Memorial Day-Post Your Service

Pa28-140

Pa28-140

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Dec 6, 2009
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Gordon Shumway
We all know that it is Memorial Day and the meaning of it. Please take a moment to post your info and thanks for serving.

U.S. Army 1968-71, 123d Avn Bn, Chu Lai Vietnam 1969
 
B. co. 3/325 A.I.R., 82 Abn. 2002-2005, OIF 2003-2004 samawa, rumaitha, karbala, habiniya, baghdad.

Happy Memorial Day to all!
 
While I am new here, I would like to express my gratitude to those that gave all. I served in in the Navy from 1982-1986 as a Hospital Corpsman. I served on the USS Forrestal, CV-59.
 
USN 1961-1981, Navy contractor 1981-1995, Civil Service 1995-2007.
 
USN 1976-1985 VAW-112, RVAW-110, VAW-88; USS Nimitz, Constellation, Ranger.


Remember the red poppies we wore in our lapels? Is that still done in your area?

http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

In Flanders Field
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

Moina Michael (in response to In Flander's Field) added her own poem:

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.

I think a lot of folks have mentally merged Memorial Day and Veteran's Day in their minds. While not necessarily a bad thing, I try to focus on those brothers and sisters in arms who have given their all for our country.

Fair winds and following seas, shipmates. Well done - your mission is complete. Rest in peace. We will stand firm to ensure your sacrifice will never be in vain.
 
USN 1968 - 1972. Served aboard the USS Betelgeuse, the last cargo ship in the Navy. Configured to resupply the submarine tenders stationed in Rota and Holy Loch. Ended up on the decommissioning crew for the "Goose" - she was sent off for scrap.

And a good Memorial Deay to all. I am grateful for all who served, especially those who were in harm's way. I was not.

-Skip
 
1980-1984: US Air Force enlisted (SAC, B-52H&G, ALCM)
1984-1990: US Air National Guard NCO (Cmd post Controller, 193rd Spec Ops)
1990-2001: US Army National Guard Officer (Armor, Cavalry, Infantry, OCS TAC)
2001-2011: US Navy and US Army direct support contractor
 
ROTC, 1970-1974 (motorcycle injuries blew my commissioning physical, otherwise active duty Army Signal Corps would have followed)
US Navy (civilian employee) - 1975 - 1979.

Thank you to all who served active duty for our country.
 
On this special day, I defer to those that gave all in service to their country.

Best,

Dave
 
USN 1976-83 Training Device Specialist. 6+ years and never set foot on a boat with the motor running. Newport RI and San Diego.
 
United States Coast Guard, 7-25-46/8-1-66. Served on Okinawa long before the war. Never fired a shot in anger or was shot at, and I honor those who went in harm's way.

Bob Gardner
 
RIP SSG Thomas Hankins, Medic Advisor in the MAT I commanded in Gia Dinh, RVN. Left a wife and two sons. A good soldier and great man.
Enlisted in 62 and retired in 93 as an LTC after a very non-standard career with duty in Japan, Korea, Hawaii, RVN and Germany as well as duty or schools in KS, MO, GA and NJ. Come to think of it, that was all foreign duty. :)
 
USN: 1974 - 1981 PPC VP16 - 2x Sigonella, 1x Keflavic; Basic, BI, RI, Acro Instructor VT2
 
Posting for my father... US Army, PFC, Co B 7780, October 1951-September 1953.
 
Dave Siciliano said:
On this special day, I defer to those that gave all in service to their country.

Best,

Dave
Click to expand...
I agree. Veteran's Day is for those who came home "with their shields"; today is for those who came home "on their shields".
And especially for those who were never found or heard from.

But I think about all of those who have served, more than once or twice a year. In a way, y'all deserve credit for every day.

Thank you!
 
:(

Since the beginning, ths was/is "decoration day" and NOT the kind you wear on your chest. It's the day that the headstones at Arlington are decorated with flowers.

It has now become a day for Home Depot. What has happened to us.
 
bbchien said:
:(

Since the beginning, ths was/is "decoration day" and NOT the kind you wear on your chest. It's the day that the headstones at Arlington are decorated with flowers.

It has now become a day for Home Depot. What has happened to us.
Click to expand...

Political correctness among other things. Von Clausewitz refers to war as the "continuation of political intercourse, carried on with other means." During Korea and Vietnam the media and "anti-war" folks blamed the military for "atrocities" and reflected little blame on the political leaders that directed the activities. We continue to "nation-build" with 19 year-olds. The WWII crowd had clear objectives that could be carried out with whatever it took. Napalm in Tokyo or Dresden? OK. Line people up against a wall and shoot them? OK. Flame throwers into the tunnels? OK. Now we talk about the Geneva Convention for non-uniformed terrorists (Read the damn thing it doesn't apply!).

I flew rescue helicopters mostly in Laos and NVN. We had more authority than most, but we had three circles we had to mark on our maps in Laos because there were important dignitaries there and we COULD NOT return fire. Say what? In previous wars they would have been primary targets.

Ernie
 
Rusty MacSwords MAJ U.S. Army ABN RGR Scout Pilot 1973 -1985 A Troop 2/17 CAV,101st and E Troop Cav AK, Company A Det 1 CA National Guard Stockton
 
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USAF 1993-2001 (4act 4resv) Munitions storage and handling for B52's at Griffiss AFB and Minot AFB. Did nothing of note, no gory war stories, or anything like that.
 
This day is in memory of all the men and women who gave all. My service isn't worth noting compared to those past and present who gave the ultimate sacrifice. I have served with plenty who are no longer with us.

Thank you to all those who have given that sacrifice and allowed me the privilege to serve as a member of the greatest Military in the world.
 
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