Memorial Day

wifisher

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Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

The reason that all of those brave men died was to allow the rest of us to live here, and be HAPPY. You should definitely remember and respect all who have lost their lives in the line of duty, but if you can not be happy, all of their sacrifice was for nothing.
 

veritas honus

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 13, 2010
Messages
1,876
Re: Memorial Day

I get your point and embrace it, but didn't the Marines, Sailors and Airmen have something to do along the way as well?


USMC 88-94 (Liberia, GW1, Somalia)

Marines, Sailors, and Airmen have something in common...

They are American Soldiers... Warriors.

If I somehow gave you the impression that I was excluding any branch of service from my "Salute", please understand that you are "Misinformed perhaps" "NEVER WRONG", but clearly mistaken in this instance.

Please allow me to clarify this... We are ALL... Brothers in arms.
 

Red_BOFUS

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 31, 2010
Messages
190
Re: Memorial Day

Brother's in arms always


The muffled drum's sad roll has beat
The soldier's last tattoo;
No more on Life's parade shall meet
That brave and fallen few.
On fame's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents to spread,
And glory guards, with solemn round
The bivouac of the dead.​
 

LippCJ7

Vice Admiral
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Sep 20, 2010
Messages
5,431
Re: Memorial Day

Thank you to all that have served and are currently serving our country, we owe our freedom to you.
 

produceguy

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Messages
1,243
Re: Memorial Day

Thank you to all the service men and woman.

To all that have served in the past, my family and I will not forget what you have done for us.

For the ones serving in the current times and future, may the lord keep you safe and bring you home.

Thank you for the freedom you have given to us.
 

emoney

Commander
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
2,551
Re: Memorial Day

Memorial Day has had new meaning to me these past two years as I have my only son serving. I miss him everyday, but it's knowing that he made a choice to serve and "represent" this nation that softens the hurt with pride. Thanks to all who have, are and will serve. Your sacrifice is duly noted.
 

JB

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45,907
Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

The reason that all of those brave men died was to allow the rest of us to live here, and be HAPPY. You should definitely remember and respect all who have lost their lives in the line of duty, but if you can not be happy, all of their sacrifice was for nothing.

I would agree with you a lot more if you replace "happy" with "FREE". Freedom is what they fought and died for. Whether you are happy or not is up to you.
 

lakelover

Rear Admiral
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Messages
4,386
Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

To me, being happy in life is to be content and secure, and a lot of that possibility is owed to veterans. Great if someone wants to wish me that, I accept it graciously. But in reference to my original post, 99% of the time it is followed by talk of sales events, advertising, parties, going to the beach, excessive drinking etc. etc. Most of the time has nothing to do with honoring the people who have been lost. This is what I am talking about.

I also want to clarify that my original post is not directed at anyone in particular on this forum. I started a thread with my original post and see that it has been combined with this one.
 

sschefer

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Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Just to be clear, us Vet's get it.
 

veritas honus

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Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Re: St. Augustine in May/June: UPDATED: Now With Dates!

My next night off is Memorial Day, just a couple days from now. I don't go to any "job" on Memorial Day. That's my big day of reflection. My day to honor every American Soldier who's made the ultimate sacrifice. It's my day of peace. The one day of the year I actually set aside for no outside influences. I'd love to be on the water on this solemn day, but I'll be squaring away my boat for the water, which will be as gratifying.



Safe and happy boating always!!!,

Veritas Honus
1992 Chaparral 2050 SLC: 205HP 4.3L Yamaha I/O
ShoreLand'r tandem axle trailer
T/V: 2001 Dodge Ram 1500Sport 5.9L 4X4 Dana 410 rear

Check out (My wife's) The Gerber Babies Blog @: http://2gerberbabies.blogspot.com/

No fall, however high, ever hurt anyone... It's that sudden stop at the end...

Just to be clear, us Vet's get it.

Thank you...

Yes... We do...

What a shame that this thread has come to this. Memorial Day should never be debated nor require explanation.

For those who havn't served, Memorial Day is no excuse nor reason for getting drunk, and partying. Yes... Many Soldiers, active duty and veterans, drink on Memorial Day. We do not party. Memorial Day is no celebration. It is a Day to Honor those who laid down their lives in service to The United States of America. To the active duty soldier, it's no day off. Many days are spent in preparation. It's long days of making sure everything will be as it should to Honor our fallen Brothers. When The ceremonies have all come to a close, yes, many of us stay together and drink. It's not to celebrate. It's more, a form of self medecation, so to speak. It's an extremely emotional time and many seek to soothe the pain with alcohol. We'll talk about some good times, some incredible times, a lot of them, happy or funny times. This gives others the impression that it's a big party. It isn't. Every time I've ever raised a glass or bottle to The Fallen, the reality is there. All of these other glasses and bottles could just as easily have been today, and may one day very well be raised to me...

It's a difficult day. It's a day to hold your head up in honor of those who no longer can. Part of ourselves has been taken... and we give what's left in return.
 

produceguy

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Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

What a shame that this thread has come to this. Memorial Day should never be debated nor require explanation.

I agree.

I kind of thought this thread would have been about thanking are Vets for what they have done and are doing.
 

JB

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Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

I kind of thought this thread would have been about thanking are Vets for what they have done and are doing.

That is exactly the point, produceguy. Memorial Day is not about thanking Vets and those currently serving, though they (we) deserve thanks every day.

We have special days set aside to honor them. This is not one of those days. This day is set aside to honor our war dead... dead men and women who gave their lives in defense of our freedom.

I am completely baffled that so many don't get it.
 

45Auto

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Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

I am completely baffled that so many don't get it.

For the last 40 years, it's just been another 3 day weekend to most people. No reason to reflect on why that day was special, since it's a different day every year. For the vast majority of Americans it's just another excuse to party.

From "Memorial Day History":

Many feel that when Congress made the day into a three-day weekend in with the National Holiday Act of 1971, it made it all the easier for people to be distracted from the spirit and meaning of the day. As the VFW stated in its 2002 Memorial Day address: "Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."
 

lakelover

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Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Didn't think of that, but good point.
 

sasto

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Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

We sat at our marina tiki hut, had a cookout and drank some beers. Out of 15 of us there were 5 vets. 2 of us slightly disabled. A couple that lost siblings. I was in charge of music. I played nothing but solder (all service members) songs. Plenty of Toby Keith, Tim McGraw and many others many have never heard of. There were a few watery eyes, alot of salutes, flew our flags, alot of thank you's, and we still managed to have a good time and rememberd what the day was all about.
 

Yacht Dr.

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Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

I thought this quote should be brought back..

"It seems a lot of folks don't understand what Memorial Day is about or even when it came about.This morning on the TV News a reporter said that we have been honoring our veterans for 35 years.Memorial Day is not about veterans or our men and women in uniform. It is about war dead. It grew in many places and on many dates, but the earliest observations were in the Confederacy during the Civil War. The first official proclamation of Memorial Day was by Gen. John A. Logan, Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic in May of 1868.Different states made it a state holiday at different times for the next hundred years. We celebrated it on the last Monday of May when I was a child, and the Indianapolis Memorial Day 500 mile race began before WWI.It became an official national holiday as part of the National Holidays Act of 1971. (I guess that's where the "35 years" came from).Any day is a good day to honor our veterans and our armed forces. There are holidays designated for that purpose, but this day is to honor our war dead. We have been doing it for 144 years, not 35. "

JB May 29th, 2006

Very well put JB.. Very well put...

YD.

PS. I somehow Flashback to "The Red Badge of Courage" Every " Remember the Fallen for Freedom Day " . ..
 

produceguy

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

That is exactly the point, produceguy. Memorial Day is not about thanking Vets and those currently serving, though they (we) deserve thanks every day.

We have special days set aside to honor them. This is not one of those days. This day is set aside to honor our war dead... dead men and women who gave their lives in defense of our freedom.

I am completely baffled that so many don't get it.


Got it now, Thanks.
 

scipper77

Commander
Joined
Sep 30, 2008
Messages
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Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

What a shame that this thread has come to this. Memorial Day should never be debated nor require explanation.

I agree.

I kind of thought this thread would have been about thanking are Vets for what they have done and are doing.

Not a shame. The (original) point of this thread is that people do not consciously think about the meaning of the holiday (including myself). It is treated as another three day weekend and celebrated outside of the gravity of the true meaning of the holiday.

I checked out of this thread when I realized that I too was pretty much lumping memorial day in with veterans day. Now I am checking back in to say thank you to all whose input in this thread has corrected my perspective. It is a correction that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
 

lncoop

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Messages
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Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Re: Please don't wish me Happy Memorial Day

Not a shame. The (original) point of this thread is that people do not consciously think about the meaning of the holiday (including myself). It is treated as another three day weekend and celebrated outside of the gravity of the true meaning of the holiday.

I checked out of this thread when I realized that I too was pretty much lumping memorial day in with veterans day. Now I am checking back in to say thank you to all whose input in this thread has corrected my perspective. It is a correction that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Well said and plus one.
 
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