"US Memorial Day" Topic

As I have said in years passed … This weekend in the USA, 27 May 2019, we take the day to remember those that have died in war. Even though some have little to no idea why this is done. It's only a day off to BBQ, drink beer, etc.
The numbers should be updated but I still think the intent is clear …

And I extend my respect and reverence to all those other nations that fought along side the USA as Allies, etc.

May all our war dead Rest In Peace …

Too bad it doesn't show the Civil War, for whose casualties the day was originally instituted, and which had the highest total of all.

Legion 4: +1

A friend sent me an email with the following:

We have Armed Services Day for those who wear the uniform.

Veterans Day for those who wore the uniform.

And Memorial Day for those who never took off the uniform.

^ This – thousands of times!

I'd like to emphasize remembering our allies as well. I served alongside some excellent personnel of Her Majesty's Forces in Afghanistan.

My family has served in every armed conflict involving the United States since prior to our founding, so I have quite a few people I try to reflect on.

Spare a thought for all those who served and died in war.

We push our little models round on tables and it's fun. I'm lucky enough to have never experienced the reality. I'm reliably informed it often isn't quite so pleasant.

May all those who died in war rip.
May all their relatives know peace.

Check out what we do in California for Memorial Day. Scroll down to A Grateful Nation Remembers.
cccyc.net

Plan on being with the Knights of Columbus & Veteran groups for a parade and outdoor Mass at a local cemetary on Memorial Day.

ZULUPAUL,
We are doing a number of them in the SF Bay area in parades and with our Color Corps.

This is a group I help year round and do a 100-mile bike ride fundraiser each year: sentinelsoffreedom.org

Wolfhag

Plan to visit Fort Sam Houston Military Cemetery and pay my respects. My dad, a WWII Vet, always set aside this day in memory of all his buddies who now rest-in-peace in Europe.

I go to the local parade and then to the cemetery for the ceremony.

+1 Don; when I was growing up there were always wreath- layings at the local cemeteries; local VFW chapter had a party for salutes; the local BSA troop provided trumpeters for taps (I was one); an important day that most (I suspect) do not understand.

YouTube link

YouTube link

When my son was young on the day after Memorial Day we'd go to the market and get a bunch of flowers and head to the local cemetery. We'd look for military graves without a flag or flowers that no one remembered and put flowers on theirs.

Wolfhag

What Don Lowry said. What we know as Memorial Day
was Decoration Day when I was a child. It was a
w/e when families went to the cemetary in town wherein
were interred some of the Union dead from our town.

The gravesites were cleaned of winter's ravages and
flowers, small US flags and, in some cases, small
bronze markers were put in place detailing the
deceased's unit and dates of service.

While the numbers are probably inaccurate, almost
600,000 Union soldiers were counted as casualties
during the ACW, most of them casualties from disease.

The inaccuracy lies in the fact that some wounded and
POW's were counted as casualties (which they were, but
the 'casualty' classification in some states meant
'deceased' while in others it meant 'not available for
duty').

Of course, the huge number of ACW dead includes tens
of thousands of immigrant soldiers from many nations
who served in both the US and CS forces, along with
the 30,000 USCT dead (US Colored Troops).

I agree – I wish that drawing had not only the ACW but Spanish-American War. And possibly the various Indian Wars as like the ACW both sides were Americans.

The local MOAA/ROA goes out and places flags on Vet graves at some graveyards, etc. I may go to a ceremony at one of the oldest cemeteries in town on the 27th in the morning. As I am on the MOAA staff.

I went to my family plot yesterday at a nearby cemetery. To insure flags were posts on my Father and Uncles' graves. All WWII Vets …

link

A much deserved day but not nearly enough for their great sacrifice. Please also remember those severely injured whose lives were (will) never (be) the same.

Amen …

In The Netherlands we remember our dead (military and civilians) on May 4th, and the liberation of our country (May 5th, 1945) on May 5th. The military who fought and died during World War Two, the war for independence in Indonesia (although like Putin's war, it then was not called like that), the Korean War, the various wars serving in United Nations wars (Libanon, former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Mali, to name just a few) and the civilians who also died (the Jews, the Gypsies, the homosexuals, the resistance – both men and women – during both World War Two (in Europe and in the Far East) and the period after that. It is important to remember and keep telling our youth what happened and still happens al over the world.

Ditto re the above sentiments.

I wish to add my thanks to those good people of foreign nations who still tend the cemeteries of our fallen soldiers who did not make it home.

This seems like a fitting day to express my appreciation.

B

🫡

To all who gave their lives.

I will be taking part in a cannon fire salute on Monday during MD ceremonies again this year.

I'll be at the parade in DC on Monday.

Let's not forget the vets that survived combat but were not able to survive the painful memories and experiences they brought home with them.

Wolfhag

I wish to add my thanks to those good people of foreign nations who still tend the cemeteries of our fallen soldiers who did not make it home.

I agree totally we and our allies have cemeteries all over the world. Very glad they are all well maintained and policed.

During GWII and A'stan, I saw footage of some cemeteries in the Mid East being vandalized by supporters of islamic radicals, etc. Very disturbing and angered me. I hope those graves, etc. had been repaired, etc.

Let's not forget the vets that survived combat but were not able to survive the painful memories and experiences they brought home with them.

Yes, the VA etc. are trying to get to those Vets. Before it is sadly too late.

Legion, are the American dead buried in Iraq? I've always thought that since at least Vietnam, and possibly even Korea, they were repatriated if they could be found. There's a subtle statement in that on the way the wars we're fighting has changed over the past eighty years.

One of the most touching aspects of the battlefields of the world wars, at least in Western Europe, is the respect shown for the dead of all nations. The American cemeteries move me the most, for reasons that require no explanation, but I find in the republican plainness of the French cemeteries something that's familiar; the CWGC cemeteries capture in their particular style something undefinable but definitely English. I have passed CWGC cemeteries in all kinds of places, from Cape Helles to the Gheluvelt Plateau, but you always know what they are. And of course, the French always buried the Algerians facing Mecca.

Halfway down the trail to Hell,
In a shady meadow green
Are the Souls of all dead Troopers camped,
Near a good old-time canteen.
And this eternal resting place
Is known as Fiddlers' Green.

Marching past, straight through to Hell
The Infantry are seen.
Accompanied by the Engineers,
Artillery and Marines,
For none but the shades of Cavalrymen
Dismount at Fiddlers' Green.

Though some go curving down the trail
To seek a warmer scene.
No Trooper ever gets to Hell
Ere he's emptied his canteen.
And so rides back to drink again
With friends at Fiddlers' Green.

And so when man and horse go down
Beneath a saber keen,
Or in a roaring charge of fierce melee
You stop a bullet clean,
And the hostiles come to get your scalp,
Just empty your canteen,
And put your pistol to your head
And go to Fiddlers' Green.

Absent Comrades

Pete peve of mine Legion 4.

The 405,399 death count for WW2 omits about 2,000 deaths among the U.S. Coast Guard. It also omits more than 8,000 deaths of the U.S. Merchant Marine. Does it include the nearly 100 civilian contractors who were killed while aiding in the defense of Wake, or the nearly 100 other Wake civilian contractors who were executed by the Japanese later? How about those civilians who died in war related industrial accidents. I think I read somewhere that 600 Americans died working in shipyards in 1943 and 1944 alone, and a very large number of other shipyard workers were seriously injured.

This rant isn't about who we should be remembering on Memorial Day. It is about recognizing that by limiting the count to those serving in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and certain state forces we are, sometimes quite significantly, understating the human cost of U.S. participation in wars from the AWI forward.

Legion, are the American dead buried in Iraq?

No, IIRC the last time US troops were buried overseas was WWII. In actual cemeteries like e.g. behind Normandy, in France, Belgium, Holland, Italy, even North Africa IIRC, etc., etc. And these cemeteries are from both WWI & WWII.

The search for our MIAs continues by the US Gov't. Includes WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, IIRC there are even 2 MIAs from Iraq. Sometimes MIAs' remains are found and returned to their families.

E.g. About 15-20 years(?)ago in Canada. While excavating to build a house. A number of US Army dead/MIA remains from IIRC the War of 1812 were found/dug up. Who in combat when US forces crossed the border into Canada during that war, etc., etc.

The US sent our recovery teams, etc. The remains were each put in a coffin, draped with a US Flag, etc. With current US Army troops, color guard, etc. there as well. Returned to the USA. And IIRC were buried at Arlington ? I'd imagine their living next of kin were notified, etc.

Scoutjock +1 I also enjoy the Cav song Gary Owen. But yeah I'm just a Grunt …

Pete peve of mine Legion 4.

Well I didn't make the drawing. And as I said the numbers are inaccurate at this time. I do agree all those losses you mentioned should be accounted for in Memorial Day. IIRC the US Merchant Marine recently has been allowed to use the VA. Like the other branches. Which now includes the Space Force.

I don't know how one would go about getting all those losses added to Memorial Day, etc. I'd say email your congressman/woman. But I really don't know how effective that would be ? In the current US situation.

understating the human cost of U.S. participation in wars from the AWI forward.

Sadly only people like us who study history, etc. would see the usefulness of those figures. At least for the sake of historical accuracy, etc.

However, as I have said many times before, my experience is most Americans don't know their history. Or any other for that matter. And even sadder … nor do they care.

If you are on NOK notification duty and draw the guy from the War of 1812, that's got to be the best possible outcome. Probably nine times out of ten it would be polite incomprehension and, "who? Oh, wow, I didn't know I had any relatives in that one." I can't imagine how they'd even identify them to be able to do a DNA check. No dog tags in those days.

Interesting write up on that discovery
link

I can't imagine how they'd even identify them to be able to do a DNA check. No dog tags in those days.

Yes, I'm not sure even with taking DNA from those 1812 soldiers if they could find a match ? As their remaining NOK, if any would still be alive, probably would not have DNA with the US gov't, etc. ? Of course they may have found some decayed letters, or something that might ID the long dead soldiers ? But yes, some of the living NOK may not even know about their long dead relative who fought in the War of 1812?

But as I said the US continues to search for its MIAs. We even have get permission to go into North Korea. To the old battle sites. And even find some of our remains.

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Wow ! Great Article Marc ! Thanks ! Very enlightening !

As I said on the other thread:

Thank you Legion…and all vets everywhere.

A day for reflection, reading, remembrance. John Williams "Hymn to the Fallen". A trip to the cemetery, where I know so many names in my little town.

And a day for gratitude. RIP to all of them…

I head to a Memorial Ceremony to help fire the cannon. Of course after a few days of 70's and breezy, today would turn 90 and I am in wools. 🙂

👍👍

I attended the two hour Wash DC Memorial Day parade down Constitution Avenue. A Tuskegee airman was the Marshal and Gary Sinese was there. It was mostly high school marching bands from around the country.

When the Marine Corps League float got to use they started singing the Marine Corps hymn over their PA system and my son and I joined in for all three verses.

A guy pushing a baby stroller with three other young children stopped to thank me for my service and I thanked him for his service to which he replied, "I was not in the military." I explained to him that without people like him and his wife raising children with patriotic and Christian values there would be nothing worthwhile to defend and risk our life over and that he is a true Patriot too.

My son and I also met and shook hands with four Korean War ROK Marines too. It was a very enjoyable day.

Wolfhag

+1 Wolfhag.

B

Yep ! +1