Galt's Gulch
12

Memorial Day

Posted by Robbie53024 10 years, 7 months ago to History
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We often think of this holiday merely as the start of summer. But it has a much more important reason. Please take a moment or two to remember those who are no longer with us to ensure the freedoms that we enjoy.

Freedom is not free.

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  • Posted by NealS 10 years, 7 months ago
    And don't forget to buy a Poppy from a VFW member this week. Every cent of it goes directly to help a veteran and/or his family. My VFW Post this year seems to be collecting less than in the past. Perhaps people are expecting the government to take care of our vets in need?
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  • Posted by Owlsrayne 10 years, 7 months ago
    I'm currently put together information of my father's Merchant Marine voyages during WW2. Which culminate in a book in about 12 months. It irks me that the Merchant Seaman and the ships they sailed on are forgotten about. Their contribution to delivering much needed material for our troops and allies is just as heroic as any other service.
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    • Posted by Robbie53024 10 years, 7 months ago
      Not lost on me. One of the topics that we studied at the Academy was the impact and importance of the supply line. The Battle of the Bulge is an anomaly - and an heroic one at that. But the fact is that Patton could only move as fast as he could supply gas to his tanks. It is common understanding that more soldiers die of infection mostly caused by malnutrition (as a consequence of lack of supply of balanced nutritional foodstuffs) than directly as a consequence of wounds.

      God bless your father and his shipmates for the work that they did. They are the unsung heroes of WWII. Write his story proudly. We all need to hear it.

      Much thanks to your father and his shipmates - from a groundpounder that, thankfully, never had to count on same for his survival, but damn glad they are there.
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    • Posted by jpellone 10 years, 7 months ago
      You are so right Owl... They were putting their life on the line every day for the good of our country. As were many others that are not normally recognized. Good luck with the book.
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  • Posted by Herb7734 10 years, 7 months ago
    It's OK to barbecue, go to the beach, and be with family and friends. Just take a few minutes to remember those men and women who stood up and raised their right hand and swore to "support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic." Memorial Day honors those who died upholding that oath, thus protecting our rights established in the Constitution of the United States.
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  • Posted by richrobinson 10 years, 7 months ago
    Thanks for the reminder Robbie. I am fortunate to work in a small town that has a great Memorial Day Parade. It always makes me think of those who served.
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    • Posted by Robbie53024 10 years, 7 months ago
      Me too. Lot's of veterans marching, on floats, and in cars. Although technically a veteran myself, I served during a time of mostly peace - active duty from '85-'90, so I don't feel worthy of such an honor compared to the WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, and Gulf/Iraq/Afghanistan heroes.
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  • Posted by Notperfect 10 years, 6 months ago
    Because of those here in the Gulch and those who have served our Country I salute you and may God bless. Men, Women and no matter the color you are my heroes.
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  • Posted by Robbie53024 10 years, 6 months ago
    If you ever travel to Europe, I highly recommend visiting the Normandy beaches and cemeteries. It is a humbling experience. Seeing what the soldiers had to traverse, the cliffs that the Rangers climbed, and then the acres upon acres of graves will provide a perspective that you just cannot get from reading history, or even from movies like Saving Private Ryan.
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  • Posted by $ jbrenner 10 years, 6 months ago
    For at least the last ten years, one of our local funeral homes had put on a very patriotic Memorial Day service. We went this year, and there was no one there even though the funeral home still thrives. People are no longer remembering.
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  • Posted by 9286cinder 10 years, 7 months ago
    Agreed. Our community has a great Memorial Day program at the high school every year, and for the last several it has been standing room only. It's great to see. The speaker today said if you don't know someone personally that paid the ultimate price fighting for our freedom, to ask someone in the service. I thought that was a great suggestion. I make my 13 and 16 year old go every year too.
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  • Posted by Robbie53024 10 years, 7 months ago
    The WWII vets at our memorial day parade was down to about 10. Just last year I remember there being about 20. On the other hand, the "vets" from the Iraq/Afghanistan wars were the same at 4, with the same 8 KIA's (thankfully no more dead in the past year). But what that shows is that ever fewer of the populace are familiar with military service. This leads to less appreciation for the value of a military. I think that this may also be contributing to the issues with the VA fiasco. Most of the workers in the VA medical system have no direct interaction with the military. They view this as just a job, and a government job at that - one that has less oversight and accountability than a for profit hospital. Thus, they tend to be slackers doing the least that they need to to get by. My cousin works at the VA and is the wife of a vet, so I have some insight into the mentality of what is going on.
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  • Posted by H2ungar123 10 years, 7 months ago
    Why do so many people wait for Memorial Day
    to display the flag on their homes? I have a flag
    on my car, for Pete's sake, and it is so sad to
    see thousands of cars in various parking lots
    and not one flag! When I do (rarely) see another auto with a flag, we beep each other! This is not flag=bragging. It's a display
    of love and respect for my country.
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