What is Memorial Day?

[ladder13]

[labworm]

As in all wars, a very sad day.
"Daddy's Girl"

[walkin jack]

God bless all our fallen heroes and their families. I know a lot of people are gonna whoop it up this weekend. Fishing, Partying, BBQing. It has always been a very somber time for me. A time for introspection and reflection....and thanks and appreciation.

God bless the United States of America!

[ladder13]

One of the guys from the neighborhood

Barry Levinson

CPL - E4 - Army - Selective Service
25th Infantry Division

Length of service 0 years
His tour began on Nov 22, 1968
Casualty was on Jan 24, 1969
In BINH DUONG, SOUTH VIETNAM
Hostile, died of wounds, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered




Full Name: JAY BARRY LEVINSON Wall Name: JAY B LEVINSON Date of Birth: 4/30/1949 Date of Casualty: 1/24/1969 Home of Record: NEW YORK County of Record: NEW YORK CITY State: NY Branch of Service: ARMY Rank: CPL Casualty Country: SOUTH VIETNAM Casualty Province: BINH DUONG

[Backlighting]

A salute to our fallen warriors.

[ladder13]

Another guy from the neighborhood

Tommy McGarry

JOHN THOMAS MC GARRY

LCPL - E3 - Marine Corps - Regular

Length of service 2 years
Casualty was on Jul 2, 1967
In QUANG TRI, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
ARTILLERY, ROCKET, or MORTAR
Body was recovered

Full Name: JOHN THOMAS MCGARRY Wall Name: JOHN T MCGARRY Date of Birth: 4/6/1947 Date of Casualty: 7/2/1967 Home of Record: NEW YORK County of Record: NEW YORK CITY State: NY Branch of Service: MARINE CORPS Rank: LCPL Casualty Country: SOUTH VIETNAM Casualty Province: QUANG TRI

[mg357]

May god watch over and continue to comfort the families of America's service members who gave there lives to defend this country.

[amazingflapjack]

Thank you Ladder 13.

[wetdog]

A local cemetery does this flag display on Memorial Day. It is not Vets only. My Dad and other relatives are buried here. Some Vets and some not. I take my Mom for a ride through every year. Kind of puts the proper perspective on Memorial Day.

[pace40]

[fyimo]

It's the day to remember the people that served in uniform so we could remain free. That is because freedom isn't free it's paid for by the men and woman in the armed forces.

[handejector]

I've never seen The Wall.
I don't know that I ever will.
I'm afraid of what I'd do. I might break down and just cry like a baby.

But I remember them.

I remember all Vets. I grew up around the men and women of WW II who truly saved so much of the world from tyranny. I remember men coming home from Korea. I've seen many I know come and go to Iraq and Astan.

Thanks to all Vets, and particularly to those killed and maimed. May God's hand be on them and their families.

[vytoland]

may they ALL come home soon and forever....

[Roadtrash]

If you haven't seen the Wall you should go. I went years ago and saw names I remembered and it brought back a lot of memories some good and some not. But as I walked along that wall I realized I was in the company of a lot of good men and women.

Sometimes it's good to shed a tear and let them know they're not forgotten.

[1bdvet]

[vigil617]

Here in Fayetteville, NC, home of Fort Bragg, a display of flags is set up before Memorial Day, and stays up for a month or so afterward, on a Field of Honor downtown. It is quite moving. It is set up on a grassy area between the Airborne and Special Operations Museum, and the new North Carolina Veterans Park. This photo doesn't do it justice, but it is really something to see.

[dwpmusic]

I had just shy of 30 years in uniform although I am not a combat veteran. Deployed yes but never went over. I'm proud of my service. All I'll say about a veteran is that there is no way they can be honored enough. There is certainly no amount of money that they can be paid for the sacrifice they made. You may not agree with all the different wars. I'm not even sure I do. That's not pertinent to the issue. What is is that the country called and they came. Impossible to give them all they deserve.

[ladder13]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Stu1205]

ladder13, thank you for this thread.

The picture of the young lady laying on the grave really says it all.
The whole post still has me a bit teary eyed.
Unfortunately most people only think of our veterans and active duty
service men and women on Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Veterans Day.

I have been selling holsters at gun shows for 10 years.
The first year, I made a sign for the show on Veteran's Day.
It reads as follows:
To The Men And Women Who Served Our Country,
And Fought Bravely To Protect Our Freedom.....
Thank you.
We Salute You.

I got so much positive feedback from our Veterans and
active duty men and women, that the sign has been on my
table at every gun show I have done over the past 10 years,
including the one in Miami this weekend.

Sometimes upon seeing the sign, I am asked if I give a military discount.
I always do.
It is just a small way I can give back to our brave men and women
who keep our country free and safe, so we can do what we do.

To all our Veterans, who have paid the ultimate price for our
freedom, you are all in our thoughts and prayers.
May God watch over you and your families this Memorial Day,
and every day of the year.

God Bless each and every one of you.

Stu

[Engine 21]

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those brave souls that wrote a blank check to this nation that promised everything including their lives. You don't get any bigger than that.

God Bless and keep them all.

[coptercc]

In 1998 two H-60 Pavehawks call signs Jolly 38 and Jolly 39 with the 66th Rescue Squadron collided near Indian Springs Nv. killing all on board. To my friends and squadron members who lost their lives that night you've never been forgotten. "So that others may live"
Rest in Peace

[Silver Dollar]

Unless they knew someone who was in the military that was killed in action, most civilians have a hard time relating to Memorial Day the way veterans do. It's no one's fault, it just is.

[sipowicz]

It is a very special one this year for my dad. His older brother Carmelo died in WW2 and the family never received his medals. Recently, a local Congressman got them for him and brought them over to the house. He also had that flag flown over the capitol on May 8th in honor of my Uncle Carmelo's service and death.

[Old TexMex]

SSG Jerry Cecil Mc Donald, Port Aransas, TX on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall

SSG Jerry C. McDonald.
3/09/69
Kontum Province

Like a big brother.

[peyton]

Washington Post provides the the faces of soldiers who have died since 9/11
Faces of the Fallen - The Washington Post