To Honor Veterans

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: mg
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 11:54 PM

And Happy Birthday Marine. mg

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: Big Mick
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 01:04 AM

I am not sure the protocols, Dianavan, but I know how this vet feels. Wear them and honor your Father and his service.

Mick

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: Peace
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 01:07 AM

It's for your dad, and he'd like that, D.

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: NH Dave
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 01:03 PM

As a retired military man and a Viet Nam veteran I think Eric Bogle's Green Fields of France, sum it all up the best I know. We do what we can to win this war, somehow knowing it won't be the last war people will have to fight.

Dave

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: Rapparee
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 02:21 PM

I'm going to recite the names of some of the veterans I'm been privileged to know.

Ralph, my father; my uncles Bob, Earl, Gene, and Jack; my brothers, Tony and Ted; my aunt Ruth; my great Uncle Carl; my great-great-great uncle Peter; my cousins Charlie, Luke, Jim, John, Matt; my brother's foster son, Chuck; my nephew, Ralph; my father-in-law, Bill; three uncles-in-law, Al, Joe, and Leo; my friends, Bob, Jim, Dave, Niles, Bob, Joe, Jim, Red, Victor, and Larry.

These are all I can think of at the moment, but there are many more.

Some are living, some are dead. Some died in combat, at least one died because he couldn't kick the smoking habit he'd picked up in 'Nam.

Make a list like this for yourself. Don't spend a lot of time thinking about it, just list names that come to mind. Then remember that each name is or was a living, breathing person who was willing to put themselves "between their loved homes and the war's desolation." If you see them, thank them.   You might not agree with the politics, you might not agree with what they fought for, but they are still people, your relatives, friends, neighbors.

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: CarolC
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 02:44 PM

Thank you all for your service. And for the fallen, JtS and I are wearing our red poppy pins today.

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: Janie
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 03:40 PM

Thank you.

J.

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: mg
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 07:14 PM

I had a miracle today. A few years ago a friend who had been a nurse in Qhin Non?? died of some sort of head cancer, like cancer of the palate or something I can't remember. She was very pretty and a dynamo. Her name was Marge Schaffner, but that was her married and divorced name. Anyway, I was going to visit her in the hospital, and wanted to take flowers, but it was evening and there were no florist shops open..and it was winter with snow on the ground. So I thought how can I get some flowers..and was passing by our Lady of the Lake church in Seattle and saw a whole bush full of white camellias blooming. So I cut a bunch and took them too her. She died shortly thereafter, but I said whenever I see white camellias I will think of her..and today on the bush across the street, there were white camellias blooming.

mg

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: bbc
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 07:54 PM

I sent an email to my dad today, to thank him for his service in WWII. Dad is 83. He's been living in a nursing home since he broke his hip 2 years ago. When I visited this summer, he was in a good frame of mind & seemed to be content & enjoying life. He has been developing some new health issues recently, though, &, a few weeks ago, my mom told me he has lost his will to live. This makes me really sad. I hope my message will make him feel good, at least for today.

With respect for all who've served,

Barbara

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 11:01 PM

Yes - to all that served, or are serving, and those who wait for them. God Bless and Thank you.

Wear your Dad's medals with pride - it does them good to get out of the closet on occasion.

Semper Fi
Steve

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: Peace
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 12:55 AM

Thank you for the thread, Joe. For about 50 years I have never made it through November 11 without some tears and having to blow my nose a dozen times. This year was no different. I really hope the day comes when someone's child asks what war was, and no one remembers.


BM

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: dianavan
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 01:42 AM

I took the medals out of the chest tonight. I held them knowing how much they meant to my family and cried because I miss my dad so much. I cried again when I read the Western Union telegram that said, "I'll be home for Christmas. Love, Johnny."

Those words must have meant so much to my mom.

Here's hoping that all soldiers will be able to return home very soon.

d

P.S. I also have all the old photos (you know the old fighter planes with pin-ups painted on the sides), the cheese cake photos my mom sent to my dad when he was overseas, my dad and his buddies with the machine gun and tri pod, my uncle with the orphans, ...

In this age of scanners, is there somewhere these photos are being collected so that someday they can be displayed or are they only interesting to me because I know these people?

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: beardedbruce
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 02:11 AM

dianavan

You might start with the Company of Military Historians, to see if someone is collecting pictures for publication. Also, many units have Historical Associations that would welcome them.

http://www.military-historians.org/

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 08:39 AM

You might also call your local Marine Corps Reserve Center. They are often the center point for local museums of military interest. If they are not doing it they will know who is.

BB's link above is a good one also.

Semper Fi
Steve

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 08:48 AM

I have many photos of my father and his friends, and others of my relatives, from when they were in the Service. The sad part is that I have no way of knowing who the friends are -- a first name is kind of meaningless.

The same situation pertains to a few pictures that date from when he was in the Civilian Conservation Corps.

My father was killed in a construction accident when I (the oldest) was 5 and my mother died in 1981.

Note who's in the photos before it's too late. Full names, the unit, where it was taken, when -- whatever information you can glean. I have photos taken by my brothers from the Vietnam time and they can no longer identify the people....

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: pdq
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 11:20 AM

...this was on Coast to Coast AM last night...

"He was getting  old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion, telling stories of the past
Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies; they were heroes, every one.


And tho' sometimes, to his neighbors, his tales became a joke,
All his Legion buddies listened, for they knew whereof he spoke.
But we'll hear his tales no longer for old Bill has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer, for a soldier died today.


He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,
For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.
Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way,
And the world won't note his passing, though a soldier died today.


When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great.
Papers tell their whole life stories, from the time that they were young,
But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.


Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land
A guy who breaks his promises and cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his Country and offers up his life?


A politician's stipend and the style in which he lives
             Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that he gives.
While the ordinary soldier, who offered up his all,
  Is paid off with a medal and perhaps, a pension small.


It's so easy to forget them for it was so long ago,
That the old Bills of our Country went to battle, but we know
It was not the politicians, with their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom that our Country now enjoys.


Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand,
Would you want a politician with his ever-shifting stand?
Or would you prefer a soldier, who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin and Country and would fight until the end?


He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict, then we find the soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.


If we cannot do him honor while he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage at the ending of his days.
Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say,
Our Country is in mourning, for a soldier died today."

Subject: RE: To Honor Veterans
From: dianavan
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 09:18 PM

Thank-you pdq that is just the way I remember my grandfather, my father and my brother.

My mother once told me that my dad was recommended for officer's training but he turned it down. When I asked him why, he said he just wanted to be 'one of the guys'. When he came home, he became (in his words) another proud member of the great American labour force.

Some guys are just like that. Humble and easy to love.

d