Topic: Memorial Day - 2010

[Double Deal Decker]

To those who made the ultimate sacrifice, including my friend Rich, may God bless you and keep you. You are not forgotten. Thank you for the freedom we too often take for granted.

[JazzBill]

To those who made the ultimate sacrifice, including my friend Rich, may God bless you and keep you. You are not forgotten. Thank you for the freedom we too often take for granted.

I saw this in person a few years ago. ( Changing of the guard, Arlington National Cemetery ) I cried like a baby, as did most of the other veterans in attendance.

[youtube=425,350]vqZ-mkdp1H0[/youtube]

[Double Deal Decker]

I also saw this ceremony as a young child. Very moving.

[FineBari3]

I usually wind up bawling some time during Memorial Day, even though no one has ever been killed in combat from my family.  I did this morning while watching some of Band of Brothers.

This is one of the few Memorial Days that I did not march in a parade or two. I have been doing that for about 27 years.

[Blystone]

I happen to hold a medal from the U.S. Army, but it's not a combat medal, it came from being part of the relief team after the 1989 San Francisco earthquake. This is it:

http://cpol.army.mil/library/permiss/5435.html

Personally, I think the Army Medical Corps went just a little too far in pinning a medal on me for just doing my non-combatant job, but I'll always treasure it anyway.

Remember and honor our Troops today and always, both the living and the dead. They've done more for us and for the cause of freedom than anyone could really understand unless they'd been there. And who would have wanted to be there? In a hail of fighter plane bullets? The very air spitting death? No thanks!

But I'd like to think that I might have behaved like Chief Finn. John Wayne and Gary Cooper only played men like this, but he was the true coin:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/28/us/28finn.html?ref=obituaries

[BenStooge9]

To all the Veterans on .net (and everywhere), Thank you for your service

[Double Deal Decker]

Thank you to all those who replied. If we learned anything from the Vietnam era is was that it is ok to disagree w/our involvement in any conflict, but we should NEVER, EVER blame those who served. Thank a veteran for his or her service any time the opportunity presents itself. They will surely appreciate it, and you'll feel better for it.