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."

 

 

 

[mylife]

Yay!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Fantastic graphics, MM...

[HiJinx]

I didn’t see an answer to your request...

Mt. Tiefort.

I spent a few days camped in a wash along Tiefort’s southern flank. We paid close attention to the weather forecasts, then. There was a jumbled pile of debris about 50 yards up-canyon from our DF site that was probably a result of unchecked run-off from the mountainside.

[mylife]

Quite the campsite aint it? ;)

[STARWISE]

[mylife]

Thanks for the spelling. I broke out a topo map here but no land marks listed.

Spent 3-4 days on that rock L0L

[STARWISE]

For all the guys ............ ;)

[Kathy in Alaska]

From email.........

Speeding Ticket

Two California Highway Patrol Officers were conducting speeding enforcement on I-15, just north of the Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar. One of the officers was using a hand held radar device to check speeding vehicles approaching the crest of a hill. The officers were suddenly surprised when the radar gun began reading 300 miles per hour.

The officer attempted to reset the radar gun, but it would not reset and then turned off. Just then a deafening roar over the treetops revealed that the radar had in fact locked on to a USMC F/A-18 Hornet which was engaged in a low flying exercise near the location.

Back at the CHP (California Highway Patrol) headquarters the Patrol Captain fired off a complaint to the USMC Base Commander. The reply came back in true USMC style: Thank you for your letter. We can now complete the file on this incident. You may be interested to know that the tactical computer in the Hornet had detected the presence of, and subsequently locked on to, your hostile radar equipment and automatically sent a jamming signal back to it, which is why it shut down. Furthermore, an Air-to-Ground missile aboard the fully armed aircraft had also automatically locked on to your equipment location.

Fortunately, the Marine Pilot flying the Hornet recognized the situation for what it was, quickly responded to the missile system alert status and was able to override the automated defense system before the missile was launched to destroy the hostile radar position.

The pilot also suggests you cover your mouths when cussing at them, since the video systems on these jets are very high tech. Sergeant Johnson, the officer holding the radar gun, should get his dentist to check his left rear molar. It appears the filling is loose. Also, the snap is broken on his holster. Thank you for your concern . Semper Fi.

[luvie]

Music for our Troops, Veterans, and their families!!
HONORING THE FALLEN THIS MEMORIAL DAY

Aaron Tippen~The Stars & Stripes & the Eagle Flies

Alan Jackson~Where Were You (Live)

John Michael Montgomery~Letters From Home

John Phillip Sousa~El Capitan

John Wayne~America, Why I Love Her/Pledge of Allegiance

Lee Greenwood~9-11 Tribute-God Bless the USA/God Bless America

Mariah Carey~Hero


GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS--PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE....
....AND GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

[stand watie]

HI, LJ.

free dixie,sw

[Kathy in Alaska]

America, Why I Love Her....John Wayne

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, TS, for WHAT IS A VET?

[Lady Jag]

A Soldier

There is discipline in A Soldier you can see it when he walks, There is honor in A Soldier you hear it when he talks. There is courage in A Soldier you can see it in his eyes, There is loyalty in A Soldier that he will not compromise. There is something in A Soldier that makes him stand apart, There is strength in A Soldier that beats from his heart. A Soldier isn't a title any man can be hired to do, A Soldier is the soul of that man buried deep inside of you. A Soldier's job isn't finished after an 8 hour day or a 40 hour week, A Soldier is always A Soldier even while he sleeps. A Soldier serves his country first and his life is left behind, A Soldier has to sacrifice what comes first in a civilian's mind. If you are civilian - I am saying this to you..... next time you see A Soldier remember what they do. A Soldier is the reason our land is 'Home of the free', A Soldier is the one that is brave protecting you and me. If you are A Soldier - I am saying this to you..... Thank God for EVERY SOLDIER Thank God for what YOU do! Angela Goodwin

[mylife]

Dont let the title throw you off

[Kathy in Alaska]

The stories they had to tell when their work was done for the day! Legends in the making! d:o)

[MeekMom]

Hiya friend!
God bless you and a happy Memorial Day to you! :) ((hugs))

[mylife]

Beautiful

[Kathy in Alaska]

A Soldier

Thank God for EVERY SOLDIER
Thank God for what YOU do!

Yes! Thanks.

[mylife]

No doubt.

Never let the naysayers dissuade you

[MeekMom]

Good evening friends!
Hope you’re both having a fantastic weekend! :)

God’s blessings upon you!