Memorial Day
- Thread starter HuskyNan
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And many places have watch fires this weekend for those who never made it back.
HuskyNan
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TAPS ACROSS AMERICA - Taps Bugler: Jari Villanueva
The 4th Annual sounding of Taps during the National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day at 3 p.m. TAPS ACROSS AMERICA 2023 Registration is open…
www.tapsbugler.com
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I really have not spoken about this but as this Memorial Day and I am over 80 and this might be my last, I am compelled to tell this story. When I was stationed in Viet Nam for two years, it was at the Quang Tri military base which was 15 miles South of the DMZ between North and South Viet Nam. My MOS was Recon and I had a very highly specialized technical discipline which required me to spend a lot of time in Laos, Cambodia, and North Viet Nam deploying these little boxes which I had to program, test and deploy in these areas. These boxes would send signals recognizing movement and sound in the areas they were deployed.
Be that as it may, I was sent to DaNang to report to Fleet Marine Force Pacific Naval Intelligence to go over reports from these signals and show where new devices would be deployed and which ones need to be replaced. Everything was maped so when I parachuted into these areas, I knew where I was supposed to go.
After, I completed this function with FMF Pac, I went to the DaNang airport to grab a chopper or C-130 back to Quang Tri. While I waited at the airport, I noticed a bright shining light at the end of the airport runway about a mile down. I did not know what this was, so I walked toward this shining light and as I approached, the light became brighter and more blinding than ever before. When I came within 50 feet of the light, I finally discovered what this was. It was a stack of shiny bright aluminum coffins stacked about 4 high in a long row. Quietly, an Airman driving a fork lift, loaded 4 coffins onto a huge Air Force Cargo plane 4 at a time. I stared and watch this for about 20 minutes and still there were many more to go. I thought that one of these could be me.
I started walking back to the main terminal leaving the bright light behind to get my ride back to Quang Tri. I thought to myself: Everybody goes home from Viet Nam.
Be that as it may, I was sent to DaNang to report to Fleet Marine Force Pacific Naval Intelligence to go over reports from these signals and show where new devices would be deployed and which ones need to be replaced. Everything was maped so when I parachuted into these areas, I knew where I was supposed to go.
After, I completed this function with FMF Pac, I went to the DaNang airport to grab a chopper or C-130 back to Quang Tri. While I waited at the airport, I noticed a bright shining light at the end of the airport runway about a mile down. I did not know what this was, so I walked toward this shining light and as I approached, the light became brighter and more blinding than ever before. When I came within 50 feet of the light, I finally discovered what this was. It was a stack of shiny bright aluminum coffins stacked about 4 high in a long row. Quietly, an Airman driving a fork lift, loaded 4 coffins onto a huge Air Force Cargo plane 4 at a time. I stared and watch this for about 20 minutes and still there were many more to go. I thought that one of these could be me.
I started walking back to the main terminal leaving the bright light behind to get my ride back to Quang Tri. I thought to myself: Everybody goes home from Viet Nam.
vtcwbuff
Civil War Buff
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I bothers me when I hear people talk about celebrating memorial day. There are a lot of vets on the BY and I know that everyone of them will tell you that this is not their day. Today is observed to recognize the sacrifice of those that came home in coffins and those who never came home.
At 3 PM today pause for a minute of silence to honor and remember them.
At 3 PM today pause for a minute of silence to honor and remember them.
HuskyNan
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Hence the OP
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Semper fi to the tip of the spear.
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@veryolddog, Thank you for your service!!
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Today schools are out, swimming pools are open, grills are fired up, banks and schools and government offices are closed. For many, Memorial Day means the beginning of summer. Only it doesn't. Memorial Day was not designed to mark the beginning of anything, but rather it was designed to mark and to remember the endings of thousands of lives and to pay respect for their sacrifices.
Memorial Day is the day set aside to remember those who gave all in the service of our nation. We are here today, speaking English and enjoying freedom, barbecue and ice cream because many Americans, so many of them young, gave their lives that we might do so. They deserve to be honored and remembered.
Thank you, gallant young Americans. Rest in the peace you died to give us.
Memorial Day is the day set aside to remember those who gave all in the service of our nation. We are here today, speaking English and enjoying freedom, barbecue and ice cream because many Americans, so many of them young, gave their lives that we might do so. They deserve to be honored and remembered.
Thank you, gallant young Americans. Rest in the peace you died to give us.
KnightBridgeAZ
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I do find it a difficult holiday. I don't really have any direct person to mourn; my Great Uncle Raymond died from the results of being gassed in WWI, although he lived until 1921, of course I wasn't around to know him. My father, OTH, having served in WWII, indeed remembered friends and acquaintances who died in service, including the fellow he was sharing a tent with at the end of a runway (it was an "on-duty" post). A damaged plane overshot the runway (it was also not the type they typically handled) and ran through the tent, killing his tentmate. Plus, all the dead and dying that were on planes returning from bombing runs.
I do think about all who have died to preserve our nation. I do various holiday displays, but I don't set up the "Patriotic" display (Memorial Day through the 4th of July) until later in the day, as I don't want to imply any "celebration". Dad would always fly his flag at half mast till noon, then raise it; we also had town celebrations and (when I was very young) parades.
I do think about all who have died to preserve our nation. I do various holiday displays, but I don't set up the "Patriotic" display (Memorial Day through the 4th of July) until later in the day, as I don't want to imply any "celebration". Dad would always fly his flag at half mast till noon, then raise it; we also had town celebrations and (when I was very young) parades.
MSGRET
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When I was growing up in Central Indiana, my father was always going to Memorial Day and Veterans Day activities as the the Deputy Post Commander (Cmdr), Post Cmdr, District Deputy Cmdr and District Cmdr and State Adjutant in the American Legion. When he was the 2nd District Deputy then District Commander we would sometimes visit 3 separate posts on Memorial and Veterens Day to participate in their activities. Not only were there great BBQ's and activities but they always had ceremonies where they paid tribute to the fallen. I believe that was one of the reasons I joined the Army in 73 because of what I learned from all of the veterans I met and talked with from WWI, WWII, and Korean wars.
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A day of great sadness, but also great anger.
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