Memorial Day
First_Warrior
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I have a dfferent out look on Memorial Day than most. We all are a sum of our parts.
Here a photo I took in Sep 1966 on a little hilltop in Vietnam. I always look at it on Memorial Day to remember. All of these Marines were KIA. Two were killed within days of the photo when we were overrun. I rolled the the other two into their bloody ponchos seven months later. All from my squad. They died fighting.
The poem is something I wrote a few years ago. I believe it's them speaking from the past into the present. Have a steak, a beer or two,and a cigar this Memorial Day but remember them just for a minute and maybe say a prayer.
Remember Me
Semper Fi
Here a photo I took in Sep 1966 on a little hilltop in Vietnam. I always look at it on Memorial Day to remember. All of these Marines were KIA. Two were killed within days of the photo when we were overrun. I rolled the the other two into their bloody ponchos seven months later. All from my squad. They died fighting.
The poem is something I wrote a few years ago. I believe it's them speaking from the past into the present. Have a steak, a beer or two,and a cigar this Memorial Day but remember them just for a minute and maybe say a prayer.
Remember MeRemember me is the fire that I light,
Remember me hold me close against the night.
Remember me the flame of memory,
when I am gone remember me.
Remember me the fallen say
Remember me night and day.
Remember me in your memory,
On the Hump remember me.
Remember me as not died in vain.
Remember me to ease the pain.
Remember me keep your memory
Strong and true remember me.
Remember me as you grow old.
Remember me in story told.
Remember me deep in memory,
Forever young remember me.
Remember me you know I cannot stay,
you light the fire I move away.
Remember me, search your memory.
Warmth and love remember me.
Remember me as a bridge between two worlds,
Remember me when our flags are furled.
Remember me, the light of memory,
burn bright into the night, remember me.Semper Fi
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Comments
I enlisted during that era but did not go to Vietnam.
Memorial Day is the only one I care about. Birthdays, Christmas (except for kids), Easter and all the rest don't mean anything to me.
I will do the same as I always do. At dusk I will grab the best bottle I have. Then I will sit for a few hours remembering the folks I know who went and did not come back. Then I will remember the ones who did. It's no big deal, but if we can't take the time, like you do, what does that say about us?
Today it'll only get up to 85 F while I babysit my smoker. I started early this morning while the Wife and Kid had a quick breakfast and went to go see Deadpool 2.
^^ Sorry, wrong thread, thought this was the long weekend thread.
I'm flying the flag today and thinking about the people and their families who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.
The rest of the day will be spent with family.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
If you want to bomb me send it to Tony @0patience
If you are a newbie I got Dem nachos....
Yeah, there's a lot of pictures that aren't worth their proverbial ten thousand words
... but that one is.
For every hero, there's a heroine.
.
Thank you
I know, You're a big dog and I'm on the list.
Let's eat, GrandMa. / Let's eat GrandMa. -- Punctuation saves lives
It'll be fine once the swelling goes down.
Rodger and all the others who served and sacrificed for this country and it's freedoms are truly what his day is about....So please, take some time today to think and thank them for what they've given us.....I know I will.
Yes, thank you for your service, folks.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.
I'm a veteran. Today is not my day. It's my father's, my uncle's and dozens of friend's. Some were lost in the nightmare chaos of battle; some weren't. All gave a goodly portion of their lives to this country and the ideals which founded it. All are gone now and missed terribly. Today is their day. Someday it will be mine and I pray there are those who remember.
Today is not a happy day; it's a somber one for honor and reflection. We all know someone we've lost who gave in the line of defense or protected us through law enforcement or fire fighting. So sit down, light a cigar, pour a few fingers of whatever and remember them.
From a grateful nation.....
As is my custom I'll post a pict and tell a short story. This Marine is Russell Keck. Russ was from Okmulgee Oklahoma and joined the Corps because his girlfriend dumped him. He was also the best machine gunner we had.
Russ and his gun team were with the lead element of our company when they walked across a dry creek bed and into on a NVA bunker complex. Russ laid down a base of fire with the M-60 and that allowed the first squad to get back across the dry creek.. Russ and his team of two ammo humpers were left on the far side of the creek bed. Russ sent his team o
ne by one back across the creek until he was the only one manning the gun. He saved a lot of lives that day. They got him with grenades.
Russel Keck May 18 1967 posthumous Navy Cross. Semper Fi, Russ
Looks like an m1 carbine and a m1911a1 there. Still in use all those years later.
For all those who never came home, and those who didn't come home all in one piece, thank you.
Trapped in the People's Communist Republic of Massachusetts.
For me, every day is Memorial Day and Independence Day rolled into one. I may be a combat veteran, but those who fought in Vietnam and WWII always receive my most solemn appreciation and earnest respect.
What? No love for Korea?
Trapped in the People's Communist Republic of Massachusetts.
This story gets better and better... all the way to the end:
Remembering those I've never met, but owe so much.
I know, You're a big dog and I'm on the list.
Let's eat, GrandMa. / Let's eat GrandMa. -- Punctuation saves lives
It'll be fine once the swelling goes down.
I'm a little late with this but here goes. My battalion the 1st Bn 9th Marines was in Vietnam for about three years. We became known as the Walking Dead. During this time we took 737 marines KIA and 34 Navy Corpsmen were killed trying to keep us alive. I want to honor one of those 34 Corpsmen.
A Co. was in a three day battle against three dug in and camouflaged companies of North Vietnam regulars. The NVA had radio's, mortars, machine guns, RPG's and grenades. The ground was sand with open scrub and small trees. The enemy was laid out in a gigantic X so any approach was met with a crossfire.
We did not have any artillery, or air support as were were " danger close" My platoon was point going on the first day and we lost one squad including our platoon Lt. The second day four tanks were brought in for support but we had not comms with the tanks. The tanks would over run the bunkers and the NVA would open up on us grunts while we were trying to seek cover behind the tanks. The enemy knocked out two tanks by hitting their treads with RPG's that day and we lost another squad. The third day my platoon was down to one squad and there was only two Marines that hadn't been hit. The ground was hot and trees were flying though the air. We had to load our wounded and dead on the tanks to get them out of the kill zone. I got hit three times that day.
I was laying with the rest of the wounded after being unloaded off a bloody tank. Doc James Gayle shoved a pair of dirty socks into a bullet hole I had in my hip. He had been working for three day straight and was covered with blood. Doc then dragged me 50 yards to where most of the wounded were staged. The tank started taking fire so Doc went back and he and another Marine pulled the rest of the wounded and dead from the tank and dragged them behind the tank for cover. The tank started up and then backed up and crushed them all.
Doc Gayle saved my ass that day. He was from a little town in NC.
So if you are a praying man say a prayer for Doc James Gayle, Corpsman of Marines. Semper Fi Doc.
There is no button for a post like that. Did 20+ in the Air Force, one thing that sticks in my mind is a story I was told while on a Grand Canyon float trip around '83. Trip was arranged by MWR so it was a mix of enlisted AF & Officers, plus veterans of any service. On the fifth night, an army vet, told us the story of his squad walking into an ambush while on a night patrol. Just him and one other got out. The thing is I'm pretty sure it was the one of the first times he'd ever told the whole story.
Don't let the wife know what you spend on guns, ammo or cigars.
There are no words, but believe my feelings, you know them.
"If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." -- Mark Twain
Sorry I am late to this, but I want to say thank you to each of you that served. I was fortunate enough to be deployed twice with a great group of guys. However, my second deployment, we lost 2 of our brothers. I think about them often.
To those that had friends, family and loved ones that served, thank you too. Your support is much needed during the the time of service, but on days like memorial day, it means so much to us. The weight of war is often too heavy to bear alone, so thank you.
Til Valhalla
Thank you
I know, You're a big dog and I'm on the list.
Let's eat, GrandMa. / Let's eat GrandMa. -- Punctuation saves lives
It'll be fine once the swelling goes down.
Rest peacefully, Brothers. We’ve got this covered for you.