Happy Memorial Day

Annabelle41415

I hope everyone has a Happy Memorial Day and safe one. To all of you who have served our country a BIG THANK YOU FOR OUR FREEDOM and God Bless you. It is because of your unselfish dedication and service that we are free.

I know my baby is in the Army and I have only seen her once in two years so I know what it is to be proud of a service member and I miss her desperately. Also, my wonderful husband served in the Vietnam war and is a true hero to me also. You are all hero's in my book.

Hugs!
Happiness!
Freedom!
Peace!
Kim

tootsie1

Well said
Well said, Kim. My nephew served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and I'm very proud of him and all our service people.

*hugs*
Gail

PhillieG

Memorial Day
My Dad helped get Rommel out of North Africa during WWII.
His unit also got citations for taking the Bridge at Remagen.
I miss you Dad
x-p

I hope everyone's children and loved ones remain safe

hollyberry

PhillieG said:

Memorial Day
My Dad helped get Rommel out of North Africa during WWII.
His unit also got citations for taking the Bridge at Remagen.
I miss you Dad
x-p

I hope everyone's children and loved ones remain safe

Hooray for Vets!!!
My dad was at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed; he was also at Okinawa when fighting for the Japanese mainland. He served 11 years in the Navy, including the Korean conflict. I was very proud of him.
My thoughts go out to the service men and women and their families today and I hope and pray for the comfort of the wounded; our nation should, I believe, do more for the brave service people that come home wounded. I have made that clear to my elected officials. It can't hurt to drop them a line and let them know " we're watching".
Have a great holiday and enjoy the freedom's we've been given by our founding fathers and the military that defends those freedoms.
Peace,
Hollyberry

VickiCO

Thanks Kim
My Dad was in the Aleutian Islands at the end of WWII...routing out Japanese who had no radio contact and claimed they didn't know the war was over! He had some interesting tales. He went on to be a lifer in the National Guard. My husband's Dad built P-51's and P-25's, then flew them! Many in our family are Vets or currently active.

Always Remember.... Vicki

Annabelle41415

Wow
Loving these stories. Interesting how we know someone who has served in one way or another. Kim

mom_2_3

My uncle
My uncle went down in a plane in the Pacific with Eddie Rickenbacker during WWII. It's an amazing story of survival and faith for they were eventually rescued after being at sea for 3 weeks. My uncle is getting on in years but he can still tell the story. If any are interested read about it at http://www.lib.auburn.edu/archive/find-aid/528/speech.htm.

Special thanks to our military, home and abroad, living and dead and a special thanks to their families that support them so unselfishly.

usakat

A Day of Remembrance:
For those who gave their lives in the service of our Country. All gave some; Some gave all...



We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.
~In Flanders Field, by Moina Michael

trainer

Let's not forget the families of those who have departed
Mary and I went to find the graves of fellow service friends who were buried in the Arizona National Veterans Cemetery, to remember and honor them. While there, we came across a scene, which I'd like to share with you. By the way, we also went to salute Angel, whose story we've followed here through Angel's baby shared. Angel's headstone hadn't yet arrived, but many beautiful flowers decorated his grave today. Clearly, he was a much loved man by a lot of caring people. But we noticed a scene I'd like to share with you. It was very powerful and humbling.

We were there about 2 hours and it was HOT. Since it's in the desert, there was no shade or grass. As I was searching for the graves of my friends. this remarkable widow caught my eye. This remarkable lady just sat there quietly crying. Mary went to her and offered her a hand fan and the lady in a very small voice politely refused. Since the lady was sitting in a walker, it is clear that she had some age or health challenges. So, as we left, I found a quick-mart down the road and we returned some cold water bottles and we then went back to find her and give her some refreshment.

She was still there, hadn’t moved a bit in the near100 degree heat and no shade. I went up and apologized for interrupting and got her to talk to me. I saw on the headstone that her husband had died about a year ago and was a WWII Navy veteran. I told her I had been in the Navy and asked what he did. She said he was an ammo passer. His rate was on the headstone, but it was a rate no longer used and one I was unfamiliar with.

So, I offered her the cold water and an old cloth hanky. Mary likes to collect these hankies and pass them on to others. The lady politely refused my water and the hanky, saying she had water in one of those plastic shopping bags which was hanging on her walker nor did she accept the hanky. I then again apologized for interrupting her in her grief on this important day. I looked back, she hadn’t moved, but was once again quietly crying. She was all alone with no family or friends around her.

What a statement of love and pride she gave. She, too, is a member of that Greatest Generation. And she too served on the home front during World War II.

Thought you might enjoy this small story that will never get reported anywhere in the media. Besides, I don’t think Mrs. Robert Cooper Jr. would allow her story to be shared.

Shayenne

trainer said:

Let's not forget the families of those who have departed
Mary and I went to find the graves of fellow service friends who were buried in the Arizona National Veterans Cemetery, to remember and honor them. While there, we came across a scene, which I'd like to share with you. By the way, we also went to salute Angel, whose story we've followed here through Angel's baby shared. Angel's headstone hadn't yet arrived, but many beautiful flowers decorated his grave today. Clearly, he was a much loved man by a lot of caring people. But we noticed a scene I'd like to share with you. It was very powerful and humbling.

We were there about 2 hours and it was HOT. Since it's in the desert, there was no shade or grass. As I was searching for the graves of my friends. this remarkable widow caught my eye. This remarkable lady just sat there quietly crying. Mary went to her and offered her a hand fan and the lady in a very small voice politely refused. Since the lady was sitting in a walker, it is clear that she had some age or health challenges. So, as we left, I found a quick-mart down the road and we returned some cold water bottles and we then went back to find her and give her some refreshment.

She was still there, hadn’t moved a bit in the near100 degree heat and no shade. I went up and apologized for interrupting and got her to talk to me. I saw on the headstone that her husband had died about a year ago and was a WWII Navy veteran. I told her I had been in the Navy and asked what he did. She said he was an ammo passer. His rate was on the headstone, but it was a rate no longer used and one I was unfamiliar with.

So, I offered her the cold water and an old cloth hanky. Mary likes to collect these hankies and pass them on to others. The lady politely refused my water and the hanky, saying she had water in one of those plastic shopping bags which was hanging on her walker nor did she accept the hanky. I then again apologized for interrupting her in her grief on this important day. I looked back, she hadn’t moved, but was once again quietly crying. She was all alone with no family or friends around her.

What a statement of love and pride she gave. She, too, is a member of that Greatest Generation. And she too served on the home front during World War II.

Thought you might enjoy this small story that will never get reported anywhere in the media. Besides, I don’t think Mrs. Robert Cooper Jr. would allow her story to be shared.

That's Beautiful!
Thanks for sharing that story, that was so lovely, and you are so wonderful to have talked to her, offering her drinks and a hanky, you brought tears to my eyes, my dad was a Marine, who wasn't able to finish his 4 years in there, as he was involved in a motorcycle accident with a friend there, and they both lost their right legs in it. I am saying prayers for all those, and for Angel, how nice of you to go to also see him, and glad to hear of all those beautiful decorations around him. He was much loved, just like Michelle.

Hugsss!
~Donna

trainer

Shayenne said:

That's Beautiful!
Thanks for sharing that story, that was so lovely, and you are so wonderful to have talked to her, offering her drinks and a hanky, you brought tears to my eyes, my dad was a Marine, who wasn't able to finish his 4 years in there, as he was involved in a motorcycle accident with a friend there, and they both lost their right legs in it. I am saying prayers for all those, and for Angel, how nice of you to go to also see him, and glad to hear of all those beautiful decorations around him. He was much loved, just like Michelle.

Hugsss!
~Donna

Angel
Thanks. I thought Michelle had already been there, but I got a private email from her today that she and her family saw my blue bracelet that I left on the grave and wondered who did it, thinking it was family, since they all wore the bracelets. But they all had theires, I guess.

Sorry to hear about your Marine Dad. Motorcycles scare me. I piloted fast planes and regularly drive bass boats up to 75mph, and they don't scare me, but motorcycles give me pause.