Memorial Day
A Few thoughts:

An open message to all -

Memorial Day will be "celebrated" this coming Monday. But we know it as a day of "Remembrance", a day to take time and remember those who are not with us this day. And say "thank you" for what they gave us with their dying - freedom and a chance share time with friends and family.

A few lines taken from a short article in the May 7th 1945 edition of The Daily Telegram, Eau Claire, Wisconsin sum up what Memorial Day should be. The article was entitled:

"If The Dead Could Speak".

The opening line is:

"I wish I could join you in this celebration"

a few lines later:

"But I cannot because I'm not with you. Oh, don't stop what you are doing, I never was a killjoy, and believe me, I’d join you if I could."

a few lines later:

"We didn't mean to let you down, dying the way we did. We sort of hoped to be in on the finish - to laugh and pray and maybe cry a little on the big "V" day, the real one. Well, you'll have to take our places, you the living."

May 7th 1945 was VE (Victory Europe) day, the day Germany surrendered and ended the European portion of World War II. There was great celebration through out the United States that May 7th but the Pacific war would continue another three months before the big "V" day would occur.

At 3PM on Memorial Day, "Taps" will be played. Hopefully, all radio and TV stations will carry this one-minute of tribute to those we left behind.

 

May We Never Forget

A Gentle Reminder          Cortege

 

For My Brothers and Sisters of the Vietnam War

for the people you were before you left,
and for the people you were when you returned;

for those who fought for a cause,
and those unsure why they were there;

for those with a definite mission,
and those just trying to stay sane;

for those who killed and those who didn’t,
those in combat and those in support;

for the medics and nurses who treated the wounded,
and treated the living and dying as well;

for those who grew up, and grew old,
and those who saw their dreams die;

for those who came home, alone, unwelcomed,
I welcome you and ask if I can join you on the rest of the journey.

C. Roberts ( mse8994@aol.com )
Memorial Day 2000

FROM THE OTHER SIDE

    At first there was no place for us to go until someone put up that Black Granite Wall. Now, every day and night, my Brothers and my Sisters wait to see the many people from places afar file in front of this Wall. Many stopping briefly and many for hours and some that come on a regular basis. It was hard at first, not that it's gotten any easier, but it seems that many of the attitudes towards that war that we were involved in have changed. I can only pray that the ones on the other side have learned something. And more Walls like this one needn't be built.

    Several members of my unit and many that I did not recognize have called me to the Wall by touching my name that is engraved upon it. The tears aren't necessary but are hard even for me to hold back. Don't feel guilty for not being with me, my Brothers. This was my destiny as it is yours, to be on that side of the Wall. Touch the Wall, my Brothers, so that we can share in the memories that we had. I have learned to put the bad memories aside and remember only the pleasant times that we had together. Tell our other Brothers out there to come and visit me, not to say Good Bye but to say Hello and be together again, even for a short time and to ease that pain of loss that we all share.

    Today, an irresistible and loving call comes from the Wall. As I approach I can see an elderly lady and as I get closer I recognize her.......It's Momma! As much as I have looked forward to this day, I have also regretted it because I didn't know what reaction I would have.

    Next to her, I suddenly see my wife and immediately think how hard it must of been for her to come to this place and my mind floods with the pleasant memories of 30 years past. There's a young man in a military uniform standing with his arm around her......My God!......It has to be my son!

    Look at him trying to be the man without a tear in his eye. I yearn to tell him how proud I am, seeing him standing tall, straight and proud in his uniform.

    Momma comes closer and touches the Wall and I feel the soft and gentle touch I had not felt in so many years. Dad has crossed to this side of the Wall and through our touch, I try to convey to her that Dad is doing fine and is no longer suffering or feeling pain. I see my wife's courage building as she sees Momma touch the Wall and she approaches and lays her hand on my waiting hand. All the emotions, feelings and memories of three decades past flash between our touch and I tell her that it's all right. Carry on with your life and don't worry about me.....I can see as I look into her eyes that she hears and understands me and a big burden has been lifted from her.

    I watch as they lay flowers and other memories of my past. My lucky charm that was taken from me and sent to her by my CO, a tattered and worn teddy bear that I can barely remember having as I grew up as a child and several medals that I had earned and were presented to my wife. One of them is the Combat Infantry Badge that I am very proud of and I notice that my son is also wearing this medal. I had earned mine in the jungles of Vietnam and he had probably earned his in the deserts of Iraq.

    I can tell that they are preparing to leave and I try to take a mental picture of them together, because I don't know when I will see them again. I wouldn't blame them if they were not to return and can only thank them that I was not forgotten. My wife and Momma near the Wall for one final touch and so many years of indecision, fear and sorrow are let go. As they turn to leave I feel my tears that had not flowed for so many years, form as if dew drops on the other side of the Wall.

    They slowly move away with only a glance over their shoulder. My son suddenly stops and slowly returns. He stand straight and proud in front of me and snaps a salute. Something makes him move to the Wall and he puts his hand upon the Wall and touches my tears that had formed on the face of the Wall and I can tell that he senses my presence there and the pride and the love that I have for him. He falls to his knees and the tears flow from his eyes and I try my best to reassure him that it's alright and the tears do not make him any less of a man. As he moves back wiping the tears from his eyes, he silently mouths, God Bless you, Dad...... God Bless, YOU, Son......We WILL meet someday but in the meanwhile, go on your way......There is no hurry.......There is no hurry at all.

    As I see them walk off in the distance, I yell out to THEM and EVERYONE there today, as loud as I can,......... THANKS FOR REMEMBERING and as others on this side of the Wall join in, I notice that the US Flag that so proudly flies in front of us everyday, is flapping and standing proudly straight out in the wind today.............

THANK YOU ALL FOR REMEMBERING

Author Unknown