Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the men and women who died while serving in the country's armed forces. The holiday, which is celebrated every year on the last Monday of May, was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the war. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service. It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.
Many people visit cemeteries and memorials, particularly to honor those who have died in military service. Many volunteers place an American flag on each grave in national cemeteries. (read more)
Wikipedia
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It's alzo a day for other festivities like running.
Then, the military jets fly over-head and scare all the liberals.
God bless all who gave their lives so that we may enjoy our many freedoms.
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Lt. Col. John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Expeditionary Force
There's a cemetery nearby from the Revolutionary War.
It's very small, about the size of a modest backyard. There's a wrought iron fence around it.
I visit it sometimes when I take the dog for a walk but I never let her inside the fence.
She seems to understand.
We remember the ones who didn't make it back today.
Veterans Day is for those who did.
Inspired by McCrae's poem, Moina Michael wrote We Shall Keep The Faith:
Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet - to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.
We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.
And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.
You know - I was thinking about that leftist Nancy Pelosi - and her blaming of the VA deterioration on others.
This woman has been in power over us for how long? She has held the reigns of power for a long time - and our vets continue to suffer.
On this day I spit on you Nancy - on behalf of every vet you have forsaken. You old leftwing progressive power-mad hag. *spit*
Moina Michaels breaks the eight beat rhythm of her poem in the line that reads:
Of the flower that blooms above the dead...
Scans much better if the line is:
Flower that blooms above the dead...
With no loss of clarity.
Poppies are cool flowers. When I first saw red poppy patches in Denver, dark and strong and bright, I thought, "Man, those flowers are ace. Aren't they illegal?" But the little plastic ones passed out at the VFW are a bit dumb by comparison. They should use real ones. Or hand out real potted plants to grow.
That could me my new thing. Start poppy plants for the VFW. I'm thinking about this because I started a tray of plants last night.
I'm watching American Ninja Warriors, USA VS Japan, and USA is kicking Japan's ass. Again. It's a bit sad really. They are completely outclassed. And the whole thing is named after their fighters. One guy is 115 lbs. My favorite part is them falling in the water. It's good for LOLs.
For Everything
My ninety year old neighbor served.
A wife and a young one left behind
He went and did his duty and returned
To build the house in which I live.
He's out there on his mower still.
I cross his lawn to thank him on this day
(The next door house he built as more were born)
He lifts his head and says, "For what?"
"It is the soldier, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gives us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag."
My family doesn't have a history of military service. For some reason one of my grandpas was excused from the draft for WW2 and the other was a mess cook for ROTC. My Dad's hearing wasn't good enough for Korea. His oldest brother was in the Navy, though, and his sister married a Marine. My mom had only sisters.
Both my brother and I enlisted, though we didn't have a family tradition of it.
My husband's family, though, has a history of more military service. His father was career Air Force and he and his brother both enlisted, his brother retired from the service.
His grandfather served in WW2 and never met his son. He died two or three days after the war ended. His engineering unit was building a bridge to replace one that had been destroyed the week before and his boat capsized and he went over with a full tool belt. His body was never recovered. There is a bridge, and I don't even know what country it is in, that is Pascal Bridge in his honor.
I didn't know about the name of the bridge until today.
Maybe this link will work.
https://plus.google.com/u/0/111886114767231348285/posts/LD6fJm4uH2F
April Apple said...
You know - I was thinking about that leftist Nancy Pelosi - and her blaming of the VA deterioration on others.
This woman has been in power over us for how long?
House Minority Whip '01 - '02, House Speaker '06 - '10 (last 2 years with a supermajority), House Minority Leader '02 - '06, '10 - present.
As Speaker, she was 3rd in line for POTUS after Choom and Shotgun Joe.
She's been in Congress forever, though.
It's like how Murtha pissed me off so bad, going on TV shows and talking about how something needed to be done... why wasn't he doing it? It was his JOB.
But not as useful to do your job as it is to make noise on television.
I was happy to see that my town is credited with having the oldest parade in the country in the Wiki article. The local VVA (Viet-Nam vets) chapter I belong to is always in it, along with the Legion, VFW, and other such groups along with many bands, civic groups, and people who just want to be in the parade. It ends at the town cemetery where a wreath laying ceremony with taps and a rifle salute takes place.
When I returned home I texted my son in an Army SF group to wish him a happy holiday. He answered that it was just starting for him, as he had just finished a 24 hour duty shift, a reminder to me that even as we honor the past, some are always on duty in the present.
A good Memorial Day to you Poppa India. I owe you an message response I think. I will get to that shortly.
Same for AllenS...and any other veterans I do not know.
We came home alive and I don't really know how to explain that...given the import of today. I am grateful is the best I can offer.
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