FReeper Canteen ~ Memorial Day 2008 ~ 26 May 08

Serving The Best Troops And Veterans In The World | StarCMC and GI Joe

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

The FReeper Canteen Observes ------------------------ Memorial Day 2008 ------------------------

 

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  The Soldier's Faith by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.  WWII's Kilroy Was Here Vietnam Memorial - Virtual Wall Elaine's Memorial Day Page  I Love Freedom Memorial Day Links  Memorial Day  Dear American Soldier In Iraq  US Memorial Day - LOTS OF GREAT STUFF!! All POW MIA Memorial Day Page

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

"Kneel Where Our Loves Are Sleeping Words by G.W.R. Music by Mrs. L. Nella Sweet Kneel where our loves are sleeping, Dear ones days gone by, Here we bow in holy reverence, Our bosoms heave the heartfelt sigh. They fell like brave men, true as steel, And pour’d their blood like rain, We feel we owe them all we have, And can but weep and kneel again. CHORUS Kneel where our loves are sleeping, They lost but still were good and true, Our fathers, brothers fell still fighting, We weep, ‘tis all that we can do. VERSE 2: Here we find our noble dead, Their spirits soar’d to him above, Rest they now about his throne, For God is mercy, God is love. Then let us pray that we may live, As pure and good as they have been, That dying we may ask of him, To open the gate and let us in. CHORUS Kneel where our loves are sleeping, They lost but still were good and true, Our fathers, brothers fell still fighting, We weep, ‘tis all that we can do."

 

 

 

[Just Lori]

OH! Chains stink. I tried one once. If she’s that good a tech, she could go into hospital pharmacy. There’s alot more going on there, lots to learn, but it beats retail by leaps and bounds! Many hospitals also have retirement plans if you’re there long enough.

OR, she could look into independent pharmacies. They usually pay better, and the conditions are much better than you’ll find in any chain. Tell her to check out pharmacies in medical buildings. I worked in two of those, and they were both great places to work. Working in a chain to me was a total dead end. Nobody recognizes what you do. Even if your immediate supervisor does, the company doesn’t.

I hope this helps.

[Kathy in Alaska]

LOL! Cool biker chick!

[Just Lori]

God Bless and comfort Nana.

[Tamar1973]

Like it, eh?! It was one of the few PG rated photos I found when doing a search for “motorcycle chick” photos. LOL!

[Randy Larsen]

I just looked at your profile page!

The biggest thing I noticed is how much GW has aged in the last EIGHT years!

The contrast was stunning!

I hope he finds peace in his retirement!!!

[HiJinx]

Thank you...I’ll pass it on...she’ll appreciate that.

[mylife]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrill’s_Marauders

[Randy Larsen]

She has been there since 1987...

There isn’t many options for her this close to retirement!

[Kathy in Alaska]

I can just imagine....LOL!

[Just Lori]

That one always gets my eyes wet.

[Randy Larsen]

Thank You for you’re advice!

I will get her to read your post!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night and rest well, Luv. I’ll be working Monday too.

[Just Lori]

OH! Maybe GM-il I could have figured out, but then again, I AM part Polish! =)

[mylife]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chindits

[Just Lori]

Oh. Will she get any kind of retirement from them? 20 years is a long time to be with one company these days.

I’m still trying to wrap my brain around 11 scripts in 8 hours.

[Twink]

Thank you. I replied :)

[STARWISE]

God bless him, he sure has aged physically,
but he still has that rakish wit and optimism.
These years .. some day maybe we’ll know the
secret hellish burdens he’s borne on his soul
and carried on his shoulders every minute of
every day since 9/11.

[Kathy in Alaska]

I’m late to this story, but it sounds like your wife has bosses that “get it”, that understand a good, efficient employee, and the importance of her contributions to the efficiency of their department. That is rare these days. I wish her the best.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night and rest well, ms b...*HUGS*
Thanks for all you do for our troops.

[Randy Larsen]

Yeah, they are union..so she will have her retirement.

We were gone for two weeks, two people that were suppose to cover for her couldn't or wouldn't do her job!

She is very upset, one of the girls who covered for her is demanding her BONUS check...

The pharmacist refuses to give it to her because Violet never got one! That person spent all her time downgrading my wife for working so hard to improve thier % numbers so they could get a bonus! It's enough to piss off the POPE!