed by 407,316 ordinary men and women who left their homes and paid the ultimate price to ensure that fascism did not engulf the world and lead to the darkest time in history. The everyman of WWII is an amazing concept, yet that is how it has been throughout history. Just plane folks doing their duty.

I will reflect on how 33,651 Americans passed the torch of freedom from their failing hands to a little country called South Korea, proving that they may look different and speak what to us is a very strange language, but they are no less deserving of freedom than we.

I will ponder the plight of the Vietnam veteran, along with his 58,163 comrades who did not come home. How must it have been, to go to an unknown place, to fight and die for a people who often didn’t want them there. How terrible to come home to a population who scorned them, whoes only answer to the anguished plea, " I answered the call, I did my duty" was all to often a turned back?

I will rejoice that only 293 Americans were called to sacrifice themselves in 1991, but remember that thousands of opposing troops, people who do not have our freedom to set the course their government takes, died as well.

I will remember that the cost has been great, but celebrate that the results have been greater. As I raise my eyes again, and peer at the carved stone remembering only one such life, I will whisper from the depth of my soul the two words that are completely inadequate, and yet are all that I have to offer.

“THANK YOU”

2

weirddave: Thank you. I couldn’t have said it better myself (so I won’t say any more ;)).

–Baloo

3

Not to mention the hundreds of thousands of American men and women, forward deployed today, defending our freedom.

4

When I was a kid, it was called “Decoration Day”, for taking time out to tend the graves and put fresh flowers on them.

I don’t have any family nearby, so I cut some of the flowers that are up and took them to the cemetary nearby. It’s an open (stilled used) military cemetary so it’s meticulously maintained. It has graves from way back, and some as recent as a few days ago. (Some are from Confederate soldiers who died during the influenze during that war.)

So I just left my little bunches of violets on graves that looked lonely.

Remembering and paying honor is what it’s all about.

Veb

5

That was an excellent post, Dave. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized just how important the men and women who have defended our country really are. I salute those who have served, and those who are currently serving to protect my rights and freedom.

6

Too often it seems people don’t care or don’t remember the ultimate sacrifice our service men and women have made for our country. It’s always refreshing to hear the voices of those who honor our war dead.

Thanks for being one of those voices.

7

From someone who never had any interest in joining the military (couldn’t handle the discipline), but who has always felt that a strong armed forces was important, I thank you for such a thoughtful post.

The vietnam war was being fought when I was very small, and I don’t remember much of it. I don’t want to seem to critical of a generation that I wasn’t part of, but in reading about how the Vietnam vets were treated still irks me to this day. Even if you don’t believe the United States should have been in the war, how can you disparage the sacrifices made by soldiers who, in many/most cases, had no choice but to serve their country and fight in the war? I just don’t understand it, never will.

8

I think this one deserves a bump right about now…great post, Dave.

9

Great, now I’m getting tearstains on my keyboard. I never lost anybody close to me in wars, and nobody I know personally is in the military. But I want to thank all the men and women who sacrifice themselves, and all the men and women who are strong enough to watch their loved ones go off to war or to join the armed forces.

10

Dear Dave-

I don’t think you are weird-I think you are beautiful.

Scotti

11

Very well said, weirddave. All too often, we Americans take for granted the freedoms our soldiers had to purchase with their suffering and lives.

And thank you too, ChiefScott, for reminding us of our troops who stand guard to keep our freedom safe. We are at peace because these men and women are strong enough to deter war.

So let me echo the admirable sentiments already expressed:

To the men and women who have served in our armed forces…in war and in peace…in the past, in the present, and far into the future when those of us here are long gone…and to the loved ones of these men and women, who have and will support them in their task…

THANK YOU

12

Fantastic post, Dave. And even if it is mostly about the United States, I can tell you that most European people could relate to it nevertheless. As you stated correctly, the fact that a country is far away or culturally different changes nothing about its claims to freedom and democracy.

Normally I’m not one for shameless self-promotion (we’ve got other people for that - what’s his name again?? ;)), but I’ll put in my personal Thank You to the liberators of Western Europe: May 5, 1945 - we shall remember.
It just seems appropriate to bring it to the attention of those who might not have seen it yet, as there are some beautiful reactions to my OP - which is not nearly as eloquent as Weirddaves, mind you. But the sentiment is the same. People who appreciate true freedom are not restricted by geographical or political bounderies, in my opinion.

Thanks for posting that, Weirddave.

13

Couldn’t have said it any better, thank you, weirddave, ChiefScott and MysterEcks. <lump in throat, tear in eye, quietly leaving with memories of the cemetary where her parents, FIL, and too many others lie>

14

Hell, I have resisted this, but I AM proud of this thread, so,…

Bump!

15

Just kicking this one up to remind everyone why we have a day off for family and BBQ. I am going to do the same thing Monday as in the OP. I do it every year. I encourage you to do likewise, or if you have kids, spend a few minutes teaching them the cost of the freedoms we hold so dear.

16

Another year, another bump. There are lots of new folks on the boards, hopefully this will strike a chord with some of them who haven’t seen it before, and they’ll take a moment to remember and honor those who served, and those who died.

17

Another year, another well-deserved bump. I don’t know how I missed this last year.

I’m gonna take a risk here and post this because I’m pretty sure there isn’t a copyright, and if there is, my extended family most likely owns it (the reason being that the poem was written by my father’s grandfather).

Rouge Bouquet

"In a wood they call Rouge Bouquet
There is a new-made grave today.
Built by never a spade nor pick
Yet covered with earth 40 meters thick.
There lie many fighting men,
Dead in their youthful prime,
Never to laugh nor love again
Nor taste the Summertime.
For Death came flying through the air
And stopped his flight at the dugout dstair,
Touched his prey and left them there,
Clay to clay.
He hid their bodies stealthily
In the soil of the land they fought to free
And fled away.
Now over the grave abrupt and clear
Three volleys ring;
And perhaps their brave young spirits hear
The bugles sing:
“Go to sleep!
Go to sleep!
Slumber well where the shell screamed and fell.
Let your rifles rest on the muddy floor.
You will not need them any more.
Danger’s past;
Now at last,
Go to sleep!”

“There is on earth no worthier grave
To hold the bodies of the brave
Than this place of pain and pride
Where they nobly fought and nobly died.
Never fear but in the skies
Saints and angels stand
Smiling with their holy eyes
On this new-come band.
St. Michael’s sword darts through the air
and touches the aureole on his hair
As he sees them stand saluting there,
His stalwart sons:
And Patrick, Bridig, Columkill
Rejoice that in veins of worriors still
The Gael’s blood runs.
And up to Heaven’s doorway floats,
From the wood called Rouge Bouquet,
A delicate cloud of buglenotes
That softly say:
“Farewell!
Farewell!
Comrades true, born anew, peace to you!
Your souls shall be where the heros are
And your memory shine like the morning-star.
Brave and dear,
Shield us here.
Farewell!””

-Joyce Kilmer

18

Forgot to add:

If it turns out that I’m wrong and posting this in its entirety did violate copyright law (which, to the best of my knowledge, it doesn’t, but still), then I apologize and all that sort of thing. That possibility is the reason I linked to a copy of the poem in its title.

19

Weirddave, iampunha, thank you for bumping this thread. I came on line hoping to see it. This year, too, could we take a moment to remember the firefighters in New York who died when the World Trade Center collapsed, as well as those killed in all four crashes? Honest men (yes, and dishonest ones, but we’ll save that for GD) have given their lives this past year that we might enjoy peace and freedom. Honest men rushed into the danger everyone else was rushing out of last September.

I am no fan of the Vietnam War, but I still have respect for those who served in it and all our wars. We sit comfortably before our computers debating the right and wrong of wars; these men and women, regardless of what they thought, served and fought and died. I am only a civilian, but I salute them.

C. J. Howorth

20

Dave, take that trip.

I did last summer, and it meant a lot more to me before 9/11 than it did afterwards.

I thought of my great-grandfather who fought in the Argonne Forest. I remembered the family lines of my ancestor who took part in Antitam and several other skirmishes which he left in diaries. I am even left a note from my great way-back grandfather who served as a Militiaman in Morristown, NJ and left a note expressing his sorrow that the Continentals might not make it through the war. As distant as they may be, I draw strength from them.

I was asked to give a speech today in some remote town in North Dakota. My main point is that we are all involved in this fight, and involved in maintaining this struggle to keep us free.

To me, Memorial Day isn’t about all the millions lost at war, but of all those that stand with me to keep the path of Lady Liberty clear, so she may carry her light to tomorrow. Dave, take a walk down that path, and brush aside a weed or two.

Tripler
One man, keeping that path as clear as he can . . .