Memorial Day

I appreciate them for what they have laid their life out to do. Everytime we see a man or woman in uniform we tell them thank you. I hope that the men and women who have died for our cause will be remembered today. God Bless Them:wub: :wub:

Mr. IBD and I were talking last night on the reason he joined years ago. It was a family thing but he did not regret it whatsoever. Hearing the stories from his survival school, driving on the desert at night in the gulf war, stealing weapons, camp life, camp food, etc. He said at some points times were tough but worth every bit of it for the good ole' USA!!!

When I was in Kansas for my grandmother's funeral two weeks ago I went through boxes of old photographs of my grandparents.

I came across about a dozen photos from WWII. My grandfather served in the 105th infantry. I don't know if he took the photos or just acquired them, but they were so graphic and terrible that at first I couldn't look at them.

Then I became intrigued. It was the first time I had seen real dead bodies and war devastation that wasn't cinematic or televised. As a civilian it is difficult for me to comprehend the horror that soldiers in war face, and seeing these photos made me appreciate how so many from WWII came back and led "normal" lives without discussing what they endured.

My grandfather had never talked about his service in the war with his children or grandchildren. So it made me understand him better and admire his courage.

I'd just like to add a big thank you to the spouses and children, and parents of all the troops...their's is a burden unlike any other.

For until you've watched your loved one turn for one last wave before he or she boards the bus that will take them to the plane or ship....well, there are no words.

Our country owes all those family member a debt of gratitude as well.

Thank you, all.

I was watching the Memorial Day Concert in DC last night and was very moved by the stories. One may who was in WWII had written down his story for his daughter. The short of it was he was shot down, taken as a POW. His faith and the thought of his wife at home kept him going. Germany surrendered he finally was released from Hell and went home to find that he was presummed dead and his wife remarried and was expecting a baby. He was devastated of course but in time moved on and went on several other missions, remarried and had a daughter, Carrie. He and his daughter were both in the audience and stood up on stage together. I cried!

My dad was a Marine pilot in WWII and Korea. He flew the Corsair off aircraft carrier in the Pacific. Amazing! He retired a Colonel after several years in reserve duty. I am very proud of him and all the Veterans!

My flag is out to honor those who served and sacrificed greatly. My heart goes out to those on active duty now. I have several family members buried at Arlington.

I've had several family members die, fighting in the Civil War, and my Grandfather died while serving for the US Army during WWII. My hats off to all the men and women who have died, serving our country, so that we may live freely.

Amen, brothers and sisters :wub: :wub: :wub:
Happy Memorial Day! THANK YOU SOLDIERS!!! ;-) :wub: ;-) :wub: ;-) :wub: ;-) :wub: ;-) :wub:

Y ALL WHO HAVE AND ARE SERVING. mY GRANDFATHER WAS KILLED IN CIVIL WAR. sPENT 5 YEARS TRYING TO FIND BURIAL PLACE. fOUND IT NEAR rICHMOND vA AND HAD GRAVE MARKED. hE WAS MISTAKENLY LISTED AS A UNION SOLDIER . tHE uNION GRAVEMARKERS WROTE ME AND SAID THEY DID NOT HAVE HIM IN THEIR ROLLS BUT WOULD MARK HIS GRAVE EVERY MEMORIAL DAY AND THEY HAVE DONE SO FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

Glad you started this thread Skunky.

My FIL served during WWII in the Navy on several different ships.
He doesn't speak much about it, but he keeps several photo albums in the living room with pictures and articles about the ships he served on.

To all those who lost family or friends so that we could keep our civil liberties and freedom, my thoughts are with you today.

This was in our paper today:

A Soldier's Prayer
by an Unknown Confederate Soldier

I asked God for strength that I might achieve,
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey;
I asked for health that I might do greater things,
I was given infirmity that I might do better things;


I asked for riches That I might be happy,
I was given poverty that I might be wise;
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men,
I was given weakness that I might feel the need for God;


I asked for all things that I might enjoy life,
I was given life that I might enjoy all things;

I got nothing that I asked for?but everything I had
hoped for,
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were
answered,
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.

.

My dad was in the Army, he went to North Georgia. My older brother went to N.GA only for a year. Both my uncles were Army, one is a retired Colonel, the other is Lieutenant General R. Steven Whitcomb, Commanding General Third Army U.S. Army Central (USARCENT) Coalition Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC). I have 1 cousin overseas right now in Korea, one who was in the Army for about 4 years and 1 female cousin (Uncle Steve's daughter) who was in for a couple of years and married to an officer now. Mr. OM's niece's husband is stationed in Augusta, GA. Both my uncles on my mother's side were in the Navy during WWII.

I do not know about my family beyond that in regards to military. It just seemed like it was a part of the Cousins' family for so long that I don't remember not being a part of it in some fashion.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all those serving today, all those who have served and those who lost their lives in service.

My grandma celebrated Memorial Day by reading the Gettysburg address to family members. It's a great speech, and very appropriate on a day we remember those who have died for our country.

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania November 19, 1863