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]

God Bless our Troops!

Band of Brothers ~ Suit One

[mylife]

roll on buddies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loCez6BaYCU

[mylife]

yep and yep

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening/morning, Mayor, and thank you for today's sustenance for body and soul.

[luvie]

Have plans for tomorrow?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, mountainlion...I salute your neighbor's son. Being a Tomb Guard is something very, very special. Those are special men...so dedicated to the job they do.

[radu]

I’m back. Had to make a store run and water desperately thirsty flowers. Not even a dewfall tonight so Hubby’s out mowing.

Did you have a good day, LUV?

[Kathy in Alaska]

You’re back...get everything you needed? I made a WalMart run this morning. I’m making macaroni salad for tomorrow and forgot celery. I’ll be getting things cut up and mostly ready tonight...I think.

Earlier we had the biggest and loudest and longest thunder storm I’ve heard up here. It poured for about a half hour. Not long enough, but I’ll take it. Hope you get some soon.

[radu]

Yes, got what was needed. Cat litter was the most urgent since we were out. Gotta have that! LOL!

Lucky y’all having a thunderstorm! Did you see any cool lightning bolts while you were out watching?

No rain in store for us until Thursday. :-( Going to be hot, hot, hot between now and then.

[Kathy in Alaska]

No lightning that I ever saw, and I don’t know where there were any clouds to bump together...the whole sky was just, and still is, solid low and drab. Maybe more rain mid-week. We will see.

Hope yours gets there soon.

[luvie]

Hi, there! Your poor flowers! I sympathize. We have to water ours too and it’s getting really expensive already and summer isn’t even here with it’s REALLY high temps! Ugh!

[radu]

Guess there were just the two bolts that gave those claps of thunder you heard. It happens here sometimes and is disappointing. I’ll hear a THUMP and run outside and ...... nothing more.

Glad you got some rain this evening. You needed it badly.
With a lot of luck, we’ll get some Thursday. There are a lot of fields around here full of young soybeans and corn that will greatly appreciate it!

[radu]

Hey there, LUV.

At least the flowers are lucky enough to get a little drink. Everything else is on its own.

At least we don’t have to pay for our water since we’re on two wells. We had a wet winter and it was wet all last year so we’re good for quite a while. But it still stinks we have to water anything.

I guess we’re going to have a hot summer here, too. It’s already hot and it’s too early for this kind of heat.

What happened to Spring? We went from winter to summer!

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Memorial Day morning to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

((HUGS))Good morning, Ladies. How's it going?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, E...((HUGS))...and a good Memorial Day to you as well.

You and Bo have a great day.

[Kathy in Alaska]

I was hoping you would report in, henkster.

Sounds like you had a great time, per usual.

So glad the tradition of honoring our servicemen and women, past and present, continues.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, Meg, and thank you for this beautiful honoring of our fallen. Lots of tears this evening. ((HUGS))

[Kathy in Alaska]

Yes, Sand, we thank them.

[Kathy in Alaska]

I know you will give a great keynote speech. Thank you.

[Kathy in Alaska]

I just finished watching it...I DVRed it, but caught the repeat run as well. As a matter of fact I am watching it right this very minute. Trace Adkins is singing “Arlington”.