Sgt. Pepper Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 (edited) Happy Memorial Day everyone. As a retired service member I want to acknowledge all the service members that came before us, and gave their lives, so we can do, and say all the stuff we do, and enjoy the liberties we have. I tip my hat to anyone that has, or is currently serving. A shout to the health service pros and first responders and cops and firefights too. They all impact our lives and go in harms way. Each and everyone of us has served, is serving, or has a family member that did, or probably knows someone that did. Same goes for the Police, FF's, EMT's, Doctors, and Nurses. Edited May 30, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 The pandemic has highlighted the ongoing dedication of all of these services (and more). And all of deserve appreciation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 U.S Army - Vietnam 1967-1968 My Thanks to all who Serve & have Served.. My thoughts & Prayers to all our Hero’s.. God Bless.. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 31, 2022 Author Share Posted May 31, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, Larsongs said: U.S Army - Vietnam 1967-1968 My Thanks to all who Serve & have Served.. My thoughts & Prayers to all our Hero’s.. God Bless.. My late father in law (made it back alive) was over there. He never talked about it, and I don't blame him. He was an Army officer. Retired as a Major. I never know how to respond when people "thank me for my service". I did it for me, mostly to travel the world and get the training I wanted. I was in the 1st Gulf War, but that was a totally different War than most of the others. The war for me was a lot of water around my ship in the Persian Gulf. Most days were no different than any other underway day. Edited May 31, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 I appreciate your sentiment Sgt., but "happy" isn't really something we should wish for Memorial Day. It is a day to remember those who died protecting our freedoms more of a somber mourning day. I went to the grocery Sunday and there was a young fellow bagging the groceries at the end of the check out counter I used. While he was putting my groceries into bags he asked the lady working the register "What is Memorial Day?" I found this sad as obviously our school system, and his parents weren't doing a very good job explaining why the store would be closed the next day and he would not go to school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 31, 2022 Author Share Posted May 31, 2022 1 hour ago, Twang Gang said: I appreciate your sentiment Sgt., but "happy" isn't really something we should wish for Memorial Day. It is a day to remember those who died protecting our freedoms more of a somber mourning day. I went to the grocery Sunday and there was a young fellow bagging the groceries at the end of the check out counter I used. While he was putting my groceries into bags he asked the lady working the register "What is Memorial Day?" I found this sad as obviously our school system, and his parents weren't doing a very good job explaining why the store would be closed the next day and he would not go to school. Yes "Happy" is not the right word for Memorial Day as it is to remember fallen service member's, and I think in the UK they have Remembrance Day, but its on a different day, but it might be for those that died in WWII (help me out UK-ers), and Veterans Day acknowledges those that served. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 (edited) In the UK, Armistice Day/ Remembrance Day marks the day that World War One ended in 1918. All hostilities ceased on November 11th 1918 at 11a.m. The symbol is a scarlet poppy, a flower which grew in the trenches despite all the destruction and came to symbolise the blood of the fallen. We hold a two-minute silence at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month to remember those who have died in that war, WWII and all other conflicts since. Edited May 31, 2022 by jdgm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted May 31, 2022 Share Posted May 31, 2022 I never "served" Sarge but I am thankful for all who did we are the land of the free, because of the brave. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 I was surprised to learn our Memorial Day started out in a few small cities as tributes to those of their townsmen who died in the Civil War. Which the South viewed as their Second Rebellion. WWI and WWII (which TwangGang's bagger probably thinks is World War Eleven) just solidified it as part of our culture. Sadly, after Vietnam, the Liberals in our Schools decided it would not be a National Holiday for our children and it was just another school day for them. If parents didn't tell their kids what it was - they'd grow up clueless. Fortunately, the School Ban only lasted a decade or so. Most of us have a relative or a school mate or a friend who died in one of our wars. Hard to imagine not taking 2 or 3 minutes to be thankful and remember them once a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 On 5/31/2022 at 3:37 PM, kidblast said: I never "served" Sarge but I am thankful for all who did we are the land of the free, because of the brave. Uh-Oh...... Seems someone else has been getting those coasters from the V.F.W. Some people I know have been griping(and rightly so IMHO) that lately people have been using Memorial Day to pay "homage" to ALL veterans. Which of course misses the mark. We do have a "Veterans Day" after all(Nov. 11) for that. And sadly, for way too many Americans, Memorial day just means a long weekend off of work and beer and barbecue. And in Michigan, jamming the freeways with people traveling up North out of some twisted holiday annual obligation. But one guy I know of, who's down the street from me is the only guy I know who has a tall flagpole on his lot. And flies "Old Glory" on it throughout the year. And every Memorial Day since I've moved on this street he has the flag at half mast. My kind of guy! Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 I guess the same can be said for Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 2, 2022 Author Share Posted June 2, 2022 (edited) 13 minutes ago, duane v said: I guess the same can be said for Christmas. Xmas is a holiday where we drag a dead tree into our house and spruce it up and, put candy in socks. Many forget what the day is about/for. We just want presents from the guy in a red suit, and forget its about that guy who walked around in a robe and sandals. He had a beard as well. Edited June 2, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 I think most people remember what the day is for, and many of the other holidays most of us get a day off for as well.... I just write it off as people celebrate things in different ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted June 2, 2022 Share Posted June 2, 2022 2 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Xmas is a holiday where we drag a dead tree into our house and spruce it up and, put candy in socks. Many forget what the day is about/for. We just want presents from the guy in a red suit, and forget its about that guy who walked around in a robe and sandals. He had a beard as well. yes, many do, the whole thing is a bit lost on them then again, some don't I'm one of those who don't. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 (edited) On 5/30/2022 at 6:34 PM, Sgt. Pepper said: Happy Memorial Day everyone. As a retired service member I want to acknowledge all the service members that came before us, and gave their lives, so we can do, and say all the stuff we do, and enjoy the liberties we have. I tip my hat to anyone that has, or is currently serving. A shout to the health service pros and first responders and cops and firefights too. They all impact our lives and go in harms way. Each and everyone of us has served, is serving, or has a family member that did, or probably knows someone that did. Same goes for the Police, FF's, EMT's, Doctors, and Nurses. Thumbs up. I love America and Americans. Edited June 3, 2022 by Pinch 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 Also, Australians, Brits, Kiwis and Germans. France, well I've been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 (edited) Memorial Day SHOULD be a day of reflection...Vietnam was a war where the US Government killed MANY MORE soldiers than the Vietcong and NVA did. There were approximately 2.7 Million who served there, (sadly, there is no accurate count...some say 3.1 Million....I mean there was better record keeping during the Revolutionary War!). Anyway, I use 2.7 Million "boots on the ground" soldiers there...and there are only just over 600,000 of us left! Those hundreds of thousands who died as a result of exposure to Agent Orange should be included in the number of people killed in that war, and remembered on Memorial Day! Edited June 3, 2022 by DanvillRob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mihcmac Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 I'm just glad I survived being in the military in the 60's, it was a very different time the whole country was very divided on what the armed forces were dong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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