Please Remember the Real Meaning of Memorial Day
Today We Honor the Fallen
There will be no episode of TSP today in recognition of Memorial Day. I do want to take a moment to remind everyone today of what Memorial Day is all about. Many well meaning people even get it wrong in a way. My inbox is full of “thanks for your service” emails today. I appreciate it, there is nothing wrong with thanking a vet today, yet it is not really the day to thank vets many seem to believe it to be.
It seems to me that many think Memorial Day is like Veterans Day Part Two, it isn’t. Again no day is a bad day to thank a vet but if we become convinced that Memorial Day is about those of us that served and came back home, we miss the point. Memorial Day is more somber, it is about those who fell in battle and never again got up, it is about those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, it bluntly is about those who died.
Today at some point just pause and think about that. Think about the 4,400 of our US service members that have fallen in Iraq, the 2,000 in Afghanistan, the 47,000 in Vietnam, 33,000 in Korea, 291,000 in WWII, 53,000 in WWI or perhaps the 212,000 that fell on both sides in the War Between the States.
You don’t have to be for any war past or present to respect men and women who will give their lives for what they believe and fight the wars that politicians initiate. There are days for just about everything now. Days for bosses, secretaries, days for this and that and anything Hallmark can come up with.
What you won’t find in most greeting card stores is a Memorial Day Card, because those who would receive the card can’t open it, read it and feel good that someone cares. All they can hope for is that someone remember their sacrifice, perhaps a flower or a wreath on their graves (if they even have one) or a comrade who is now living with a zeal for life in their memory.
Today my friends is to remember those who served and died. Enjoy the day off if you have it, just try to remember the cost of this day. Some say you can’t count the cost, sadly you can and the numbers are very large. If you want to put it in perspective, just view the US Military Casualties of War Page on Wikipedia.
All gave some………and some gave all. We remember those who gave all they had to give. We can honor our fallen veterans by living our lives in the fullest measure of the freedom they died to protect.
Thanks for the clarity, Jack.
My remembrance is a bit different. Last week I was visiting with my brother, who told me a bit about my father that I never knew. I did know my father served in France in WWI. I knew he had been badly wounded, had a pension to the day he died. He also had wounds that never healed-when I was growing up, my mother, a nurse, cleansed and dressed those wounds twice daily. Sometime after I left home in the mid-1950s, that changed to once a day. What I did not know was that my dad laid wounded, and passed over by the medics because his wounds were too serious, he was going to die any way. Twenty four hours later the medics were backtracking, when another soldier told them they were going to pick pick up my father. They said no. He pointed his rifle and said either my later to be dad went with them or they were not going back either. My father lived a very productive life, not dying until he was 80 years old. Thanks to someone I never knew about who cared about another soldier.
My Uncle returned from Vietnam under similar circumstances. He was discovered in a row of US KIA by a LARGE buddy who noticed him barely breathing. He scooped him up and ran to the helicopters. The medic at the door of the EVAC chopper waved off my Uncles buddy saying they were full up. Said gentleman pulled that guy out the door, put my Uncle on and banged on the side of the Huey which took off. The guy pointed at the next helo about to take off and told the medic he could ride that one. Thanks to someone we never knew who cared about another soldier.
Thank you, for the reminder.
Evelyn
In the hearts and minds of all you served with and those you left behind. Thanks Adam, Tommy and Stephen. Iraq ’07 ’08 and Afg ’13
As always Jack, thoughtful and well said.
Let us never forget all the fallen soldiers. So many made the ultimate sacrific.