FReeper Canteen ~ MEMORIAL DAY 2016 ~ 30 May 2016

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | StarCMC and The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

The FReeper Canteen Observes ------------------------ Memorial Day 2016 ------------------------

 

History

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet (see below) carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

More history here.

 

 

 

 

Poetry & SONG

MEMORIAL DAY In distant field of sunny France Where strangers come and go, Amid the farms of Flanders, where The fragrant breezes blow, Our soldier-dead in quiet sleep 'Neath crosses row on row. Here shrapnel shells once shrieked and burst And took their toll of death; The very wind, itself a foe, Bore poison on its breath. Above their graves the birds now sing As round that home of yore, When, carefree boys, they romped and played; Those childhood days soon o’er, The boys to brave and strong men grown, They romped and played no more. They put aside their childish toys, A man’s work each must do, And when their country called for them, To her they answered true. "We must protect our native land: She shall not suffer wrong For she has reared and nurtured us, We’re men and we are strong. We’ll bid good-by to those we love; It will not be for long." With aching hearts and tear-dimmed eyes We watched them go away. Some have returned but many sleep In foreign lands today. Where English roses bloom and fade, In France where lilies grow, Among the fields of Flanders, where The scarlet poppies blow, Our soldier-dead are not forgot Though strangers come and go. ~By Eula Gladys Lincoln~

America the Beautiful - 1913 O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for pilgrim feet Whose stern, impassioned stress A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness! America! America! God mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law! O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife. Who more than self the country loved And mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine Till all success be nobleness And every gain divine! O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for halcyon skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the enameled plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till souls wax fair as earth and air And music-hearted sea! O beautiful for pilgrims feet, Whose stern impassioned stress A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness! America ! America ! God shed his grace on thee Till paths be wrought through wilds of thought By pilgrim foot and knee! O beautiful for glory-tale Of liberating strife When once and twice, for man's avail Men lavished precious life ! America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till selfish gain no longer stain The banner of the free! O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till nobler men keep once again Thy whiter jubilee!

 

 

 

 

 

Links to redrock's
Memorial Day Threads from 2006

"We Can Be Heroes.....Just For One Day"
MEMORIAL DAY --Thread # 1


"Just Another Drunk Indian..."
MEMORIAL DAY--Thread # 2


"Chocolate Chip Cookies"
MEMORIAL DAY --Thread # 3


"Hey...Do Ya Wanna Hear a Polish Joke???"
MEMORIAL DAY --Thread # 4

 

"Remember...What We Owe.."
MEMORIAL DAY --Thread # 5


"The Betrayal of The American Soldier"
MEMORIAL DAY Thread # 6


Final -- "Falls The Night"
MEMORIAL DAY Thread # 7

 

 

 

 

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Pro. Enjoy your Memorial Day parade.

[mountainlion]

One of the former Guards of the Unknowns is my neighbors son. I met him once. We need a lot more people like him.

[radu]

Hey there!

Sounds like you’ve had a quiet day.

Been quiet here, too. Too hot and muggy to want to do outside activities.

[ConorMacNessa]

My voice was a little shaky this morning. I was okay in the louder material; not so much in the softer works - Ave Verum Corpus, for example.

"I am an American fighting man. I serve in the forces guarding our country and our way of life.
I am prepared to give my life in their defense."

[AbnSarge]

For anyone in the Silver Spring/Wheaton MD area with nothing better to do tomorrow (I can’t believe there would be any), the guy on the far left of Conor’s “band of brothers-type” photo will be giving the keynote at the AL/VFW Memorial Day Observance, Wheaton, MD at 11:00 Monday.

[henkster]

Hi radu! Hi Kathy!

We spent this day as we have for the past 10 years; at the Indianapolis 500. “We” is me, Mrs. henkster, our two sons and daughter in law. Warm day, great race.

The pre race cermonies, honoring current servicemen and women, our veterans and the fallen, always brings tears to my eyes.

[MEG33]

Memorial Day...We Honor And
~Remember Those Who Gave All For Our Freedoms~

"The Mansions of the Lord"
Words by Randall Wallace


To fallen soldiers let us sing
where no rockets fly nor bullets wing
Our broken brothers let us bring
to the mansions of the Lord

No more bleeding no more fight
No prayers pleading through the night
just divine embrace, eternal light
in the mansions of the Lord

Where no mothers cry and no children weep
We will stand and guard tho the angels sleep
All through the ages safely keep the mansions
of the Lord

The Mansions Of The Lord with Video
~Freedom Isn't Free~

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, ML...((HUGS))...You and Lynn-Dah ready for fireworks?

They started here at 1:37am this morning!!! Maybe 10 minutes worth in the school yard. I don’t think anyone in the neighorhoods surrounding the school could have slept thru them. GRRRRR!!!!

Did you find some treasures at garage sales?

[radu]

Hey there, henkster. I wondered if you went to the race today. Silly to even wonder, huh? LOL!

NASCAR also does wonderful pre-race ceremonies at their Memorial weekend race to honor our military servicemen and women, veterans, and the fallen and I’ve yet to watch them dry-eyed. It seems to hit harder these days with all the garbage from the Left going on across the country.

[SandRat]

[ConorMacNessa]

May I have the coordinates, please?

"I am an American fighting man. I serve in the forces guarding our country and our way of life.
I am prepared to give my life in their defense."

[left that other site]

My sister found an 8’ x 10’ beautiful rug from Crate & Barrel (very expensive store) for $20.00, I got a pair of brand new snow boots for $5.00, two lovely iron trivets, and a pottery vase of eastern European origin.

There is much to be said for Yard Sales in neighborhoods of million dollar homes! LOL!

Fireworks are illegal in Massachusetts.

Along with guns, knives over 3”, numchucks, and until just recently, Tattoos.

I will be getting my CCW though. I just have to go through the procedure all over again.

[mylife]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwMPuwCI8F0

[ConorMacNessa]

MEMORIAL DAY, 2016



Flags In At Arlington

Our National Colors stand today in front of every grave in the Hallowed Grounds of Arlington National Cemetery in memory of our Fallen.

"ECHO TAPS"
USAF Band
(Click)

[henkster]

My dad took me to the track when I was seven years old to see Parnelli Jones in the turbine car. Yesterday my brother posted a photo on Facebook of our crew in the infield in 1982. It was...a different time, the 80s. It sure was in the infield at Indy. I consider the track my birthright. So do my sons. I went there three times this May; the boys went five or six.

For some reason this year, the crowd was very respectful and solemn during the ceremonies.

I saw several Trump t-shirts. And a Bernie Sanders bumper sticker on a car in the north 40. Idiot.

[mylife]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnQwk7C-r8Y

gnight

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu...hope you've had a great day.

Mom's been out checking her "deck" garden. The other geraniums are still needing care, but just some water is helping. Got some shopping done and now I'm in for the duration.

[radu]

That video is beautiful while being sooooo heart-breaking. Our freedom has come at a terrible cost, not only to those who lost their lives but to their families. Freedom isn’t free. They paid dearly.

Always remember them.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Lots of illegal "stuff". Oh no....snow boots? LOL!!

Fireworks are illegal here too. WOW!!! We just had the biggest, longest thunder clap I've ever heard!!!! And another, but not so close.

[radu]

I didn’t even care a thing about racing until ‘94, after moving back to TN. The crowd I hung out with was into NASCAR big time and I got hooked too. But it was ‘96 before I went to a track and ooooooh myyyyy! It’s a whole different ballgame when you’re right there. The sounds, the smells, the crowd.

It’s been tears since we’ve been to a race. They got greedy and priced us out. They’ve also changed rules and it just isn’t the same any more. But I’ll still watch a few races on TV and this is one of them.