Memorial Day.

[SamSpade1941]

I felt I needed to say a word about Memorial Day and keeping remembrance for its true meaning. It seems that over time most Americans think Memorial Day is the day when they get a paid Monday off from work, so they can BBQ, go swimming and engage in other means of merriment. The true intent behind Memorial Day is to remember those who have fallen in the service of our nation and helped to keep us free. The holiday traces its roots back to the end of the Civil War. On 5 May 1868 General John Logan, National Commander of the Grand Army Of The Republic made a proclamation in his general order #11 proclaiming the first celebration of the holiday on 30 may , 1868 when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate graves at Arlington National cemetery.

Originally the holiday was known as Decoration Day, and the red poppy that came to be a solitary symbol of recognition with Memorial Day was the contribution of Moina Michael when she was inspired to write a poem in tribute to Memorial Day after hearing Flanders Fields in 1915. The holiday was declared a national holiday by Congress in 1971 and it became observed in all 50 states. This weekend I urge you to keep the spirit and intent of Memorial Day by going and placing flags on the resting places of those veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, and observe a moment of remembrance before enjoying the BBQ, the fried chicken and the festivities at the lake.

 

[STM]

This day has a lot of meaning for me. I come from a family where most men on both sides of my family served in one branch or the other. With only two exceptions, all have now passed on. Some were, however, lost in WWII. As a combat veteran myself, I have lost fellow soldiers both in war and peacetime operations. Their memory will forever be a part of mine.

 

[ohkphoto]

Thank you for the well-written post, SamSpade, and the reminder.

 

[STM]

This is one of my favorite photos of President Reagan, taken in the cemetery in Normandy, France.

 

[Whiskeyman]

This is one of my favorite photos of President Reagan, taken in the cemetery in Normandy, France.

​Yes.

 

[STM]

​Yes.

I miss our dear "Ronnie" more with each passing day. Where is our "president" today on Memorial Day weekend? Probably on the golf course. He for damn sure is not in Normandy, France as Presidents Reagan and the Bush's were. I have 3 relatives buried there on that hallowed ground, wonderful men I never had the privlege to meet.

 

[Whiskeyman]

Yes, even more.

 

[mikew_RIP]

Not from the same side of the water and we have a different remembrance day,but if it wasn't for American service men and women i wouldn't be free to observe it.

mike

 

[Marilynne]

Thanks to all of our service men and women past and present.

Passed this yard this morning.

 

[Whiskeyman]

Not from the same side of the water and we have a different remembrance day,but if it wasn't for American service men and women i wouldn't be free to observe it.

mike

Mike,

I've worked alongside your boys a few times as well, and I'm proud to have done so. First rate, they are. Each one of them is welcome to sit at my table.

WM

 

[Eye-level]

I miss our dear "Ronnie" more with each passing day. Where is our "president" today on Memorial Day weekend? Probably on the golf course. He for damn sure is not in Normandy, France as Presidents Reagan and the Bush's were. I have 3 relatives buried there on that hallowed ground, wonderful men I never had the privlege to meet.

He is in Oklahoma, visiting Moore where the tornado wiped out a lot things, including probably a few veterans.

 

[Rick M]

Let's stick to the spirit of Memorial day

 

[riverside]

Let's stick to the spirit of Memorial day

In the off topic forum would that not be subjective?

 

[ohkphoto]

In the off topic forum would that not be subjective?

I'm assuming you're being funny. "Off Topic" means that it's not necessarily photography related, not that someone is supposed to derail the topic of the thread to be "off topic"
The topic of this particular thread was a simple reminder that Memorial Day is a day to remember service men and women . . . it was not intended to open the door to political rants and/or bashings.

 

[mauckcg]

To bring this back on track. Saw this from the local grocery store parking lot yesterday morning when I went out to run some errands. I only live 5 minutes away so i went home and grabbed the camera. Pretty fitting since this is Memorial Day weekend.

 

[Alan]

I cannot add to what has been said but I will post these two photos. The first is my father taken somewhere in Wales in 1944 prior to D-Day. The second is the 28th Division marching through Paris. My father is somewhere about 5 rows back. They were in combat east of Paris by the end of the day.

 

[Eduard]

Ever since I visited the Normandy D-Day sites 7 years ago, on Memorial Day, Veterans Day and June 6th I always think of the veteran I met that day at Ste Mère Eglise. He casually walked up to the tour guide and asked him if he knew where an Army hospital had been. He was trying to find out where he was taken after parachuting in that day and being wounded. I didn't get his name but I did get his picture because the guide asked to shake his hand. I hope he found it.

 

[SamSpade1941]

Happy Memorial Day to everyone.

Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his brother.

​

 

[Whiskeyman]

I cannot add to what has been said but I will post these two photos. The first is my father taken somewhere in Wales in 1944 prior to D-Day. The second is the 28th Division marching through Paris. My father is somewhere about 5 rows back. They were in combat east of Paris by the end of the day.

Alan, That adds a lot. The photos are great, too.

 

[mikew_RIP]

I have been lucky born in 1949 and with the end of conscription in the uk in 1960 i have never experienced any war situation,its all too easy to forget these people where just normal folk going about the daily business one day and then a few weeks later rifle in hand facing some one who wants to kill them,its a debt we can never repay.

mike