FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Vernon McGarity ~ October 14, 2013

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | StarCMC

[ConorMacNessa]

Welcome To All Who Enter This Canteen, To Our Serving Military, To Our Veterans, To All Military Families, To Our FRiends and To Our Allies!



Missing Man Setting

"The Empty Chair"

By Captain Carroll "Lex" Lefon, USN (RET), on December 21st, 2004

"In the wardroom onboard the aircraft carrier from which I recently debarked was a small, round table, with single chair. No one ever sat there, and the reasons, both for the table being there, and for the fact that the chair was always empty, will tell the reader a little bit about who we are as a culture. The wardroom, of course, is where the officers will dine; morning, noon and evening. It is not only a place to eat – it is also a kind of oasis from the sometimes dreary, often difficult exigencies of the service. A place of social discourse, of momentary relief from the burdens of the day. The only things explicitly forbidden by inviolable tradition in the wardroom are the wearing of a cover or sword by an officer not actually on watch, or conversation which touches upon politics or religion. But aboard ships which observe the custom, another implicit taboo concerns the empty chair: No matter how crowded the room, no matter who is waiting to be seated, that chair is never moved, never taken.

The table is by the main entrance to the wardroom. You will see it when you enter, and you will see it when you leave. It draws your eyes because it is meant to. And because it draws your eyes it draws your thoughts. And though it will be there every day for as long as you are at sea, you will look at it every time and your eyes will momentarily grow distant as you think for a moment. As you quietly give thanks.

AS YOU REMEMBER.

The small, round table is covered with a gold linen tablecloth. A single place setting rests there, of fine bone china. A wineglass stands upon the table, inverted, empty. On the dinner plate is a pinch of salt. On the bread plate is a slice of lemon. Besides the plate lies a bible. There is a small vase with a single red rose upon the table. Around the vase is wound a yellow ribbon. There is the empty chair.

We will remember because over the course of our careers, we will have had the opportunity to enjoy many a formal evening of dinner and dancing in the fine company of those with whom we have the honor to serve, and their lovely ladies. And as the night wears on, our faces will in time become flushed with pleasure of each other’s company, with the exertions on the dance floor, with the effects of our libations. But while the feast is still at its best, order will be called to the room – we will be asked to raise our glasses to the empty table, and we will be asked to remember:

The table is round to show our everlasting concern for those who are missing. The single setting reminds us that every one of them went to their fates alone, that every life was unique.

The tablecloth is gold symbolizing the purity of their motives when they answered the call to duty.

The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of the missing, and their loved ones who kept the faith.

The yellow ribbon around the vase symbolizes our continued determination to remember them.

The slice of lemon reminds us of the bitterness of their fate.
The salt symbolizes the tears shed by those who loved them.
The bible represents the faith that sustained them.
The glass is inverted — they cannot share in the toast.
The chair is empty — they are not here. They are missing.

And we will remember, and we will raise our glasses to those who went before us, and who gave all that they had for us. And a part of the flush in our faces will pale as we remember that nothing worth having ever came without a cost. We will remember that many of our brothers and sisters have paid that cost in blood. We will remember that the reckoning is not over.

We many of us will settle with our families into our holiday season, our Christmas season for those who celebrate it, content in our fortune and prosperity. We will meet old friends with smiles and laughter. We will meet our members of our family with hugs. We will eat well, and exchange gifts and raise our glasses to the year passed in gratitude, and to the year to come with hope. We will sleep the sleep of the protected, secure in our homes, secure in our homeland.

But for many families, there will be an empty chair at the table this year. A place that is not filled.

WE SHOULD REMEMBER."

Many Thanks To Alfa6 For Finding Capt. Lefon's Chronicle Of "The Empty Chair."

"Träumerei"
Robert Schumann
(Click)

Never Forget The Brave Men And Women Who Gave Their Lives To Secure Our Freedom!!

"Riamh nár dhruid ó sbairn lann!"

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[MoochPooch]

Evening, Kathy. Another inspiring bio.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, ML...((HUGS))...how was the Biker Service?

Were you a trio?

God Bless all our Vets!!

[luvie]

Thanks, Galz, for yet another wonderful story of an American hero!

I saw many American heroes in the pictures and videos taken at the Million Vets March...made ME proud!

God bless America!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, eye...((HUGS))...how is the right coast doing?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, SharpRightTurn.

Thanks for the bump.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mayor, and thank you for today’s sustenance for body and soul.

Hope you had a great weekend.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Boy, have you been ambitious....good for you, getting a head start on Christmas.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Mac, for the Missing Man Setting as we remember those who have given their all that we may gather safe and secure.

[eyedigress]

Hello Kathy! I hope the Canteen is keeping speed.

North Carolina has quite a bit to catch up on. Just did the GSMR and Biltmore this week. Not to shabby at all. I did a personal trip to the Outer Banks two weeks ago and loved it.

The folks from Washington were here. We did the Billy Graham library and a few places off the beaten path.

I hope all is well in Anchorage!

[ConorMacNessa]

God Bless them, God Bless them all, God Bless them good!

We live in Freedom by virtue of their service and sacrifice - may it ever be so!

And God Bless our serving Troops! They are constrained by the most onerous Rules of Engagement ever imposed on our military - and they are paying the price. Multiple deployments, crippling ROE's - our Troops have never had to contend with these obstacles before. More wounded Troops - more PTSD than in any of our previous wars!

May God Bless and Protect them all!



EAGLES UP! Sunday 13 October 2013 at 0900 – WWII Memorial on the National Mall!

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mooch...inspiring is a really good word for these heroes.

Did you have a busy Saturday and Sunday? Weather still nice? Rain and more rain here.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Thank you Ma and Star for tonights thread.
Good evening everyone!

[eyedigress]

MAC, you have that right. I go through Bragg from time to time and they could use a break.

They are all very proud of their Country and Themselves but Obama is giving them reason to pause.

Do you know that he allowed the Commissaries to close? Do you know what that means to an E-2 trying to feed his family?

Pray for our troops.

[eyedigress]

Good Evening MS. BEHAVIN!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

*HUG*
Good evening, Eye!
I got you PING to add PR to my music ping list, and will do so!

[Kathy in Alaska]

What this administration has done to our troops and veterans is beyond the pale....it is disgusting!!

This picture you posted from another thread is priceless!!

Will it show up anywhere in the enemedia?

I'm sending it to everyone on my email list.

[eyedigress]

Thanks, he doesn’t quite know it yet.

When the songs start coming in he will know it!

[eyedigress]

It is sad and our CIC doesn’t care at all. He needs to go away.

[laplata]

I’m sending it to everyone on my email list.

---

I just sent it, too. Thanks, Kathy.