[redrock]

This weekend...this MEMORIAL DAY weekend...take some time and visit an 'old soldier'.

You will be glad you did.

redrock

"That which you do to the least of my Brothers....."

[redrock]

This one's for you 2.

Memorial Day....

redrock

[cyndi]

Thank you for that perspective. My daddy was paralyzed from the chest down when I was 5. He was in the VA hospital in Memphis, TN. Dad spent much of the next 22 years, on and off, in the spinal injury ward there. I saw many of the young men coming back from Vietnam. They were such wonderful men, so badly injured, yet full of life. As a little girl, I loved many of them. I saw the war from a very different view than many. My dad has left us for the great fishing hole in the sky, but we will remember him and all those who have fought this Memorial Day.

[NewRomeTacitus]

Thanks for sharing that.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

I'm starting a collection of the Memorial Day threads by redrock.
I'll ping you when the new one is posted.
This way you'll have the whole collection also.

MEMORIAL DAY--Thread One--"Discussions With a One-Legged Man"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1141564/posts

MEMORIAL DAY--Thread Two--"My Daddy's Finally Home..."
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1142082/posts

MEMORIAL DAY--Thread Three--"The Bodybags of Afghanistan and Iraq"--(Roger's Story)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1142776/posts

MEMORIAL DAY--Thread Four--"Welcome Home"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1143426/posts

MEMORIAL DAY--Thread Five--"The Luckiest Boy in the World"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1144225/posts

[annyokie]

Go here for a cool slideshow:


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1144039/posts

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

Thank your Redrock for the reminder of what Memorial Day is really about.

Our BSA troop serves a dinner at Christmas time at our local VA hospital convalescent home. We cook up massive amount of tri-tip with rice pilaf, salad, rolls and desserts. We feed everyone that isn't on a restricted diet. The nursing staff even lets some of them cheat and eat with us instead of staying on their diet. We also feed the staff, the volunteers, family members that are visiting, our families, everyone who makes the "mistake of walking in that door".

It is great fun. We decorate their day room, sing Christmas carols, the boys that play instruments get to showcase their talents. As a group, we are there all afternoon cooking, decorating, with the boys and their siblings running around.

It creates alot of excitement and activity for the residents. Then after the meal, we hold one of our courts of honor for the boys to receive their awards in scouting. Most of the resident were Boy Scout in their youth so they are thrilled to watch and remember their time in scouting.

On occasion we have retire a flag out on their patio area. It is a VERY emotional experience to watch an elderly Vet struggle to his feet from his wheelchair, to pay his final respects to Old Glory during the ceremony.

If every BSA troop in the US had one event, meeting or did a service project at a VA hospital every other year, there wouldn't be enough days in a year to book all of the events.

[RaceBannon]

LEST WE FORGET

#20 of 60 ^

While on board the USS Okinawa, LPH-3, we were heading to Guam when one of the boilers needed to be repaired, and the ship came to a stop. We were dead in the water, but still maintained flight quarters.

On Feb 1, 1980, a CH-46 was chained down and turning on Spot 1 on LPH-3 in the western Pacific, spot 2 was launched first.

Rotor wash from spot 2 came up under the a/c on spot 1, the ship started to lift, pilot rammed collective down to keep ship on deck, but ship bounced. A/C was NOT chained down tight enough, and A/C snapped the chains on the port side of the aircraft, flipped over the starboard side of the ship and went in the water on the port side of the aircraft.

Maj Creel is at the top. He broke 2 ribs, one arm and one leg. He was sent back to Hawaii for recuperation.

GySgt O'Hallorn is the red head leaning over, he died in the late 80's in a CH-46.

With his back to us is SSgt Echevarria, later to retire as MSgt Echevarria from HMX-1 in 1992

Being pulled in is either Cpl Kevin Doering or LCpl Leo Beery. One got pulled out earlier, dont remember. Cpl Doering died from Lupus in 1995 or 96. Leo Beery is a designer and salesman of prosthetic devices in Oklahoma.

Lt James Oscar Hensley is still in the aircraft to this day. I think the chart showed the depth there to be about 6000 fathoms or so.

Crash was on Feb 1, 1980.

Lt James Oscar Hensley III, North Carolina, Semper Fidelis

[tertiary01]

Is that the same VA hospital that was destroyed in an earthquake in 71 or 72?
I met a blind veteran who was buried alive, when a Southern California VA Hospital collapsed then, but he was eventually rescued. He said that if he had had his sight he would have gone crazy. Still it left him physically incapacitated and in need of care for the rest of his days.

[Mr. Silverback]

O beautiful, for heroes proved in liberating strife.

These are great essays, honoring great men. Happy Memorial Day, red.

[Smartass]

God Bless America and Our Troops

[Blue Scourge]

Visited my step-grandfather...he was in the Navy during WW2.....he served aboard a transport from Iwo until the end.

Sadly all of my other family members who served in WW2 have passed on.

I had 2 great grandfathers who served in the Navy, and another great grandfather who flew a Hawker Hurricaine for the RAF....he flew during the battle of Britain.

[Cindy]

[kjfine]

Great stuff, redrock! I might just take my 11 year old over to the VA. I hadn't thought of that. Hmmm.....

[M Kehoe]

Thank you for the ping. I trust you are well.

I need to volunteer again at the VA. I realized after reading your post, how much I miss it.

5.56mm

[Americanwolf]

Redrock, I hear you on this one,
after work today it is off to a couple of the VFW post here in the valley of the Sun, plenty of living history that I want to hear. Will tip a glass with them and to those who passed. will tip one for you and your dad too.

[RottiBiz]

Beautiful story, redrock -- so appropriate for Memorial Day.

Thank you for sharing.

[U S Army EOD]

While I was in a Army hospital in Germany in 1977, the guy next to me had been a Marine guard at the US Embassy in Peking on 6 December 1941. He and the rest of the detachment were captured by the Japanese that day. He SPENT THE ENTIRE WAR as a Japanese POW and he did have some stories to tell.

[Peach]

A Memorial Day bump to you, and to your dad, and to our beloved soldiers.

[wagglebee]

Been out of town all day just read this, it is truly touching, as they all have been. Thanks.

[LisaMalia]

What a beautiful story. My dad, who we buried today, was a Navy vet. Happy Memorial Day to all who have served out great country, and those are still serving.

A special thanks to my relatives who have served:
My brother Rick
My brother-in-law Bill
My late Grandpa George who "fibbed" about his age, so he could join up early at 16 and served in WWI and WWII
My late Uncle Joe who was on the beaches at Normandy
My late Uncle George
My late Uncle Norman
and my dear friend Billy, who gave his life for our country in Vietnam.

God Bless you Veterans, today and everyday.