Memorial Day. Please remember the surviving and fallen soldiers today.

[Lady Freedom]

Today I remember my Uncle Eddy. He was a Vietnam Vet. He dies 2 years ago due to suicide. He was exposed to Agent Orange and it slowly ate his body and mind. I love him dearly. Please remember those today that have gave everything and then some for us, along with those still with us and still serving!

[Lady Freedom]

1. From a thankful citizen

[Lady Freedom]

2. Kick for the guys and gals of the Armed Forces!

[Lady Freedom]

3. Keep going Guys and Gals! Make it home soon!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91OQwco7a58
Well, you know those times when you feel like
There's a sign there on your back.
Says: "I don't mind if you kick me;
"Seems like everybody has."
Things go from bad to worse:
You think they can't get worse than that an' then they do.

You step off the straight an' narrow,
An' you don't know where you are.
Use the needle of your compass,
To sew up your broken heart.
Ask directions from a genie,
In a bottle of Jim Beam an' she lies to you.

Well, that's when you learn the truth:
If you're goin' through hell,
Keep on goin'.
Don't slow down:
If you're scared don't show it.
You might get out,
'Fore the devil even knows you're there.

Well, I've been deep down in that darkness,
I been down to my last match.
Felt a hundred different demons,
Breathin' fire down my back.
An' I knew that if I stumbled,
I'd fall right into the trap that they were layin', yeah.

But the good news is there's angels,
Everywhere out on the street.
Holdin' out a hand,
To pull you back up on your feet:
The one's that you been draggin' so long,
You're on your knees; you might as well be prayin'.

Guess what I'm sayin':
If you're goin' through hell,
Keep on goin'.
Don't slow down:
If you're scared don't show it.
You might get out,
'Fore the devil even knows you're there.

Yeah, if you're goin' through hell,
Keep on movin'.
Face that fire:
Walk right through it.
You might get out,
'Fore the devil even knows you're there.
Oooh.

Instrumental break.

If you're goin' through hell,
Keep on goin'.
Don't slow down:
If you're scared don't show it.
You might get out,
'Fore the devil even knows you're there.

Yeah, if you're goin' through hell,
Keep on movin'.
Face that fire:
Walk right through it.
You might get out,
'Fore the devil even knows you're there.

Yeah, you might get out,
'Fore the devil even knows you're there.
Yeah.
Ooh, ooh ooh.
Oh.

[Haole Girl]

4. Absolutely

Did you see this article, yet, about how many vets with PTSD (from Iraq) have committed suicide?

It's so sad. I'm sorry to hear about your Uncle Eddy. :hug:


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/greg-mitchell/at-memorial-day-another-i_b_103454.html

:patriot:

[nuxvomica]

5. I'm remembering my Uncle Joe

I never met him but I was named after him. I didn't find out the story of how he died until a few years ago when my father was trying to secure copies of Uncle Joe's medals from the Army. This is the story but forgive the lack of detail:



PFC Joe Guglielmini was a gangly, fun-loving teen-ager who was always running down to the record store to listen to the latest 78s. He was one of three brothers, sons of Sicilian immigrants who had struggled to make a life for themselves in their adopted country. All three enlisted during World War II. My dad was an experienced railroad man so he was stationed stateside to manage the troop trains. My Uncle Mike, the eldest, could speak pretty good Italian so he was sent to the Italy. Joe ended up in the infantry in France.

During a firefight, he was grazed by a bullet, just a flesh wound, but his buddy was badly wounded and Joe managed to pick him up and carry him to safety. They were short of penicillin at the field hospital and my uncle's injury was minor compared to those of his buddy and others so he didn't receive any. The wound became infected and he died from sepsis.

My dad's family didn't know the real story until my grandmother traveled to a New York hospital to talk to the soldier whose life he had helped to save. (I don't know that soldier's name but maybe he had kids and grandkids and maybe one of them is another DUer who recognizes the story.)

So here's to all the gangly teenagers who loved America and went off to war. We couldn't give them everything they needed then, we damn well better do it now. There are two words that have completely different definitions in the English language but represent the same singular virtue in the human heart. They are "gratitude" and "generosity". Let's be generous to our veterans. Let's be overly so, if that's even possible.

:patriot:

[Connonym]

6. I've got a stupid question

Is Memorial Day meant to memorialize just veterans or is it meant to memorialize all dead people? I thought Veterans' Day was to memorialize vets and Memorial Day was to memorialize all the dead. Actually I should go to Wiki and figure this out myownself but looks like I may have totally missed the meaning. But I'm still going to stop at my dad's crypt today. I wish I could take him some of the lilacs that are blooming (even though he would say that lilacs always reminded him of the outhouse I know he loved them). He's in a crypt and they won't let us leave flowers :( He died on Memorial Day weekend 4 years ago.

ETA: Yup I'm totally wrong, Memorial Day is for veterans who died in war, Veteran's day is for all veterans living or dead. He was in the Air Force but didn't die in combat. But since it's nearly the anniversary of his death I guess it doesn't matter at all, does it? Wasn't he handsome?

[sarge43]

7. This is a good day to take some time to remember

everyone who stood between us and the evil in this world, no matter if it was war, tyranny, ignorance, bigotry, cruelty, whatever shape it takes - the soldier, the teacher, the civil right workers, the parent and so many more. We owe them more than we can ever repay.

A :patriot: to your dad from another old zoomie. CAVU airman.

[auntAgonist]

8. It doesn't matter at all .. you're right.

Yes your Dad's very handsome indeed. I'm so sorry for your loss. He looks very young in that photograph.

:hug:

aA
kesha