Veterans

[Tom_in_Mo.]

I would like to take this time and SALUTE all Veterans on the forum. Thank You for giving you time so that we can live in this Country, The Great United States of America.
Saying this I still have to remember the Heros that fell to defend our FREEDOM air_plane smiley_applause

[Fraxinus]

Yes indeed.  I will be spending my Monday morning visiting 12 different spots as Chaplain of American Legion Post #83 of Lincoln, NH to help honor those who are now resting from their duties in defense of the country.

Fraxinus (the appreciative)
USMC  1970-1972
NH Army National Guard 1979-1992

Semper Fi to all my fellow Marine Corps friends.

[rbhunter]

Amen

Our Veterans and those who are currently serving mean alot to our country. We take for granted what they have given to us. Thank you to all of the Veterans and those serving for our country.

Randy

[CLL]

Bless all the troops and their families. I must say especially to those that served in Vietnam, and seem to have been forgotten, of which I am proud to say I am one.

[thedeeredude]

A big heart felt thank you to all our vets.   ;)

[Dan_Shade]

I really don't want to stomp on toes, but when did memorial day turn into veterans day?

As far as I'm concerned, there is a HUGE difference.

I used to drive past a civil war cemetary on my way to college, I doubt that I'll ever go to Europe, but I'd love to see the markers where the men lie from D-Day.  That's what memorial day is about.

[Patty]

When I was in Europe a few years back, we visited a war cemetary in Luxembourg. It was truley unbelievable. Rows and rows of marked graves. Graves of brave young men. I was moved very deeply at the sight, one I will never forget. The emotions that you feel when walking through the memorial, seeing the huge sacifice these men made for me and you, is undescribable, and extremely humbling. God Bless them.

[Fraxinus]

As far as I'm concerned, there is a HUGE difference.

There is a huge difference.  Memorial Day is for the remembering and honoring of the dead.  It was called Decoration Day when I was a kid.

But that doesn't mean it's somehow not appropriate to express appreciation to veterans just because it's Memorial Day.

[Raider Bill]

My Uncle KIA Normandy Invasion D+2 Killed while liberating an ungrateful nation
PVT.Bernard Jarvis KIA 6-8-44
I CO 3Rd Battalion
175th Infantry Reg
29th Division

My Friend Killed fighting for a ungrateful nation.
Lance Corp.Phillip W. Leslie
WIA 6-22-67 Republic of Vietnam
Died from wounds 8-28-67
M CO. 3rd Battalion
9th Marine Regiment
3Rd Marine Division

[thurlow]

Killed while liberating an ungrateful nation
Killed fighting for a ungrateful nation.

I'm afraid it's become just another sales day/get-out-of-town/first vacation day of summer.  How sad to remember the hundreds of thousands who died in uniform in that fashion. 

I fear that the older I get, the more of an isolationist I become.........secure our borders/hunker down and take care of our own.  I realize that the nation and the world are marching in lock-step in the other direction. 

[Raider Bill]

Killed while liberating an ungrateful nation
Killed fighting for a ungrateful nation.

I'm afraid it's become just another sales day/get-out-of-town/first vacation day of summer.  How sad to remember the hundreds of thousands who died in uniform in that fashion. 

I fear that the older I get, the more of an isolationist I become.........secure our borders/hunker down and take care of our own.  I realize that the nation and the world are marching in lock-step in the other direction. 

Roger that Brother!

[Texas Ranger]

I served, and visited the military cemeteries in Europe, from France, luxembourg, Bastogne, etc.  It will move you to see the graves of our men in foreign soil, some still appreciate the sacrifice in years gone by, others forget we were there.

One stands out, that is Bastogne, the town was, at the time, ringed by tank turrets on the side of the roads at the line that held that harsh winter.  There was a Sherman tank in the town square, with German 98 shell holes in two sides, other than the shell holes, the tank looked new.  There is a cemetery outside of town that is a large open air 5 pointed star, with the names of the home states of the fallen carved around the top lintel.  And line after line of crosses and Stars of David.  The townspeople, then, still smiled when they found you to be an American, military or not.  I ate lunch in the Nuts Cafe in Bastogne, the waitress was pleasant and talked with us when she found out we were American Military, we paid no bill that day.

[Haytrader]

Thanks to all for remembering the Veterans.
All gave some and some gave all.
I pray for the safe return of the ones currently serving.

Viet Nam  69-70
1st Cavelry Division (Air Mobile)
U.S. Army

Haytrader

[Kevin_H.]

This morning Lynette and I placed 145 small american flags in the local cemetery, one on the grave of everyone that served.  We have a few more to do, but they must be looked up in plat book as they dont even have a headstone.

This weekend I will honor all those that are gone.

[DanG]

Now, it would be a pleasure to land to your lemon smoke, Hay.  Nice clean pz, light breeze parallel to the treeline.  GI standing out in the open with a grin on his face.  It always made me nervous to find y'all crouched in the bushes, for some reason. : :D

There is no inappropriate time to thank a Veteran, and it is always appreciated.  And a day never goes by that I don't think of those who gave their lives for our freedom.  It is a nice gesture to have a certain day set aside to remember them by, but it's just like every other day to me.  I think I'll saw up some cherry logs this weekend.

Something that was said on this Forum a few days ago has been stuck in my mind.  It was in the "Forestyforum Hall of Fame" thread, where someone quoted Tony Blair.  He explained his loyalty to the US cause by saying something like, "The only people who ever offered to die for you, were Jesus Christ and The American GI."

[Fla._Deadheader]

  AMEN

[Slabs]

Tony Blair.  He explained his loyalty to the US cause by saying something like, "The only people who ever offered to die for you, were Jesus Christ and The American GI."


DanG. 

That has got to be just about the most touching thing an old G.I. could ever hear. 

[Woodwalker]

Thanks folks.

[Don K]

I had two great uncles that served during WWII. One went in at Normandy on D-Day and was awarded a Silver Star and the other fought in most of the Pacific Island battles. The men of that war were a special breed of men, but then again so is most every other person that has stepped up to serve the USA. With heartfelt gratitude I take my hat off to the ones that have served and especially to those that gave it all so unselfishly.

Don

[sgtmaconga]

i honor my family who have served

uncle g. logue
vietnam

dad
korea

my dad
korea

myself
desrt storm

brother
iraqi freedom

long live the fighter!!!!!!!

[DWM II]

Memorial day and veterans day are special for me, I carry the name of my fathers best friend who died serving my country voluntarilly. He choose to go like many others in Vietnam and I will honor him tomorow with my dad.

To all the families that live with the memories of loved ones who did not come home for one more Sunday dinner, I honor you as well, God bless you and enjoy the momories of the special folks who sacrificed for us.

Donnie

Thank you SGT. Donald Wayne Myers

[sawman]

  Let us remember those who have given their all, in service to this country. Without them where would we be?
  THANK YOU to all those who have served.
   This year there will be over  well over 1000 families in the United States observing Memorial Day in a different way than they did last year. As they have lost a loved one in this war, this past year.

           God Bless America and all those who are serving today.

[rewimmer]

Sargent Robert Wimmer
V.F.W. Post 4920
Elliston, Virginia

United States Army
Served Jan. 1964 to Jan. 1967

Thank all of you for your thoughts and proud to be a member of this forum.

Robert in Virginia

[Faron]

I had the  pleasure of knowing several WWII vets from my area.  One was a medic, who told me "I never expected in my wildest dreams to leave that place alive."                                                                                                              Another came home with a bronze star, but never told anyone, including his family, anything about it.  But he put his arm around me, on a day I was dealing as a fire chief with the deaths of 6 children, and said, "You will never forget this day, but you will learn to live with it."  That meant the world to me.

One was a crewman on a bomber in Europe, and was shot down over France  and survived.  Another was taken prisioner during the Battle of the Bulge, and about starved in a POW camp.  About all I ever heard him say about it was "It wasn't Hogan's Heros."  

One I knew well was the only member of his unit to survive an attack in Belgium.  I never heard him say one word about the war, but he is remembered for his booming laugh.

A couple I knew built runways in the Pacific.

A friend's father brought home his helmet with a bullet hole in it from a German sniper.  The inside liner turned the bullet.  He was supposed to turn in the helmet with his equipment, but explained in clear terms he wasn't giving it up.

Another nearly died in France when he bedded down over a damaged underground electrical cable.  According to him, it was common for high voltage lines to be underground in Europe at that time.

My Great Uncle fought to the Rhine River.  Just after crossing, he collapsed with pneumonia.  He said crossing that river was the last thing he remembered for a while.  Hourly injections of newly invented penicillin saved his life.

Except for my uncle, they are all gone now.  What kind of world would we live in if they had failed?

[Sid]

I would like to thank all the veterans and soldiers that has and is providing the freedom that we all cherish. I would also like to send out a prayer for all the familys who has lost loved ones and have them in harms way. I can't say this enough ,THANK YOU!