A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....11-10,11,12-06....Honoring Veterans Everywhere

November 10, 2006 | Billie

[Billie]

In 1921, an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. This site, on a hillside overlooking the Potomac River and the city of Washington, became the focal point of reverence for America's veterans.

Similar ceremonies occurred earlier in England and France, where an unknown soldier was buried in each nation's highest place of honor (in England, Westminster Abbey; in France, the Arc de Triomphe). These memorial gestures all took place on November 11, giving universal recognition to the celebrated ending of World War I fighting at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). The day became known as "Armistice Day".

Armistice Day officially received its name in America in 1926 through a Congressional resolution. It became a national holidiay 12 years later by similar Congressional action. If the idealistic hope had been realized that World War I was "the War to end all Wars," November 11 might still be called Armistice Day. But only a few years after the holiday was proclaimed, war broke out in Europe. Sixteen and one-half million Americans took part. Four hundred seven thousand of them died in service, more than 292,000 in battle.

Realizing that peace was equally preserved by veterans of WW II and Korea, Congress was requested to make this day an occasion to honor those who have served America in all wars. In 1954 President Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day.

We as Americas owe much to the brave men and women who have fought to preserve our freedom, and though we are thankful every day for their sacrifice, two special days have been set aside to honor them each year:

• Memorial Day honors the American Military who have died in their service for the country.
  
  
• Veterans Day is to appreciate all who have served their country, both alive and dead.

A law passed in 1968 changed the national commemoration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. It soon became apparent, however, that November 11 was a date of historic significance to many Americans. Therefore, in 1978 Congress returned the observance to its traditional date.

Every year the President of the United States urges All Americans to honor the commitment of our Veterans through appropriate public ceremonies. The focal point for official, national ceremonies for Veterans Day continues to be the memorial amphitheater built around the Tomb of the Unknowns. At 11 a.m. on November 11, a combined color guard representing all military services executes "Present Arms" at the tomb. The nation's tribute to its war dead is symbolized by the laying of a presidential wreath. The bugler plays "Taps." The rest of the ceremony takes place in the amphitheater.

God Bless our veterans on this day and all others. We owe you our gratitude and our respect, for without you America would not be the strong and free country we know and love.

10-01-06 ~ Hall of Fame #17

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 11-06-06 Military Monday 11-07-06 I Pledge Allegiance 11-08-06 Warm Fuzzy Wednesday 11-09-06 Putting things wildly in perspective

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[Billie]

[Billie]

Good morning! Tomorrow is November 11th ~ Veterans Day, and you are invited to join us as we pay tribute to our Veterans today through Sunday.

Remember also to WEAR RED TODAY to show support for our troops.

Happy Birthday, Marines!!!

[NicknamedBob]

We Saved A Seat

We keep a place in the parlor, a seat for an old friend,
Someone who went to fight for us, we shall not see again.
But just in case he wanders by, he’s welcome to a rest.
We’ve got the seat saved just for him, as flowers will attest.

We don’t expect to see him, though we think of him a lot.
We only know he said, “I’m going, and I’ll give it all I’ve got.”
We know he gave it that and more, and didn’t pass in vain.
I guess we sorta knew it when he stepped up on the train.

I’d rather think of him that way, instead of in the mud.
And certainly I wouldn’t want to think about the blood.
Determined was his visage, and noble was his cause,
And when we count our blessings ‘round, we stop here and we pause.

NicknamedBob . . . . . . . . . May 3, 2004
© 2004

[Dick Bachert]

Well worth the trip!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te-cKxsBapM

[onyx]

Good morning Billie and everybody!
God bless our brave troops.

[NicknamedBob]

 

 

So Many Crosses

I saw so many crosses there, my eyes began to swim,
Among all the fallen heroes, how could I find just him?
But then I found I had a guide, and this One said, “Fear not,
For I know all the servicemen who rest within this plot.”

My guide showed me the way to find my fallen brother,
And said that in my family I would certainly find another.
And on and on He led me there, to pass by every stone,
To show me of the fallen ones, which ones had been my own.

“I did not know so many had been taken of my clan.”
“Not all have died in battle, but each one has been a man.
A man to stand against the tide, and sweep it back to cower,
And that is why I hold them here, in this My sacred bower.”

I looked in wonder ‘round me in this forest of the brave,
Where each stubby sapling was the marker of a grave.
I said, “Why have you gathered these? What is the plan you made?”
He said with sadness, “Many others ran away. These are the ones who stayed.”

“They stayed when others ran in fear. They went toward the harm.
Though many knew no more of war than being on a farm.
They were steadfast in battle, and were conquerors of fear,
I have plans to grow some more of them. This is a garden here.”

“The seeds of their great courage, will rest within your souls,
And when the need arises, you will find you have controls,
Over the blinding terror, over the numbing fear,
Perhaps one day it will be you who journeys here.”

I was no longer trembling. I did no longer weep.
I no longer was a stranger in that strange and silent keep.
It was a ward of brothers, a loving family somehow,
And then I knew that I would be just like my brother now.


NicknamedBob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May10, 2004


 

 

 

 

[dutchess]

Absolutely lovely thread billie. Happy Birthday Marines and god bless our veterans. I can't help but think of LadyX as I looked through your thread. I'm sure she's smiling down from heaven.

[StarCMC]

Bob, that's beautiful. You write so wonderfully. *HUG*

[StarCMC]

I can't help but think of LadyX

And TC. Dang. God bless those two -- they are sorely missed.

[StarCMC]

St. Crispen's Day Speech:
William Shakespeare, 1599

Enter the KING

WESTMORELAND. O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!

KING. What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark'd to die, we are now
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.'
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition; 
Make him a member of the gentry, even if he is a commoner.
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

[StarCMC]

One more and I'll stop being a thread-hog. *G*

 

THE CROSSES GROW ON ANZIO

Oh, gather 'round me, comrades;
and listen while I speak
Of a war, a war, a war
where hell is six feet deep.
Along the shore,
the cannons roar.
Oh how can a soldier sleep?
The going's slow on Anzio.
And hell is six feet deep.

Praise be to God
for this captured sod
that rich with blood does seep.
With yours and mine,
like butchered swine's;
and hell is six feet deep.
That death awaits
there's no debate;
no triumph will we reap.
The crosses grow on Anzio,
where hell is six feet deep.

. . . Audie Murphy, 1948

 

[ConorMacNessa]

Happy Friday to the Finest - wearing red to support our troops on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq. Thank you Veterans!

Stuck at work again today so will not be able to post. Have a good one.

[NicknamedBob]

"Happy Birthday Marines and god bless our veterans. I can't help but think of LadyX as I looked through your thread. I'm sure she's smiling down from heaven."

I figured the same ...

Storming the Beaches of Heaven

The tide has taken me this far in,
The sand is warm against my skin,
I look down at my feet in shock,
And then I look to find a rock.

I’m here on the beach in a frontal assault,
But I’ve lost my weapon and it’s not my fault.
I was holding on tight when that last wave came,
And when it was gone things were not the same.

My boots are gone and my uniform ... well ...
I might be better equipped for Hell.
For I’ve nothing to fight with and nothing to hold,
But I’m here and I’m ready and you’re never too old!

So I look all around for a sign of the foe,
And that’s when I notice that I have a new toe.
The old one was lost in a battle one day,
Along with its mates when the foot went away.

But this one I wriggle and it seems quite okay,
And I think I could march for a year and a day!
Except, where am I going, and what is my goal?
I was sure of myself when I stepped from the shoal.

I stand up and look all around me once more,
And I realize I’m on a really strange shore.
There’s no sound of combat, no sign of a fight,
And in fact everything is a beautiful sight!

The trees are asway in a gentle warm breeze,
And the sounds I do hear seem intended to please.
So I stroll further inland to scope out the place,
And then I look into a familiar old face!

“We’ve waited so long to welcome you here,
Please won’t you come along with me, Dear?”
In shock I just mumble, “This can’t be true!
Why, it’s been a lifetime since I have seen you!”

“Oh, yes. You will find things are different here,
In the blink of an eye you can lose a whole year!”
And at last the truth dawned that my battle was done,
And I worried a bit, then I smiled, ‘cause I’d won!

So I looked all around, and I saw all my pals,
Those rock-steady soldiers, both the guys and the gals,
My Mom and my Dad had a place on a hill,
And if I can stay here forever ... I will!


A tribute to Lady X

From NicknamedBob . . . . . . . . . . . July 9, 2006

Storming the Beaches of Heaven

The tide has taken me this far in,
The sand is warm against my skin,
I look down at my feet in shock,
And then I look to find a rock.

I’m here on the beach in a frontal assault,
But I’ve lost my weapon and it’s not my fault.
I was holding on tight when that last wave came,
And when it was gone things were not the same.

My boots are gone and my uniform ... well ...
I might be better equipped for Hell.
For I’ve nothing to fight with and nothing to hold,
But I’m here and I’m ready and you’re never too old!

So I look all around for a sign of the foe,
And that’s when I notice that I have a new toe.
The old one was lost in a battle one day,
Along with its mates when the foot went away.

But this one I wriggle and it seems quite okay,
And I think I could march for a year and a day!
Except, where am I going, and what is my goal?
I was sure of myself when I stepped from the shoal.

I stand up and look all around me once more,
And I realize I’m on a really strange shore.
There’s no sound of combat, no sign of a fight,
And in fact everything is a beautiful sight!

The trees are asway in a gentle warm breeze,
And the sounds I do hear seem intended to please.
So I stroll further inland to scope out the place,
And then I look into a familiar old face!

“We’ve waited so long to welcome you here,
Please won’t you come along with me, Dear?”
In shock I just mumble, “This can’t be true!
Why, it’s been a lifetime since I have seen you!”

“Oh, yes. You will find things are different here,
In the blink of an eye you can lose a whole year!”
And at last the truth dawned that my battle was done,
And I worried a bit, then I smiled, ‘cause I’d won!

So I looked all around, and I saw all my pals,
Those rock-steady soldiers, both the guys and the gals,
My Mom and my Dad had a place on a hill,
And if I can stay here forever ... I will!


A tribute to Lady X

From NicknamedBob . . . . . . . . . . . July 9, 2006

[StarCMC]

*sniff*

[MEG33]

Happy Birthday To The Marine Corps

[MEG33]

Billie, your thread is breathtaking. Thank you!

[.30Carbine]

Thank you, Billie, for the ping.

Thank you all our veterans!

Happy Birthday USMC!

God bless and keep you.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

061109-F-0000X-002 Washington, D.C. (Nov. 9, 2006) - Surviving members of the Doolittle Raiders paid tribute to the U.S. Navy and USS Hornet (CVA 8) during a wreath laying ceremony at the Navy Memorial. Hornet was the aircraft carrier from which all the Doolittle flyers took off from during WWII. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Madelyn Waychoff (RELEASED)

061107-N-8154G-030 Atlantic Ocean (Nov. 7, 2006) - An AV-8B Harrier assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron Two Six Four (HMM-264) launches from the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5). The Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group is conducting Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) off the Atlantic coast with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., prior to an upcoming scheduled deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jeremy L. Grisham (RELEASED)

060917-N-9278S-003 Persian Gulf (Sept. 17, 2006) - A Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) assigned to Naval Beach Group Two launches from the well deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7). Iwo Jima recently deployed from her homeport of Norfolk, Va., and began a regularly scheduled deployment to the U.S. European Command and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) areas of responsibility (AOR) to conduct Maritime Security Operations (MSO). U.S. Navy photo By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class John Skrzyniarz (RELEASED)

051210-N-9866B-213 Pacific Ocean (Dec. 10, 2005) - An AV-8B Harrier, assigned to the “Blacksheep” of Marine Attack Squadron Two One Four (VMA-214), lands on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5). Peleliu and Expeditionary Strike Group Three (ESG-3) are underway off the coast of Southern California conducting Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPTUEX) in preparation for an upcoming scheduled deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 2nd Class Zack Baddorf (RELEASED)

061105-N-8591H-389 Pacific Ocean (Nov. 5, 2006) - An F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to the "Diamondbacks" of Strike Fighter Squadron One Zero Two (VFA-102) completes a super-sonic flyby as part of an air power demonstration for visitors aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). VFA-102 is one of the nine squadrons and detachments assigned to Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) and embarked aboard Kitty Hawk. Kitty Hawk and CVW-5 is currently deployed off the coast of southern Japan on a scheduled deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jarod Hodge (RELEASED)

[NicknamedBob]

Wow! Punched a hole in that one!

What galaxy does it end up in?

[Majie Purple]