Memorial Day

Memorial Day definition for those that may have confused it with other focuses of efforts.

Memorial Day is a United States Federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (in 2008 on May 26). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who perished while in military service to their country. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was expanded after World War I to include casualties of any war or military action .

This Memorial Day as 3 others that I have spent on a deployment I ponder of the warriors who came before us, the ones we try to emulate. It’s an unwritten rule, that we try to fulfill the expectations of those that have gone before us and have changed the world. WW I, WW II, all the wars and battles before and after, one constant theme has been in every one, American men and women have volunteered to stand for the country and keep the wolf at bay. Some returning home, many paying the ultimate sacrifice.

I personally take Memorial Day like this, take the patriotism from the 4th of July, the intensity that comes from the bottom of your gut when you see a scumbag burning an American flag and the feeling of an open can of whoop-ass like you felt following Sept 11th  all wrapped up with the upmost respect you can give to someone who has given all for their country.

I would like to parallel Jack Nicholsen aka Col Jessep.

(Maj Pain) You want answers? (Hippie pot head piece of crap): I think I'm entitled. (Maj Pain) You want answers? (Hippie pot head): I want the truth! (Maj Pain): You can't handle the truth!
(Maj Pain): Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Whose gonna do it? You mister I’ve never worked a hard day in my life”? You, Hippie pot head? I have more respect for those who have gone before me more than you could possibly fathom. You weep because someone is making you go to work and get up before 0700, you complain in public “peace marches” against the things you think you have a right to say and do and you curse those who have gone before you who have the balls to go kill America’s enemy which  may have paid the ultimate sacrifice for. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what they had to give up so you can run your trap and be free and have free speech.  I know, their death, while tragic, saved lives. And that our existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. I know deep down in places you don’t talk about while sitting in your parents house because your broke ass doesn’t have a home, you don't want us on that wall, you need us on that wall. We use words like honor, courage and commitment. We use these words as the backbone of 233 years spent defending something. You use them as a punch line and a reason to blame those who you don’t even understand while you play X-box, for the love of God, your 25 yrs old! I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom we provide, then protests we when do it. I prefer you said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand to post. The barrel goes towards the enemy bright one. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to!

Make a difference this weekend, make it a point to find a service member, a son, daughter or spouse of a fallen servicemember and simply say “Thank You” In between the KFC, car washing and those beers your going to have, I think you can do at least that. Those who have fallen would. If they were here!

Have a safe and special weekend, and remember those who perished while in military service to their country, we will be thinking of you here in Iraq. Is your flag up?

SEMPER FIDELIS

Comments

[Kathy]

God Bless you and all of our troops.
We once received an email from a marine thanking us for sending a package through Any Soldier. At the bottom was the George Orwell quote "People sleep peacefully at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." Let us all never forget.

[bj]

Flag flying high Major!
Great post and thank you all for being there for us!

[Trish]

I was happy to support you when you were deployed and I'm so happy to say thank you once again for your dedication to our country. Thanks for all you've done and continue to do!

[Jeff Setaro]

Thank You and may God Bless You and keep you safe.

[Syd]

Great post, as always, Major P! Allow me to say a big thank you to you and all your guys and gals again for EVERYTHING y'all are doing over there! I truly appreciate you all. You're in my thoughts and prayers every day. I'm proud of you Marines! HOORAH!! :-)

God Bless,

Syd

[PJ]

Thank you for your service, sir. My husband is a disabled vet and we shall be flying the flag high and both will be wearing poppies in remembrance of those who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe and free.

[Cat]

Oorah, Maj Pain, you said it.
Semper Commemini,
Always Remember, to all who have served our country for our lives. God Blessed us then as he does now, in more ways than we can understand. He blessed us with soldiers willing to die for our country, and sometimes a country that doesn't show the support those soldiers need. Thank you to all in uniform.
Cat

[Cat]

Oorah, Maj Pain, you said it.
Semper Commemini,
Always Remember, to all who have served our country for our lives. God Blessed us then as he does now, in more ways than we can understand. He blessed us with soldiers willing to die for our country, and sometimes a country that doesn't show the support those soldiers need. Thank you to all in uniform.
Cat

[Terry]

Just stopping by to say "Thanks" for all you have given to protect our great nation!!

[GunnNutt]

I love your hippie smack-downs, Maj P. Reminds me of your confrontation with Code Pinkos at Walter Reed when, from across 6 lanes of traffic, I clearly heard you bellow in their faces "YOU SUCK!"

May God bless all who are on The Wall.

[Kelli]

Y'all are the greatest, G! Thank you, and pass along a huge "thanks" from the bottom of my heart, to all your guys. I appreciate y'all so much!

[Marine@Heart]

you write so beautifully and wish such passion and love for our service men and women. i hear the brotherhood my dad used to tell me about when i was little...the brotherhood that no one can understand until they feel it.

much love to you and all our Marines and ALL our military men and women and their families who give up so much every day, and especially those who give everything.

there are 20- and 30-somethings who appreciate you and them with all their hearts.

all my love and admiration...
Marine@Heart
daughter of Cpl M. T. O'Malley 1964-67

[Leta]

Flag flying here Maj P. Does EVERY day. And when it gets worn it is retired respectfully and correctly before the new one is raised.

Thank you for taking the time to write this post. I know you all are busy over there doing great things - finishing great things that many of your Marines won't see from down here because they gave their lives doing what so few will step up to do for our nation today yet what so many have done over history. May all those who have given their lives rest in peace and look down on those of you who continue to protect us and keep you all safe.

[CT "Ace" Troop Supporter]

Many small New England towns People gathered at their Town Greens to Honor our Fallen Military , stories were told by WWII Veterans, the GettysBerg Address stated flawlessly by memory with much emotion, a child's class paper on what Memorial Day meant to her was very Heartfelt,Drum & Fife Corps in Civial War Uniform played, Ending with a Prayer and Gun Salute that brought many tears to All.
That's what Memorial Day is All about "Remembering" All our Military who gave their Lives so we can Live our Lives in Peace with our Families.
Our Military Past and Present Makes Us Very Proud.

[Kat in GA]

(((hugs))) and prayers from us here in Georgia. Thank you to you and all servicemembers, past or present, for all you do and have done. Y'all ROCK!

[David M]

The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 05/27/2008 News and Personal dispatches from the front lines.

http://thunderrun.blogspot.com/2008/05/from-front-05272008.html

[Barbara from Ca]

As always, thinking of and thanking you for all that you do !!

[carolyn]

thank you for doing your job. we hope you'll all be home soon.

[David Lord]

Semper Fi, Major P. And to all of the Leathernecks out there, Bravo Zulu! Well done!

Thank you for loving your country enough to be willing to pay the price of freedom. Hope none of you ever will, but you are the courageous ones who are willing to do what those who talk the talk and then refuses to walk the walk never will.

Just to remove all doubt for whom I speak, they are the ones who say they support the troops, and then attempt to pull all funding for the operations that those troops are involved in. They are also the misguided miscreants who preach "bring them home now", willing to leave the mission unfinished and leaving the country we love more vulnerable to attack again by leaving that region unstable and threatened by Islamic facists.

Back to those serving, you have all my support and all of my prayers. Its the least that this old Marine can do for those who took up the banner and are serving honorably!

[Kristina]

I googled, "What to say to a Marine on Memorial Day" and your post came up. Thank you. You helped me tremendously. My brother just came back from Iraq and I was having trouble figuring out how to say something simple. I sure didn't want to let his service to our country and all he sacrificed go without saying something. Tender times; learning how to support and not smother!

[RasmussenColleen24]

It is well known that money makes us autonomous. But how to act if one does not have money? The one way only is to try to get the loans or just short term loan.