Memorial Day

[NEFarmwife]

I am curious how many CT members are veterans?

I know formally, today is about those lost during active duty and we also pay respect to our loved ones.

I am a daughter of a Vietnam vet. 2 Purple Hearts. He was a tunnel rat (he was the size of a jockey)... and while he didn't die at war, I believe Vietnam killed him.

His family didn't hear from him till 10 years after he arrived home from Nam, disappearing right after he landed back in the US.

It wasn't until he called to tell his parents that he just had twin daughters (me).

I didn't know growing up, that he was a vet. He didn't talk about it. Growing up, I wish he was a hero (Superman, etc...) I didn't realize until I was much older, that he WAS a hero.

So thank you, all veterans and those who currently serve! You ARE my heroes!

I hope this weekend, will also be a gentle reminder that there are those who've returned to us after serving our country, not the same as they left. PTSD is real.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I am the son of a WWII and Korean vet .
Two brothers served one a career man.
Draft just missed me I went from 1A to 2A when my occupation became making jet fuel.
Dad and the Uncles didn't talk about the war except with each other.
At family gatherings they would get off sometime and talk about it.

 

[True Grit Farms]

We owe the veteran's more than we could ever pay back. I look around, read the news and I think we've really screwed up a lot of what our veteran's fought and died for.

 

[Little Cow]

My husband and I are both veterans from the most recent wars.

It is very nice of you guys to remember veterans, but I guess I never think of Memorial Day as our day. We made it home alive. Veteran's Day is for us. Memorial Day is for our friends that didn't come home. I also think of friends that came back different. Best USMC officer (prior enlisted) I knew was the most hard charging, smartest, toughest guy, back in training. I saw him on my ship after he had deployed a few times with some of the hardest hit companies. He was shattered, emotionally. Saw too much. Lost too many friends. He was on his way back, again. Not sure if he survived once he got back. Lost touch with so many people. So many take their own lives.

When we first came home, people expected us to be a certain way. We didn't really know how to be. It took us awhile to be comfortable in our own skin again. I saw less than many, but more than others. After a few years, I found that I was pretty dang intolerant of senseless violence of any kind. I even hated movies that glorified it. Can't stand the fact that our country sells arms to countries like Saudi Arabia. We know that those rich sheiks support jihadists financially. Most of the other veterans I know are on the pacifist side, too, even if they don't want to admit it.

So, there you go. Thanks for reading.

 

[Coosh71]

I am curious how many CT members are veterans?

I know formally, today is about those lost during active duty and we also pay respect to our loved ones.

I am a daughter of a Vietnam vet. 2 Purple Hearts. He was a tunnel rat (he was the size of a jockey)... and while he didn't die at war, I believe Vietnam killed him.

His family didn't hear from him till 10 years after he arrived home from Nam, disappearing right after he landed back in the US.

It wasn't until he called to tell his parents that he just had twin daughters (me).

I didn't know growing up, that he was a vet. He didn't talk about it. Growing up, I wish he was a hero (Superman, etc...) I didn't realize until I was much older, that he WAS a hero.

So thank you, all veterans and those who currently serve! You ARE my heroes!

I hope this weekend, will also be a gentle reminder that there are those who've returned to us after serving our country, not the same as they left. PTSD is real.

My dad and many many uncles were in Korea and Vietnam. I was in Iraq during desert storm in 91. My meager service doesn't compare to my dad and uncles. I never thought much about it all until I got a little older. Now I proudly fly a flag daily, and stay in touch with all my army buddies from back then. It's very important to me now. These young guys now go thru so much more than I had to. We need to love, respect and remember all of them. Even if we don't know them.

 

[msplmtneer]

I had at least 6 uncles and more cousins then I can remember serve in World War II, Korea and Vietnam also I was in the Army during Vietnam but didn't get sent over seas. My uncles and cousins never talked about their service. :tiphat:

 

[Caustic Burno]

My dad was a very quiet man till you mentioned the Korean Conflict.
He got called up at 36 years old.
I remember hearing him say he was working at Pan American when mom had him summoned to the gate with his recall notice . Left Houston the next day for San Diego boarded a destroyer bound for Korea. The USN was short of MM's to work on ships pulled out of mothballs.

 

[Little Cow]

My dad was a very quiet man till you mentioned the Korean Conflict.
He got called up at 36 years old.
I remember hearing him say he was working at Pan American when mom had him summoned to the gate with his recall notice . Left Houston the next day for San Diego boarded a destroyer bound for Korea. The USN was short of MM's to work on ships pulled out of mothballs.

That's rough.

 

[greybeard]

Names on The Wall that I personally knew, worked, flew and lived with.


We had one memorial service for our losses during LamSon719. One of the guys in the hydraulic shop wrote this regarding that service..it hangs on my living room wall.



If you have not had a chance to go visit the the wall, or seen the one that travels the country, do so. It's an extremely humbling experience.

 

[JMJ Farms]

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends"

 

[mwj]

US54841352, home 50 years this spring. Not much of a welcome party when I came back to the states . Times have changed for the better for the ones coming home!!

 

[Logar]

I am curious how many CT members are veterans?

I know formally, today is about those lost during active duty and we also pay respect to our loved ones.

I am a daughter of a Vietnam vet. 2 Purple Hearts. He was a tunnel rat (he was the size of a jockey)... and while he didn't die at war, I believe Vietnam killed him.

His family didn't hear from him till 10 years after he arrived home from Nam, disappearing right after he landed back in the US.

It wasn't until he called to tell his parents that he just had twin daughters (me).

I didn't know growing up, that he was a vet. He didn't talk about it. Growing up, I wish he was a hero (Superman, etc...) I didn't realize until I was much older, that he WAS a hero.

So thank you, all veterans and those who currently serve! You ARE my heroes!

I hope this weekend, will also be a gentle reminder that there are those who've returned to us after serving our country, not the same as they left. PTSD is real.

Six tours - Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Afghanistan

 

[Dave]

Two uncles in WWII. One of those stayed in and was in Korea and Nam. Another who was in Korea and stayed in as a career and went to Nam. A high school class mate and another who was a neighbor have there names on the wall. Brother was a navigator in the Air Force flying in the big transports. He was in and out of Saigon a bunch shuttling people out right up to when it fell. I was 1-A with a number low enough that I should have been drafted but for some reason (?) they never called me up. I worked with a guy for a year who had been a tunnel rat in Nam. A few real interesting things that he shared.

 

[Little Cow]

I was stationed in DC just prior to 9/11. Rode the Metro with an officer that died at the Pentagon. He gave me some great career advice as I was preparing to go back to the fleet. Our unit would run in DC every morning. Once, when we were running in our cammies in formation, we were led right next to the Vietnam Memorial (in silence, of course). It was a winter morning at dawn, fresh snow lay on the ground, and we could see our reflections over the names on the black marble as we ran by. Gave me the chills. It really hits you how many people were lost.

Anyone ever been to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? Definitely worthwhile.

 

[sstterry]

Rather than replying to each post, I just want to say thank you all for your service to this country and keeping us free!

 

[Caustic Burno]

I was stationed in DC just prior to 9/11. Rode the Metro with an officer that died at the Pentagon. He gave me some great career advice as I was preparing to go back to the fleet. Our unit would run in DC every morning. Once, when we were running in our cammies in formation, we were led right next to the Vietnam Memorial (in silence, of course). It was a winter morning at dawn, fresh snow lay on the ground, and we could see our reflections over the names on the black marble as we ran by. Gave me the chills. It really hits you how many people were lost.

Anyone ever been to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier? Definitely worthwhile.

Thank you for your service.
My youngest joined up after 9-11 was in an Air Force Combat Control unit.

 

[NEFarmwife]

I really appreciate the responses to this post.

It is so interesting to hear your stories, no matter how you relate to them. Thank you, sincerely for taking the time to respond.

 

[snoopdog]

Served during the cold war

 

[farmerjan]

Had a friend who's son was killed the day before he was scheduled to come home, buried in Arlington. Went to the service and it was very heart wrenching. My thanks to all who gave everything and didn't come home. You will be remembered.