WHY WE CELEBRATE MEMORIAL DAY

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

It began as "Decoration Day"--a day when families of those who fell in the Civil War "decorated" their graves with flowers and other tokens of rememberance. Over time the name evolved in to Memorial Day. Then came WWI and other battles that claimed and are still claiming American lives and that day also evolved to become a day to remember American military personnel who died in all wars and became a national holiday.

The Flanders Field American Cemetery and Memorial in Belgium occupies a 6.2-acre site and is the resting place of 368 of our military dead, most of whom gave their lives in liberating Belgium in World War I. It was the inspiration for poem "In Flanders Field the Poppies Bloom" by a Canadian, John McCrae in May 1915. His poem became the reason why our Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) members sell paper poppies each year on Memorial Day.

IN FLANDERS FIELDS THE POPPIES BLOW
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.

So as you enjoy this three day "vacation," please take a moment to remember all those who sacrificed everything in service to our country.

Peggie

 

[BlowMeAway]

So as you enjoy this three day "vacation," please take a moment to remember all those who sacrificed everything in service to our country.

Awesome Peggie!

 

[Will Gilmore]

Awesome Peggie!

Absolutely!

- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Brian D]

 

[Rick486]

God bless all and America!

 

[shemandr]

It's hard to compose a post that does justice to the most revered patriots whose lives were cut short by war. But I offer my deepest sympathy for those heroes and the loved ones they left behind. And for the families that have loved ones wounded and who suffer the consequences for another generation or longer. I also offer my most heartfelt gratitude for the sacrifice of the dead and wounded of all our wars. I finally hope that the human race can rise above warfare.

 

[AlastairLC]

High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air… .

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

— John Gillespie Magee, Jr

 

[JamesG161]

This is just one man's reason for remembering...
My Late Father, WWII Navy, lost His first Cousin in WWII

Gurley, Henry L.
Ser# 0-774134 | 2nd LT |Pilot Army Air Corp. Listed as KIA.
_____
Story...
LT Gurley was flying a night secret mission in the Pacific with this new Army Night Fighter.
P-61 Black Widow

His mission was so secret that little information was given to our family. He and his crew never returned.

Both on a California beach before deploying to the Pacific.
I remember him, on left and my father on right and All the 400,000 who died and many who fought for our Freedom in World War II.
Jim...

 

[Michael Davis]

High Flight

A truly international poem. Penned by an American born in China serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force and was killed in a flying accident in England Dec. 1941. I think there has been a copy on the wall of every flight room I've been in.

 

[WayneH]

Past:
My Uncle - Korea
My Father - Korea
My Brother - Peacetime
My Son-in-law - Peacetime
None of the above died overseas but here in the US. But they served voluntarily.

My Stepson - Still deploying to the "Sandbox". Location - classified.

Billy Ray Cyrus does it to me. I can't hear this song without having dust get in my eyes. (NO, I AM NOT CRYING!)
I knew a man, called him Sandy Cane
Few folks even knew his name
But a hero, yes was he
Left a boy, came back a man
Still many just don't understand
About the reasons we are free
I can't forget the look in his eyes
Or the tears he cried
As he said these words to me
All Gave Some, Some Gave All
Some stood through for the red, white and blue
And some had to fall
And if you ever think of me
Think of all your liberties and recall
Some Gave All
Now Sandy Cane is no longer here
But his words are oh so clear
As they echo throughout our land
For all his friends who gave us all
Who stood their ground and took the fall
To help their fellow man
Love your country and live with pride
And don't forget those who died
America can't you see?
All Gave Some, Some Gave All
Some stood through for the red, white and blue
And some had to fall
And if you ever think of me
Think of all your liberties and recall
Some Gave All
And if you ever think of me
Think of all your liberties and recall
Yes recall
Some Gave All
Some Gave All

 

[Kermit]

My great-great grandfather was wounded twice in the Civil War. Surviving one wounding was remarkable. Surviving two was almost unheard of. My father watched a kamikaze pilot pull up and then crash into the sea just moments before he would have hit him directly.

War is hell.

 

[Mikem]

Stand for the flag. Kneel for the fallen.
My grandfather WW1
My father and father in law WW2
Me 1973-1995
My wife USNR
My daughter Afghanistan

God bless those who sacrificed so much.

 

[Mike4116]

USAF, '66 to '70. Guam/Viet Nam '68 to'69. Welcome home my brothers; and for those who gave all for us in that land, rest in peace and honor.

 

[DayDreamer41]

My wife and I started a memorial wall at the church we belong to, it started out with about 30 8 x 10 pictures of deceased, veterans and active military members, that wall has grown to more than 60 in a year.
It is our great honor to provide remembrance for all our military members, for it is on the burden of those that serve that we have the freedom which we enjoy.

 

[JamesG161]

Day is done! Remembering Their Sacrifice.

Jim...

 

[jssailem]

In Memory of Family and all Armed Forces Warriors.
Our Love is given in thanks for your sacrifice.
John Shepard

 

[Mark Maulden]

WAR - Disagreement of the few at the cost of so many. My thought; and if somebody else said it, I’ll concede..Totally stupid!

 

[Will Gilmore]

Totally stupid!

And yet, completely unavoidable.
We humans are so sure each of us is right, willing to push others around to get our way, and uncompromising enough that killing seems like a good alternative to compromise or letting go of our collective egos.
Sad

- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[sailnoproblem]

And yet, completely unavoidable.
We humans are so sure each of us is right, willing to push others around to get our way, and uncompromising enough that killing seems like a good alternative to compromise or letting go of our collective egos.
Sad

- Will (Dragonfly)

Nice thought Will. Unfortunately pushing around (WAR) has been going on since the beginning of man's and women's (have to be politically correct) existence.
I don't see that ending anytime soon. However as a Viet Nam era vet I stand at a moment of silence for those you gave there all so that we have the freedom we have today.

 

[DayDreamer41]

The memorial my wife and I built at the church for our military members and some of the veterans who attended its blessing on Sunday