Memorial Day

[Caustic Burno]

Some photos from Okinawa thought them fitting.

Thanks to our vets.




Cemetery across from church

 

[wbvs58]

All the best for your Memorial Day, very important to pause and remember, my generation will always be thankfull how the US turned the tide of the Japanese expansion from our shores. My home town of Brisbane was Macarthur"s headquarters in the early stage of the Pacific war and remained the staging area for equiptment from the US before heading north to New Guinea and Pacific islands.

We have a similar remembrance day 25th April called Anzac Day which seems to be getting bigger and bigger every year, WW1 vets all gone and WW2 vets getting very thin on the ground now.

Ken

 

[melking]

RIP to every single hero that fought for our freedom.

 

[Dave]

The wife has to work tomorrow so today we took some flowers to her parents grave site. A very small town in Eastern Klickitat County. After that we went to an old pioneer cemetery on the other side of town. It is run down with tall grass and brush all over the place. The dates on all the headstones are over 100 years old. I noticed an American flag way over in the corner. The only flag in the whole cemetery. Going by memory the name was Thasker. Born 1828, died 1899. Served in Company C 103rd Ohio Infantry. No huge veterans cemetery. No big brass band. Just a forgotten grave in a forgotten cemetery outside a middle of nowhere forgotten town. But someone thought enough to remember him and put a flag there.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I've been blessed to have a WWII vet hanging out with us for the last 4 days. Two of my friends have come up to my dad and thanked him for his service, and his friends that didn't make it. I was shocked and proud. He'll be a little down tomorrow, war was tough on a 17 year old kid.

 

[hurleyjd]

KLTV channel seven out of Tyler Texas interviews a vet and shows it on TV the program called Freedom Fighters.
My Uncle was interviewed and it is the only time we really found out about his service in the Pacific theater. Two uncles served and numerous older cousins and all came back no injuries or deaths. All of my dad and all of his brothers and sister are gone except one who is ninety four years old. There was thirteen children and four half brothers and sisters in this family. The half brothers were from grandpas first wife who died when the four were just children oldest about six.

 

[Caustic Burno]

KLTV channel seven out of Tyler Texas interviews a vet and shows it on TV the program called Freedom Fighters.
My Uncle was interviewed and it is the only time we really found out about his service in the Pacific theater. Two uncles served and numerous older cousins and all came back no injuries or deaths. All of my dad and all of his brothers and sister are gone except one who is ninety four years old. There was thirteen children and four half brothers and sisters in this family. The half brothers were from grandpas first wife who died when the four were just children oldest about six.

All my WWII and Korean vets are gone
Dad and all my uncles served in WWII.
Dad served in Korea as well. Lost the last one in 02. We still have a Navy frogman from WWII that fought at Okinawa at church.
Oldest brother died from cancer said to be caused by agent orange in Vietnam second is fighting health issues said to be caused by it as well.

 

[Bestoutwest]

I'd like to specifically say thank you to our Vietnam War vets. The worst treated, most forgotten veterans that I've know. You're not forgotten by me.

 

[greybeard]

The list of illnesses/maladys/syndromes/disorders that the VA now automatically 'assumes' to be caused by AO is pretty long.
When it first started, you had to prove you worked, walked or flew thru it. Now, since there is and never has been a definitive test for exposure, if you were in the military during Vietnam Era, and your DD214 shows you were in country and come down with anything on the list (plus others) you arew automatically assumed to have been affected by AO. Heart disease (congestive) Type2 diabetes, most cancers, most skin ailments, and a host of others, regardless of what your family history shows.
According to both VA and GAO, the AO disability program is the most widely abused program other than the general SS disability and welfare fraud. It simply became cheaper for VA to accept almost all claims than to have the service member prove their ailment was caused by AO.
I meet at least 3 of the illness definitions/criteria but have no intentions of ever filing for compensation/treatment..VA is strapped for funding and personnel and the younger guys coming out of Iraq and Afghanistan need it/deserve it more than this old body does.

 

[farmguy]

"I'd like to specifically say thank you to our Vietnam War vets. The worst treated, most forgotten veterans that I've know. You're not forgotten by me."

thanks, farmguy

 

[Workinonit Farm]

"I'd like to specifically say thank you to our Vietnam War vets. The worst treated, most forgotten veterans that I've know. You're not forgotten by me."

thanks, farmguy

I know quite a few who, fortunately, have not forgotten that generation.

My husband did a job, a few years ago, for a retired Army Ranger Colonel. The Colonel wanted a walkway through the center of his yard, towards a large circle comprised of 3 smaller circles. Within each circle is a flag pole. The center pole being the tallest @ 30 feet. The tallest pole flies the flag of the USA, pole on 1 side flies the POW flag and the 3rd pole flies the flag of the state of Va. In front of the flags is a granite 'monument', and on top of the monument is a bronze 'statue/sculpture' of a pair of combat boots, w/rifle standing and helmet hanging on the rifle. The plaque on the granite has the purple heart "logo", above that are the insignias for all branches of the military. Above the insignias it states "All gave some & some gave all" and below the insignias is written "Dedicated to those who gave ALL in Vietnam. May God grant unto them eternal peace." Colonel Bill did this to honor the memory of the men who were in his charge/unit, that died in service, while in Vietnam. He has it well lit, at night.

Each year, people stop by his house and lay flowers, wreaths, its really quite touching.

 

[boondocks]

The wife has to work tomorrow so today we took some flowers to her parents grave site. A very small town in Eastern Klickitat County. After that we went to an old pioneer cemetery on the other side of town. It is run down with tall grass and brush all over the place. The dates on all the headstones are over 100 years old. I noticed an American flag way over in the corner. The only flag in the whole cemetery. Going by memory the name was Thasker. Born 1828, died 1899. Served in Company C 103rd Ohio Infantry. No huge veterans cemetery. No big brass band. Just a forgotten grave in a forgotten cemetery outside a middle of nowhere forgotten town. But someone thought enough to remember him and put a flag there.

Dave--see if the cemetery and/or deceased soldier is listed on Find A Grave. Great resource. Lots of volunteers help fill in info from their local cemeteries--even old abandoned plots on farms, woods, etc. You can get/take pics from/for others of headstones. Great for genealogical research and history buffs https://www.findagrave.com/

 

[Ryder]

Got to wondering if there was a vet I could see today.
Made a phone call and then had coffee and a good visit with an 89 year old retired army colonel.
A first rate officer and a gentleman.
He said his favorite general was Robert E. Lee. I agreed.

 

[greybeard]

Just keep in mind, that Memorial Day is a special day of remembrance, set aside for those who made the ultimate sacrifice for this nation, that is, died in the service of the country.

Veteran's Day is for those who served, including for those that made it back alive, or served in times of peace or were never ordered into combat.


People tend to mix the 2 days up or combine them in to one.

 

[Caustic Burno]

GB I don't get them mixed up, I just think it's great to remember and say thanks twice.

 

[backhoeboogie]

GB I don't get them mixed up, I just think it's great to remember and say thanks twice.

But for the grace of God, there go I

Many survived, but were crippled for life.

My gratitude to all who served or sacrificed.

 

[Bestoutwest]

GB I don't get them mixed up, I just think it's great to remember and say thanks twice.

But for the grace of God, there go I

Many survived, but were crippled for life.

My gratitude to all who served or sacrificed.

The worst wounds are the ones you can't see.

 

[boondocks]

Very glad to see a new generation of veterans stepping up to run for/serve in national office (several of them women.
I never want to see the day we don't have at least a few people in office who know what it's actually like.

 

[hurleyjd]

"I'd like to specifically say thank you to our Vietnam War vets. The worst treated, most forgotten veterans that I've know. You're not forgotten by me."

thanks, farmguy

Just give a shout out to Greybeard he is a Vietnam Vet.