Memorial Day Veterans Appreciation Thread
Happy Memorial Day to everyone but especially the veterans on this blog who put themselves in harms way so we could have the freedom to argue about Al Borges, the impact of decommitting recruits and other critically important aspects of Michigan football and what not.
My late father served as an airplane mechanic in the Army Air Corp in WWII, was stationed in Northern Italy and served under General Patton for a short time where his unit provided air cover in the famous battle of Kasserine Pass. He had amazing stories that he'd share (usually after a gin and tonic) I can only imagine what that experience must've been like.
Thank you again veterans. Your sacrifice does not go unnoticed or unappreciated!
Who kept the faith and fought the fight; the glory theirs, the duty ours.
-Wallace Bruce
Have a great and safe Memorial Day.
You are right, today is supposed to be about those that didn't come home. Enjoy your BBQ's or your trip to the zoo, or anything thing else you have this weekend. We get to do these things because of the sacrifice of others.
Semper Fi my brothers in arms.
On Memorial Day, I always think about my Great Uncle John who died in the assault on Tinian in the Pacific in WWII. He was a radioman on the battleship Colorado that was supporting the amphibious assault by moving in close to shore for bombardment. Unfortunately, a Japanese shore battery scored a direct hit on the radio room and that was all for him. On our next visit to Honolulu, my wife and I plan to leave some flowers at his grave in the Punch Bowl (National Cemetary of the Pacific). So, I'm extremely grateful to him and all the other brave servicemen who gave their lives for the rest of us.
I can't say I agree or disagree with what you said because I'm not an American and therefore this isn't my holiday, but personally I would be remembering/ celebrating/ being grateful for all veterans, not just those who died.
I fully agree that they paid the ultimate sacrifice and special thought should be given to them and their loved ones left behind, but that shouldn't take away from those who also put their lives on the line and were willing to pay that same price but were fortunate enough not to have to.
Perhaps it's just in your nature to be modest (Many vets that I know personally fall into that boat and almost feel embarrassed when they're given any accolades) but for me at least, I'm every bit as grateful to you and those who managered to come home as I am for those who sacrificed their lives. I feel that I owe every veteran a debt that I can only repay with gratitude that goes out to each and everyone of them.
As civilians I believe it's our job to foster that same gratitude in the generations coming behind and making sure they know how important veterans are and what they have done for each of us. It isn't much, but that is how I attempt to repay the bravery and sacrifice of all these amazing men and women.
God bless you all for putting your lives on the line for me (and all the rest of us)! Enjoy your day!
Thanks for the clarification. Everyday should be veterans day in my book. Even then we wouldn't come close to paying them their due for what they've done for us.
With you completely. It's no insult to the living vets to set aside a day for the ones who gave all, and who aren't here to receive the gratitude that's usually offered to the living.
A huge thank you to MgoShoe and all the other veterans on MgoBlog.
Everyone have an excellent and safe Memorial Day and a special thank you to those among us who are currently serving or have served this country either here or abroad. Your service is very much appreciated. Hopefully, those who gave their all in the service of this nation are never forgotten.
and a special thank you to the vets.
I'm both here much earlier than normal and accomplishing nothing despite putting in work. Very much ready to get out of here and pass out on the couch with the TV on.
until August of 1945 or some three months after the end of the war in Europe. M.A.S.H the show took place during the Korean war, not World War II.
Much thanks to your grandfather for his service.
Thank you to all who serve.
An interesting piece from the Chicago Tribune:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-05-25/news/ct-kass-met-0525-201…
"In Flanders Fields"
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.
There are 1,243,811 reasons for today. Pause and remember those who sacrificed all for our nation
Revolutionary, War of 1812, Seminole, Barbary, and Mexican Wars.. It is particularly galling that they left out the Revolutonary generation as without their sacrifice this nation does not exist.
Why leave out the most important war in our history? Simply bizarre.
I don't see how they should be included seeing that they fought to destroy the country.
It just occurred to me that that link is starting from the point when Memorial Day came into being--right after the Civil War. I still reject that, but now I know where they are starting from.
We do have numbers from those wars.They aren't huge numbers like later wars, but total they number in the tens of thousands. Those men deserve to be counted as much as any.
I hope you actually see this. Memorial Day started after the American Civil War in a way of uniting the country again.. The date was chosen because there was no great battles by either side. I assume that it started at the Civil War and just went forwards from there.
Honestly though as long as people realize that Memorial Day is those who gave up their lives and Veterans Day is for all those that have served I am happy enough
out the people who died in the wars before Memorial Day came into being.Without the Revolutionary generation none of what we are writing about is possible. They were the
"greatest generation" and always will be.
But they also have Independance day.
I watched it with some German friends while I was stationed in Mannheim. They felt the need to apologize after the movie. Powerful.
My grandfather, a WWII vet, got up and left the theater during that scene. It brought back a lot of very difficult memories for him. He would later say that the movie got it "pretty much correct."
like many of you who have parents of that era, my father served in WW II - P-51 pilot. may he rest in peace with all the vets.
I was 11 when the movie Patton was released and I still remember my father taking me to see it. Early in the movie when the battle of Kasserine Pass is shown my dad just kept saying "they got this exactly right....they got it exactly right". He said that while glamorized to some degree - serving under Patton was very much like shown in the movie and to his dying day he would rank that time as some of the proudest in his life.
As many have stated - today is the day to remember those who did not come home but I still want to take a moment and thank everyone who served. When they left home they didnt know if they'd be one of the fallen or not and they went anyways and for that I give you a sincere, heartfelt and enormous bow of gratitiude.
well i was 9, and went with my oldest brother and his then-girlfriend. we went to the old harper theatre in e. detroit near our house.
when we saw that in the theatre. The Kasserine Pass scene is one of the most poignant war scenes in any movie I've ever seen. Very stark, somber, and somewhat shocking - especially for those of us that had never experienced war first-hand.
to the first Veteran in the family, although he did not fall in battle - Pvt. T. Ansley, 1737-1809, a cousin I never met - SA T. Simmons, USN, 1923 - Dec. 7, 1941, and the remainder of those men and women who have given their lives in service to The Country.
At Ferry Field, in the southeast corner of the track, there are three bronze plaques listing the names of the 22 U-M lettermen who have given their lives in service of our country.
MGoBlue.com has a feature story about one of those lettermen, U-M two-time All-America wrestler and team captain Bill Combs who was killed during the invasion of Iwo Jima on Feb. 19, 1945.
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-wrestl/spec-rel/052614aaa.html
Im currently serving in afghanistan and my division has lost 8 people this calendar year alone. So i would like to thank everyone on this blog and around the world for their kind words.
keep your head down, keep your powder dry.
I am honored to say thanks for all those's that payed the ultimate sacrifice and to their surviving loved ones..A special thanks to my fellow Vietnam Vet's that were treated with disdain coming home and the familes that suffered the hurt...if you ever meet one or know a Nam Vet shake their hand and give them the welcome they deserve
The stars and stripes are flying high.
Thank you, thank you, thank you