All Gave Some, But Some Gave All...

[onlyinajeep726]

To all those who have served and to those who have fallen, you are not forgotten.

 

[Keyav8r]

I say a prayer for all of our military and public safety personnel and their families every day. These folks go out every day knowing they may not come back. I can't remember the exact wording, but it has been said, and is 100% truth, that we sleep soundly because rough men stand watch over us.

[Eagle]

To all those who have served and to those who have fallen, you are not forgotten.

Thank you for posting this with the photo of the cemetery, because that helps tell us who Memorial Day is really for.

 

As a Vietnam veteran who came home, I am irritated beyond reason every year by well-meaning twits who materialize every Memorial Day and think that's a good time to thank active duty military, or living veterans. News flash: We have something called Armed Forces Day. We have something called Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day set aside to honor and to remember those who went away to protect us, and who died before returning.

 

Some are still MIA. Some were sent back to Dover AFB in a flag draped coffin. And tens of thousands are buried in U.S. military cemeteries in foreign countries. I had the honor twenty years ago to stand in many of the U.S. cemeteries around Normandy. The experience is indescribable. You can sort of get it if you have ever visited Arlington, but many of those buried in Arlington died natural deaths years after whichever war they served in. At those American cemeteries in Europe, every single cross or Star of David marks the grave of someone who died on a battlefield.

 

We NEED to remember that this country exists today because of the men who were willing to die for it. That's why Memorial Day is important, and that's why we should never allow the meaning of Memorial day to get watered down and confused with Armed Forces Day or Veterans Day. By all means, thank vets and active duty any time you see them ... but don't lose the meaning of Memorial Day.

 

[/rant]

[jimoshel]

Take a tour thru a  military graveyard sometime. Doesn't make any difference if it's in America, Europe or Asia. Read some of the headstones. Note the ages of some of them.    If that doesn't make you humble, then nothing will.

[Eagle]

What Memorial Day is supposed to be about:

 

[HOrnbrod]

Memorial Day, celebrated every year on the last Monday of May, was formerly known as Decoration Day. It  originated after the US Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the war. To honor the dead, citizens would "decorate" the graves in military cemeteries with flowers, primarily poppies. By the 20th century, Decoration Day was changed to Memorial Day and had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service.

But the original meaning and purpose for Memorial day, as well as for most other national holidays, has been lost over the years to most Americans due to media and corporate greed. Memorial Day has become the benchmark for "the beginning of summer", and as such is celebrated by a long nauseating weekend of gigantic retail sales across the country. Such is life now............... :shake: