Happy Memorial Day

FAOL Community Sound Off
1

For too many the importance of Memorial Day is lost in the ballgames, cookouts and fishing trips. But without the sacrifice of those who put on our country’s uniform and gave their lives for the cause of freedom none of these and many other liberties we take for granted would be possible.

If you have a flagpole or work some where that does, proper flag protocol is to raise the flag to the peak of the pole and then lower it to half staff until noon, at which time it should be raised to full height. I had an old boss who emphasized that to our hotels each year.

Below is a photo from Duluth, GA. They line many of their streets in this manner at Memorial Day and Independence Day.

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2

Let all Americans never forget those who sacrificed their lives so that we can enjoy the benefits of what this great country has to offer.

3

I feel truly indebted to those who gave their lives, and continue to put them on the line, for my fredom.

4

I saw the subject line and thought “it’s not really appropriate to wish someone HAPPY Memorial Day.” It’s supposed to be a solemn occasion. Thanks for the reminder.

5 
You are correct, my limited vocabulary failed me, that’s a little like wishing a Happy Good Friday.  I know my dad lost several friends and he and mom lost cousins before he entered the Army during WWII and he lost friends during the recapture of the Philippines.  I was fortunate to have all of my friends survive Vietnam, although one friend was shot down three times flying dustoffs before collecting a Purple Heart and a ticket home.  And my last MS Army National Guard unit only lost one soldier in Iraq.
6

I don’t know why, ( I probably do) but this poster always brings a tear to my eye. It is a “memorial” to those who GAVE and are now GIVING. I posted it here first about ten years ago and a few years since. It will remain in my archives.
PS: I would have preferred to not include my silly signature with this post but…

Mark

7

I intend to enjoy memorial day. They did not sacrifice for me to be miserable. To me they are not gone, I just haven’t joined them yet.

8

An acquaintance sent the following to me, I thought it was too good not to share.
“I PROMISE TO REMEMBER”
I Promise To Remember,
The Soldier who served us well,
With sacrifice and devotion,
Into the depths of Hell;

His, was a journey,
Shielded by a song and prayer,
He answered the patriot’s call
With the trumpet flare;

I Promise To Remember,
For all I hold so dear,
The precious price of Freedom,
A hope for peace, not fear,

I Promise To Remember,
As I close my eyes each night,
The assurance of brave sentinels
Ready to defend and fight;

I Promise To Remember,
As I breathe and live,
The fallen heroes everywhere,
For they gave, ALL-there-was, to give.

Robert J. Darrigan
Federal Way, Washington

9

As I sat and read this thread, different feelings came over me. The sadness of the lose of a friend, and remembering all the wars that has gone on in my short life time and the thousands of men and women who have died or were injured servicing their country. It makes me proud to know that people on FAOL feels the same way. A “Thank you” goes out to everyone that has served their country and the hardship their family have suffered.

WayneC

10

The holiday is a little hard on me.A time for reflection.

11

Both my wife and I were career service members. Here is an E-Mail I received this AM from my wife’s niece.
“Thank you for your service including Aunt Gracie. Today is not about hot dogs
but remembering those who have fallen and those who have served.”

Tim

12

Here is a poem I’ve written that sort of sums Memorial Day up for me. I have also written a song based on this poem.

[b]The Veteran

[/b]I met a homeless man, the other day,
With unkept hair, and beard of grey,
On his head sat the hat of my beloved Marine Corps
He wore an aged Field Jacket from the Vietnam War.

On his sleeve was a Unit Patch that I knew very well,
The unit I served in, when I did my time in Hell.
Passers-by taunted him, calling him ‘Gunny’.
As he stood there and begged for cigarettes and money.

His eyes were haunted with the 1000-Yard Stare
His mind ravaged by cheap booze, and despair.
His thoughts, I’m sure, were still trapped in Saigon
For him, the nightmare was still going on.

They say he came home a hero, from Vietnam
He did his duty for Uncle Sam
He was awarded the Purple Heart for his acts of bravery
But he also won scars that nobody could see.

He was a boy of 18, who worked at the mill,
When they handed him a rifle, and forced him to kill.
He spent months in the jungle fighting the Viet Cong
With no time to wonder if it was right or wrong.

He went home and married his High School sweetheart.
They had a few good years, then it all fell apart.
She just couldn’t understand that the wall that he’d built,
was to shut out the feelings of horror and guilt.

Because sometimes at night, when he’d lay down in bed,
He’d hear gunfire, explosions, and see the faces of the dead.
And the feelings all came back, that he tried to hide inside,
As he would wake up screaming, then hang his head and cry.

After all these years, Father Time has his toll.
Now his best friend is a bottle, and he sleeps in the cold.
He just haunts the graveyards, talking to the stones,
Of the ones who died fighting so far from home.

The people around town talk about him a lot.
But they never mention the war that he fought.
They just say he’s crazy, a fool and a bum.
The fighting’s all over, but war is never won.

I put a Twenty in his pocket, and took my leave
With a heavy heart, and a spirit bereaved.
Being a hero is not really much fun,
When the fighting’s all over, 'cause the healing’s never done.

I went to my home, and locked the door,
And thought about my fellow veteran a little bit more.
And about how casualties aren’t just the ones who died.
As I sat on my couch, I cried…

Semper Fi!

Joel C. Brothers
aka: Gigmaster