I hope everyone took time to STOP today and THINK about the importance of Memorial Day and also took time to REMEMBER those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. Thanks to all my blog friends, family and friends who have served or are serving in the military. You all are heroes! Today I went to our small town parade as I do every year. It seemed smaller than in the past..not sure why but this year it celebrated woman in the military. The high school marching band played those patriotic numbers that always make me misty eyed and there was the memorial service in the cemetery and a wreath placed on the Veteran's Memorial. Afterwards I'm sure many went home to picnics and fun on this day off. Spending time with family and friends and just enjoying a beautiful day is what we all should be thanking our military for today.
At the beginning of our parade this sign made me shake my head...It's a shame that we have to be reminded to put our hands over our hearts and men to take off their hats when the flag passes. I think this needs to be taught in school more than any new math.
Thanks Dad (in heaven) for your brave service in WWII. I'm so glad he made it home back then but miss him every day.
Thanks to my brother Greg for his service during Vietnam...and also my brother Phil who served during that time in Thailand in the Army...Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of him in his uniform. However I do have his words from his Facebook page about his recent trip to Europe to see where Dad fought during the war. I hope he doesn't mind me posting this today: My brother's Words:
As we leave Caen, France after 6 days I was able to try to appreciate the tremendous sacrifice all of 160,000 American, British, and Canadian soldiers and especially 9388 who are buried here. The peace you feel at the American Cemetery as you gaze over the graves and look out at Omaha beach and hear the waves breaking the shore it is so incredible that such a beautiful place was such a violent terrorizing place on June 6, 1944. The width of the beach that is half today of what it was on that day. Landing in water sometimes over your head with loaded gear and if you manage to make it to that beach then to negotiate that killing field full of confusion, terror, and death to be alive is impossible for me to imagine standing on that beach. I took many pictures but I am posting just a few of the beach, the American Cemetery, and one picture of a Sherman tank like the one my dad drove on this beach. I smiled as we traveled the motorway that was a different looking road when he took it to St. Lo. So I can scratch this one off my bucket list. Thanks dad for being one of the some 160,000 that landed here and fought to save an idea that allows us to taste freedom everyday.
Thanks Phil for giving us a taste of what it's like to visit there..
STOP--THINK--REMEMBER....GOD BLESS AMERICA..
8 comments:
Wow, what a great tribute Phil wrote. I can't imagine being on that "hallowed" ground. Its like visiting Gettysburg and thinking of all the lives lost there. I did make it a point to pray for those families who are experiencing their first Memorial Days without their loved ones as there does seem to be a continual loss of life with those brave men/women who are willing to go out and protect our freedom. May we never forget their efforts and their sacrifice in keeping America free.
betty
Hi, YaYa!
As you do every year at this time, you expressed yourself eloquently in this Memorial Day piece. You did make us stop, think and remember. In recent years too many holidays have become about cookouts and parties - forgetting rather than remembering. Thank you for displaying more pictures of your brave father and posting the words of your brother Phil to remind anyone who needs reminding about the importance of Memorial Day.
I want to let you know that I won't be seeing you for a while. I am about to begin a three week break from blogging so that Mrs. Shady and I can do some traveling. I plan to resume blogging Father's Day, June 16. Until we meet again, please take good care of yourself, dear friend Yaya.
A beautiful post. Thank you.
www.rsrue.blogspot.com
Great tribute to those who gave their all. Loved Phil's take from 'THE PLACE'. Yes we left a lot on Omaha Beach, No one knows how much, except the men and women who were there. That day is even hard to imagine.
God Bless the memory of our Vets who are now guarding the gates awaiting our arrival!
Sherry & jack (Thanks again!)
Your brother's facebook tribute about your father and all the soldiers who landed on that beach to fight the war is very thought-provoking. We can't even imagine what it was like for all of them.
A heartfelt thank you to all the brave soldiers who fought for freedom.
Hugs Julia
Thank you for such a sensitive blog. My brother is a retired Navy Chief and year while
other family members are talking about sales and BBQ , I remind them how lucky we are that he made it to retirement. There are several families whose loved ones have not and yet they are very gracious. Indeed they are the ones who understand the true meaning of Memorial Day.
What a great tribute to your dad your brother had. Yes we must all remember not to take our Freedom for granted. Janice
This was a very thought provoking post. May we always remember those who gave their all.
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