Let Us Remember (The Real Memorial Day) 05-30-02

The History Channel, Billie, various ^

[Billie]

Let Us Remember........

Memorial Day is much more than a three-day weekend that marks the beginning of summer. To many people, especially the nation's thousands of combat veterans, this day, which has a history stretching back all the way to the Civil War, is an important reminder of those who died in the service of their country.

"Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain.
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am the morning hush.
I am the graceful rush
of beautiful birds in circling flight.
I am the star shine of the night.
I am the flowers that bloom.
I am in a quiet room.
I am the birds that sing.
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die."
~Mary Frye, Baltimore MD, Circa 1933

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to honor the nation's Civil War dead by decorating their graves. It was first widely observed on May 30,1868, to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers, by proclamation of General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of former sailors and soldiers. On May 5, 1868, Logan declared in General Order No. 11 that:

The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

During the first celebration of Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, after which 5,000 participants helped to decorate the graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery.

This 1868 celebration was inspired by local observances of the day in several towns throughout America that had taken place in the three years since the Civil War. In fact, several Northern and Southern cities claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, including Columbus, Mississippi; Macon, Georgia; Richmond, Virginia; Boalsburg, Pennsylvania; and Carbondale, Illinois.

In 1966, the federal government, under the direction of President Lyndon Johnson, declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day. They chose Waterloo—which had first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866—because the town had made Memorial Day an annual, community-wide event during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.

By the late 1800s, many communities across the country had begun to celebrate Memorial Day and, after World War I, observances also began to honor those who had died in all of America's wars. In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated the last Monday in May. (Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor all veterans, living and dead, is celebrated each year on November 11.)

Today, Memorial Day is celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery with a ceremony in which a small American flag is placed on each grave. Also, it is customary for the president or vice-president to give a speech honoring the contributions of the dead and lay a wreath at the Tomb of
                         the Unknown Soldier. About 5,000 people attend the ceremony annually.

Several Southern states continue to set aside a special day for honoring the Confederate dead, which is usually called Confederate Memorial Day:

• Mississippi: Last Monday in April
• Alabama: Fourth Monday in April
• Georgia: April 26
• North Carolina: May 10
• South Carolina: May 10
• Louisiana: June 3
• Tennessee (Confederate Decoration Day): June 3
• Texas (Confederate Heroes Day): January 19
• Virginia: Last Monday in May

Although Memorial Day is set aside to honor those that have fallen, I wanted to take a moment and thank each and every person who has served our country in both war and in peace, as well as those who are serving to protect our freedom now.

Probably the largest number of our FReeper Veterans are Vietnam Vets, and many of them didn't experience a heros' welcome, with parades and flags and banners, when they returned. I wish we could make it up to all of them.


One of the FReepers who served during Vietnam also had a twin brother who joined about the same time, but in different branches, and I thought it would be fun to show them as they looked in their respective uniforms thirty-something years ago. (I asked Dave to send me some pictures, but he didn't know how I planned to use them or that I was going to sketch them instead.)

Thank you, Diver Dave, U.S. Navy, and your twin brother, Don, U.S. Marine Corp. We salute you, and we are so glad you both came home to your families.

         

This song was written by Tom T. Hall in 1964, and recorded by Johnny Wright, husband of Country Music singer Kitty Wells. For all those who served in Vietnam,
and left behind loved ones, this song's for you. Thank you for going; thank you for fighting, thank you for enduring the Hell and the horror that was.....Vietnam.

GOODBYE MY DARLIN' HELLO VIETNAM

Kiss me goodbye and write me when you can.
Goodbye my darlin', hello Vietnam.
America has heard the bugle call,
And you know it involves us one and all.
A ship is waitin' at the dock,
America has trouble to be stopped.
We must stop Communism in that land,
or freedom will start slippin' through our hand.
I hope and pray someday the world will learn
That fires we don't put out will bigger burn.
We must save freedom now at any cost,
or someday our freedom will be lost.

Kiss me goodbye and write me when you can.
Goodbye my darlin' hello Vietnam



Click on the graphic for a tribute to many of FR's Veterans and Active Military.

[lodwick]

Hi Who! A very long time no see. Glad you're here. JL

[whoever]

..A very long time no see...

If you can see me, you aren't concentrating hard enough...(g)

Thanks for missing me. I try to post daily on FR, somewhere or the other.

[lodwick]

THE SOLDIERS GRAVE
BY PEARL RIVERS

Tread lightly, 'tis a soldiers grave,
A lonely, mossy mound;
And yet to hearts like mine and thine
It should be holy ground.

Speak softly, let no careless laugh,
No idle, thoughtless jest,
Escape your lips where sweetly sleeps
The hero in his rest.

For him no reveille will beat
When morning beams shall come;
For him, at night, no tattoo rolls
Its thunders from the drum.

Tread lightly! for a man bequeathed,
Ere laid beneath this sod,
His ashes to his native land,
His gallant soul to God.

[lodwick]

WWI Turkish Tombstone

I respect the soldier
no matter the country
they all were just babies
fighting and suffering and dying
for the dreams of old, tired men.
Right or Wrong, they were only kids.
JL

[lodwick]

Adanac Military Cemetery, 1989

This cemetery contains the graves of 1071 Canadians killed in the 1916 Battle of the Somme. The name Adanac is Canada spelled backwards. An 18-year old Piper James Richardson buried here won the Victorial Cross posthumously. He died piping his comrades forward to Regina Trench.

[Billie]

Thank you so much for bringing the beloved President Reagan here, whoever.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Luke F-16 crashes May 29

05/30/02 - LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFPN) -- A Luke F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed May 29 shortly after 5 p.m. at the Sells Military Operating Area in southwest Arizona.

The pilot, Maj. David Walker, from the 56th Fighter Wing here, ejected safely and was taken to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., by the 308th Air Rescue Squadron. He was treated and is reported in good condition.

At the time of the mishap, Walker was on a basic fighter maneuver training mission.

A board of officers will investigate the accident. (Courtesy of Air Education and Training Command News Service)

Link here.

[Billie]

Thank you, EMB, and thank goodness the pilot is okay.

[lodwick]

In Hamm we are face to face with the graves of American soldiers who perished in the Battle of the Bulge, in 1944-45, at the end of the Second World War, against the German Wehrmacht (Army). George S. Patton, the commander-in-chief of the IIIrd US Army Corps, found his last resting place here, as he had wished expressly. The white crosses of the 5,076 graves form an arch in front of a memorial chapel.

Major David W. Ray USArmy, my great uncle, a chaplain, survived the Battle of the Bulge. RIP

[firewalk]

Thanks Billie! For the ping and for this thread.

[The Mayor]

Thankyou Billie for this Great thread..

GOD HAS TRULY BLESSED OUR VETS!

[whoever]

Seeing a picture like that causes me to rub my eyes. Can I be seeing what I am seeing? Is that real? Those lives given for me? And that picture is just one of many, ,, ,, many.

How can we express our gratitude to their families?

[lodwick]

All those little crosses, all over the globe - dead kids. Fighting. Just fighting. They mostly hadn't a clue why - but it was always for God and country - no matter whose.

I wish I were smart enough to answer your question. God bless and keep.

[whoever]

.. I don't have the ping thing going on here..

May I suggest you just occasionally click on "Self-Search" at the bottom of the page.

[Billie]

Hi, BIS, thank you for coming. Nice to see you.

[whoever]

THE MOTHER OF A SOLDIER

The mother of a soldier
-- hats off to her, I say!
The mother of a soldier
who has gone to face the fray;
She gave him to her country
with a blessing on his head --
She found his name this morning
in the long list of the dead:
"Killed -- Sergeant Thomas Watkins,
while leading on the rest,
A Bible in his pocket
and a portrait on his breast!"

The mother of a soldier
-- she gave him to her land;
She saw him on the transport
as he waved his sun-browned hand;
She kissed him through the teardrops
and she told him to be brave;
Her prayers went night and morning
with her boy upon the wave.

The mother of a soldier --
her comfort and her joy,
She gave her dearest treasure
when she gave her only boy;
She saw the banners waving,
she heard the people cheer;
She clasped her hands and bravely
looked away to hide a tear.

The mother of a soldier --
ah! cheer the hero deed,
And cheer the brave who battle
'neath the banner of their creed;
But don't forget the mothers,
through all the lonely years
That fight the bravest battles
on the sunless field of tears.

Nay, don't forget the mothers --
the mothers of our men,
Who see them go and never know
that they'll come back again;
That give them to their country,
to battle and to die,
Because the bugles call them
and the starry banners fly.

The mother of a soldier --
hats off to her, I say!
Whose head is bowed in sorrow
with its tender locks of gray.
She gave without regretting,
though her old heart sorely bled
When she found his name this morning
in the long list of the dead:
"Killed -- Sergeant Thomas Watkins,
while leading on the rest,
His dear old mother's portrait
clasped upon his hero breast!"

~by Folger McKinsey~

[Billie]

I'm glad you liked it, Mayor. Very nice graphic.

[lodwick]

;-) My religion says SelfSearch is not the best of activities, but thanks for the thought.

[whoever]

Secretary Rumsfeld's prayer to the Cabinet:

Ever faithful God, in death we are reminded of the precious birthrights of life and liberty you endowed in your American people. You have shown once again that these gifts must never be taken for granted.
We pledge to those whom you have called home, and ask of you -
Patience, to measure our lust for action;
Resolve, to strengthen our obligation to lead;
Wisdom, to illuminate our pursuit of justice, and,
Strength, in defense of liberty.

We seek your special blessing today for those who stand as sword and shield, protecting the many from the tyranny of the few. Our enduring prayer is that you shall always guide our labors and that our battles shall always be just.

We pray this day, heavenly father, the prayer our nation learned at another time of righteous struggle and noble cause -- America's enduring prayer: Not that God will be on our side, but always, O Lord, that America will be on your side.

[whoever]

I see you haven't lost your sense of humour. I am so glad.