What Memorial Day should mean to us all …

[xcel]

A Memorial Day Prayer

By Rev. Dick Kozelka (ret)
First Congregational Church of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN.

Eternal God,
Creator of years, of centuries,
Lord of whatever is beyond time,
Maker of all species and master of all history --
How shall we speak to you
from our smallness and inconsequence?
Except that you have called us to worship you
in spirit and in truth;
You have dignified us with loves and loyalties;
You have lifted us up with your lovingkindnesses.
Therefore we are bold to come before you without groveling
[though we sometimes feel that low]
and without fear
[though we are often anxious].
We sing with spirit and pray with courage
because you have dignified us;
You have redeemed us from the aimlessness
of things' going meaninglessly well.
God, lift the hearts of those
for whom this holiday is not just diversion,
but painful memory and continued deprivation.
Bless those whose dear ones have died
needlessly, wastefully [as it seems]
in accident or misadventure.
We remember with compassion those who have died
serving their countries
in the futility of combat.
There is none of us but must come to bereavement and separation,
when all the answers we are offered
fail the question death asks of each of us.
We believe that you will provide for us
as others have been provided with the fulfillment of
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."



The Sentinels Creed
My dedication to this sacred duty is total and wholehearted.
In the responsibility bestowed on me never will I falter.
And with dignity and perseverance my standard will remain perfection.
Through the years of diligence and praise and the discomfort of the elements,
I will walk my tour in humble reverence to the best of my ability.
It is he who commands the respect I protect.
His bravery that made us so proud.
Surrounded by well meaning crowds by day alone in the thoughtful peace of night,
this soldier will in honored glory rest under my eternal vigilance.

___God Bless those serving in our Armed Forces today. God Speed to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great country.

___Wayne

[xcel]

A Lesson For All Americans
By Mike Dalka

My Grandfather was a glider infantryman in WWII, an advisor in Korea, and lost one of his sons, my uncle Gary Edwards, in Vietnam. I worked in his auto repair station during high school and he flew his flag in front daily. One day while I was sweeping the oil dry out of the bays it began to sprinkle rain. He told me to go get the flag and I said "gimme a second." He said, "It is raining, go get the flag NOW." Well I popped off my mouth about how he should cool it, it isn't going to melt or some such typical teenage comment.

My grandfather is the toughest man I've ever met. He explained once that he thought basic training was some sort of country club during WWII, because he was used to hard work anyway, and at home he didn't have indoor toilets or hot running water! And when I said whatever it was that I said to him, he turned deep crimson and I thought, "God save me, he's going to kill me for talking back." Instead tears welled up in his eyes and he squeaked out "You don't understand what this family has paid for the right to fly that flag." Then he turned his back on me and went out and got the flag. I just stood there feeling like the smallest person to ever live. Those words cut me so deep. I wish the entire country could have heard them.

[Chuck]

I have thought about those that have made the ultimate sacrifice, and those that will in the future. I pray that military action will not be reqired concerning Iran, but we have fought wars for similar reasons. Like World War II.

Earlier wars really put our armed forces in Harm's Way. Not even anathesia before the Civil War, no blood transfusions until World War I, no trauma units until the mid 1900's.

Air combat in World War II was much different then. Today, maybe send a single stealth bomber with GPS-guided bombs - target destroyed. In the European theater, it could take up to a thousand bombers, not to mention fighter escorts (if they had the range), flying missions over weeks or even months to take out a target with carpet bombing. Until 1943, no American bomber crew lasted 20 missions without getting shot down.

We are facing a different kind of warfare, but wars past were very perilous.

[Hot Georgia]

We have a flag pole in our front yard and am flying at 1/2 mast.

I mentioned this at my workplace yesterday, if nothing else just to remind what memorial day is... and couldn't believe when someone asked "Why"

[xcel]

Hi All:

___Some more reasons to say a prayer today honoring those who have fallen in battle …

Today’s Pictures – Memorial Day


WASHINGTON - A Vietnam veteran holds an American flag to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 1985.


ARLINGTON, Va.- Arlington National Cemetery, 1987.


HAVERSTRAW, N.Y. - The funeral service for U.S. Army Spc. Manuel Lopez III, who was killed in Baghdad, Iraq, when his vehicle was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade, 2005.


NEW YORK - Members of the American Legion honor Memorial Day in Chinatown, 1998.


LOS ANGELES - Two Vietnam War veterans place the American flag on a coffin and salute, 2004.


BEDFORD, Va. - Lucille Boggess holds portraits of her brothers, who were killed on D-Day, 1994.


CLANTON, Ala. - The funeral of Staff Sgt. George T. Alexander Jr., the 2,000th member of the U.S. military to be killed in action in Iraq, 2005.


GERMANY - An American soldier killed during a house-to-house fight against German troops, April 1945.


IRAQ - Soldiers receive treatment at Base Falcon, 2005.


SICILY, Italy - American soldiers prepare for the Battle of Troina, 1943.


LONG ISLAND, N.Y. - The funeral of Staff Sgt. James D. McNaughton, 27, who was the first member of the New York City police force killed in Iraq, 2005.


NEW YORK - A funeral at a cemetery in the Bronx, 2004.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[xcel]

Hi All:

___Another from the Washington Post …


Mel Evans - Associated Press

Maria Stokes visits the grave of her husband, Walter Stokes, a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, at the Beverly National Cemetery in Beverly, N.J.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[philmcneal]

war is ugly, that's all I have to say. It damages more than it solves.

[tigerhonaker]

VietVet'67
Junior Member

Terry (tigerhonaker)
VietVet'1965-1966
25 Division, 3/4 Cavalry, Transportation Platoon

Terry in (Center)

Click on Picture to Enlarge:

25TH Div. 3/4 Cav.
South VietNam
Cu Chi


We can tell all of (You) that have {Never} been in the Service or Combat how it is.

But instead of going into that here, I prefer to (Thank-You) Wayne G. for taking {Your} time to list the Pics and the Prayer for all to read that have dropped by this Forum either as Members or Visitors.

Thanks for caring for those that have served in the Armed Forces of the U.S.A.

Especially for the ones that gave their "Lives".

God Bless America, we are all Very-Lucky to be "Here".

I decided to look back over my old documents, since I remembered I wrote about one of my grandfathers for a report way back in high school. He died not long after I wrote it in 1993 a proud American and grandfather. Below is the text of the report I wrote. Keep in mind I was only 15 when I wrote it, so the writing isn't great. I'm still as proud as can be of both my grandfathers, both of whom served in WWII, although only one living long enough for me to meet him. Both at least were fortunate enough to make it back home safe.

World History Interview of a World War II Veteran

The name of the World War II veteran that I interviewed was Robert H. Smith. The branch of service that he fought in during the war in was the United States Navy. He served primarily in the North Atlantic and Europe. Some of the major battles he was involved in included the invasion of North Africa, the invasion of Sicily, and the invasion of Normandy at Omaha Beach on D-Day.

Mr. Smith said that the worst experience that he had during the war was on his first voyage out from New York on an Atlantic convoy when the ship was attacked by a "wolf pack" of German U-boats, struck by torpedoes, and was sunk. Several of his personal friends died as a result of the explosions, or were killed in the ocean when the ship went down.

He had a very typical view of the war. The bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 was a direct attack on U.S. territory and took the lives of many Americans. There was a great sense of national purpose and unity in joining the military to go out and defend the nation and our way of life against foreign dictators and emperors. It was seen as democracy under attack by totalitarian conquerors. He saw it as personal liberty against rule by terror and force. He described it as being a defensive war of preservation against destruction by invading aggressors.

Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan had deliberately set out to attack, conquer, and rule nations who would rather have been left alone, but were forced to fight back to save their own lives and their existence as free nations. He had a feeling of patriotism, of purpose, and of pride in the nation and the people defending it. It was also obvious that we could take none of our freedom or liberty for granted and would have to fight to preserve it. We could not take safety for granted in an age when ships, airplanes, and armies could bring war to any place in the world and even bring virtually that entire world into war.

Since victory over Hitler was quickly followed by Stalin's occupation of eastern Europe and the threatened seizure of the city of Berlin, it was clear that a strong defense would continue to be needed to meet new aggressors as World War II ended and the Cold War began. The threat of nuclear attack by bombers and then intercontinental missiles made it clear that we could not take security for granted in the world. Robert Smith left the service at the Brooklyn Naval base in New York City, after the war ended in 1945.

I'm proud of you, Grandpa and thank you for your sacrifice, and that of your fellow Americans.

[VietVet'67]

From:
VietVet'67
Phillip Buice
1st Batallion, 35th Infantry
Vietnam Sept '67 - Sept '68

IM Sent By:
Terry (tigerhonaker)
VietVet'1965-1966
25 Division, 3/4 Cavalry, Transportation Platoon

Hi, did not want you to miss this Thread.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showt...=5491#post5491
_____________________________________________

I know that this is a day (Weekend) late but sometimes i have a little trouble dealing with this particular day.

Thanks Terry - I had caught the whole thread. The same goes from me to Wayne for putting the thread on - Thanks, the picts are great. Also thanks to all the others that put post on the thread.

I know Terry and I were in Vietnam (about the same time) but my heartfelt thanks has to go to the generation before us that were in WWII. I would like to apologies to them for not honoring them in DC before now. I have been to the Vietnam Wall, Korean Wall, and the new WWII monument - all are moving but I only wish the WWII monument had been built long ago before most of those guys had passed on so they could have seen the appreciation for the sacrifices and hardships they went thru so that we could live in this great nation – Free.

To the families of the ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice - our thoughts and prayers go out to you. We must never forget any that have fallen - from the Revolution War to our guys who are now in far off places,

THANK YOU