Memorial Day

Well said, vince.

and thank our Secret Service for making USA proud

Yeah, gatorfan, those boys have made us proud ! LOL

vm,

I whole heartily agree that all that serve deserve our thanks and gratitude without reservations, but Memorial Day is for those that gave the ULTIMATE, their lives! God bless them all!

Nice post Vince. I have military background and can say that it was a pleasure working alongside your service personnel over here. I worked alongside them at a cruise missile base. Great guys.

Yes, Clubber, thanks for that fine-tuning. I won't ever forget my friends and neighbors that died in Vietnam.

Nice post

Just opposite the Soldier's Monument, the marker for the Gettysburg Address, there is a small crescent of three rows of headstones. One is for a sailor, USN, Dec. 7, 1941. Another is for a soldier, USArmy, June 6, 1944. I took my children to see this when they were in high school, so they could understand the sacrificies. Later, we visited the Viet Nam Memorial and Arlington. I want them to know there is a real reason for Memorial Day, not just an excuse for a cook-out.

..sacrifices..

"I want them to know there is a real reason for Memorial Day, not just an excuse for a cook-out."

Perhaps the best thing ever posted on TUSCL.

thanks SuperDude

I was fortunate I finished high school during peacetime. It was shortly after Vietnam ended. But I come from a family of military veterans. A grandfather defended France against the Germans in WWI. My father served in the Pacific in WWII. Two uncles fought in Korea and another in Vietnam. Thankfully, all came back home well. But I sincerely appreciate all those who sacrificed so much.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

John McCrae

High Flight

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds...and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of...wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or even eagle flew.

And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

Dry your eyes and quietly bear this pain with pride For heaven shall remember the silent and the brave And promise me they will never see, the fear within our eyes (my eyes are closed) We will give strength to those who still remain

So bury fear, for fate draws near And hide the signs of pain With noble acts, the bravest souls Endure the heart's remains Discard regret, that in this debt A better world is made That children of a newer day might remember And avoid our fate

(I've waited all day in the pouring rain, but nobody came, no, nobody came)

And in the fury of this darkest hour We will be your light You've asked me for my sacrifice And I am Winter born Without denying, a faith is come That I have never known I hear the angels call my name And I am Winter born

Hold your head up high-for there is no greater love Think of the faces of the people you defend (you defend) And promise me, they will never see the tears within our eyes (my eyes are closed) Although we are men, with mortal sins, angels never cry

So bury fear, for fate draws near And hide the signs of pain With noble acts, the bravest souls Endure the heart's remains Discard regret, that in this debt A better world is made That children of a newer day might remember And avoid our fate

And in the fury of this darkest hour We will be your light You've asked me for my sacrifice And I am Winter born Without denying, a faith in God That I have never known I hear the angels call my name And I am Winter born

And in the fury of this darkest hour I will be your light A lifetime for this destiny For I am Winter born And in this moment..I will not run It is my place to stand We few shall carry hope Within our bloodied hands (bloodied hands) And in our Dying, we're more alive-than we have ever been I've lived for these few seconds For I am Winter born

Superdue, is that from the film 'Memphis Belle'?

Takuma Sato spins out on last lap of the Indy 500 while attempting to make a pass for the lead.

December 7, 1941

Payback's a bitch Sato

The poem is "High Flight" and was written by a WWI fighter pilot, RAF or RCAF.

Good thread

I wanted to say THANKS! to all the veterans reading this.

I saw one of my old friends in the paper in the last year had returned from Afghanistan. Hopefully all well. Although with 5 kids I know he's busy. I lost contact with him back a few years ago.

I once played paintball with him and a few of his national guard buddies. I never did upgrade my single shot pump action gun to the air rifles his buddies had. I still had fun playing. Then he got deployed.

VM, great post....Amen, Memorial Day remembrances to those before us who have served and especially to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice - so that we might enjoy many of the freedoms and benefits that we have today....