(We will be bumping this post throughout the weekend to keep it at the top. Bookmark Us and come back again to read all the new entries.)
Don't forget to fly your flag.
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 falling 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.
-- John McCrae
This is a weekend of barbeques and Summer kick offs. It is also the weekend we stop and honor those who have served us proudly and given their all. I am starting a link list of sites who have tributes to our brave men and women. Please feel free to add to the list and visit all of them. The picture is a view of Arlington National Cemetery, Section 34 looking South.
Memorial Day (Decoration Day) and Veteran’s Day (Armistice Day) were big holidays in
my hometown. Uniformed soldiers and sailors, from 18 to 98, marching, lots of flags and bunting,
great Souza marching band music, and even some tanks. We would all line up on
the side of the street and stand at attention and salute our hometown heroes, many of whom were the fathers and older brothers and grandfathers of our schoolmates who had served in WWII and WWI. It was very
patriotic, very moving, and very impressive to a small child’s eyes.
America Supports You A message from President George W. Bush and a message from the Joint Chiefs of Staff 2006
Related links:
"If you are able, save for them a place inside of you and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go.
Be not ashamed to say you loved them, though you may or may not have always. Take what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own.
And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind."
Major Michael Davis O'Donnell
1 January 1970
Dak To, Vietnam
Listed as KIA February 7, 1978
Inside the Wall A very effective picture. Check it out.
"Flags-in"
Each year for the past 40 years, the 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard) has
honored America's fallen heroes by placing American flags before the gravestones and niches of service members buried at both Arlington National Cemetery and the U.S. Soldier's and Airmen's Home National Cemetery just prior to Memorial Day weekend.
This tradition, known as "flags in," has been conducted annually since The Old Guard was designated as the Army's official ceremonial unit in 1948. Every available soldier in the 3rd U.S. Infantry participates, placing small American flags one foot in front and centered before each grave marker.
During an approximately three-hour period, the soldiers place flags in front of more than 260,000 gravestones and about 7,300 niches at the cemetery's columbarium. Another 13,500 flags are placed at the Soldier's and Airmen's Cemetery. As part of this yearly memorial activity, Old Guard soldiers remain in the cemetery throughout the weekend, ensuring that a flag remains at each gravestone.
American flags are also placed at the graves of each of the four unknown service men interred at the Tomb of the Unknowns, by the Tomb Sentinels. All flags are removed after Memorial Day before each cemetery is opened to the public.
A Memorial Day Open Thread at Red State
and an excellent Memorial Day Tribute A flag for all the free also at Red State
Saber Point "In Flanders Field" We quoted this poem to lead off this post. Now you can read the "rest of the story" in a great post about Major John McCrae: The Story of "In Flanders Fields" and a second post at Saber Point called Freedom isn't Free: Memorial Day Meditations
Victor Hansen "A war to be proud of" (really worth the whole read)
A Memorial Day weekend movie from Cao The word for this is "WOW!" And might I suggest you have a tissue handy. Great work Cao.
The True Meaning of Memorial Day Another extraordinary video and another box of tissues needed. Enjoy and pass on.
A Video Tribute to Cpl. Robert P. Warns II via Black Five
And another video tribute via Black Five Fallen Comrades - 12th AVN BDE
Wizbang "REMEMBER" (updating through the weekend)
In Remembrance honors those fallen in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Remember those at Arlington at this site, and through these lyrics (if you have not heard the song Arlington before, be sure to click on this one).
CNN is collecting Coming Home stories.
Move America Forward is promoting a Memorial Day Weekend radiothon.
Stop the ACLU is trying to help save the Mt. Soledad Cross War Memorial. More here with video.
LaShawn Barber has a lovely Memorial Day tribute posted.
Michelle Malkin posted a picture that many, including me, ran at Christmas. I had forgotten about it until I saw it at her site, although it is so beautiful that I am surprised it did not come to mind immediately when putting together this post. Michelle also has additional Memorial Day links.
Patriot Files' Hall of Heroes features medal winners from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Matt at Blackfive posted this moving Memorial Day post including a link to the story of his friend, American hero, Mat Schram Be sure to read it all.
Blog for Bush also at B4B Open Thread: Memorial Day Weekend
California Conservative - "Why we Fight"
Mudville Gazette and (2) Generations by SFC Peter J. Crittenden, US Army Special Forces, currently serving in Germany. Part one of the story is here.
The Astute Blogger "Memorial Day"
Where Have All The Heroes Gone? Great post.
The Wide Awakes "Memorial Day Weekend 2006 Quotes" Lincoln, Eisenhower, Einstein and more
Contemplate the mangled bodies of your countrymen, and then say, ‘What should be the reward of such sacrifices?’…If you love wealth better than liberty, the tranquillity of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen. - Samuel Adams
Laughing Wolf on Black Five "Memorial Day Part 2" and "Memorial Day Part 3"
Celebrating those who gave chase to evil:
On this Memorial Day, I hope that our nation can put aside partisanship and political animosities to more fully celebrate the lives of a new, great generation of American warriors; the ordinary citizens who achieved extraordinary achievements and made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.
The Name in Stone A very interesting story.
A Salute to a loving father who is always remembered
A Life Well Lived, Boldy Committed, and Bravely Given A father remembers his fallen son.
THE NOTIFICATION An amazing story worth sharing with everyone. And continued with "The Burial"
In a different life, now seemingly long ago and far away, I answered a ringing doorbell. I opened the door, and there stood the Western Union man. I was 12. I knew this was Not Good. Mom came up. She saw the Western Union man. She froze. The Western Union man looked miserable. I took the offered envelope. Opened it. Mom was a statue, frozen in her own private hell. The Western Union man was fidgety, and downcast.
I opened the envelope. Read it out loud.
"The Secretary of the Army regrets to inform you that your servicemember, LTC Timothy H. Donovan, was wounded in combat in the Republic of Vietnam.
He was shot while flying in a helicopter. The a/c did not crash or burn."
That's it. Dad was wounded, not dead. Mom could breathe again. The Western Union guy was all smiles.
And Not Forgotten from the Boston Herald
Go read the Memorial Day Tribute in poetry that accompanies this picture. Of all the
pictures we've looked at over this weekend as we gathered the links and tributes, this one is the most evocative don't you think?
A little bit of WWII history we found this morning, from 1941, Prayer Book for Soldiers and Sailors
A look at Jefferson Barracks in a Memorial Day Tribute by Gateway Pundit. Very interesting. Jefferson Barracks, the oldest operational military installation west of the Mississippi River, is 180 years old this year.
They Did God's Work by Ben Stein
U.S. Memorial Day History and Information In Memory of our Honored Dead
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.
General John A. Logan
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-B8172- 6403 DLC (b&w film neg.)]Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.
- Special Memorials
- U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
- 1 Hero Street USA: Tribute to the young men from one Hispanic neighbourhood who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
- Philadelphia War Memorial Sculpture
- Salute To American Veterans
- Chuck's Veterans Salute Page
- The Highground Veterans Memorial Park: Wisconsin.
- Vietnam Memorials
- Quigleys' Down~Under: Resource center for Vietnam veterans as well as all veterans. Maps, crests, photos, wall database, etc.
- Search The Wall: Search, memorial, patches, people finder and links.
- Vietnam Veterans Memorials Around The World
- Angel Fire Vietnam Veterans Memorial: And an Essay by Jim Belshaw.
- The Wall On The Web: From Vietnam Veterans Homepage (by Platoon Guide Chris Shepard). Searchable.
- Rensselaer County Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- Vietnam Veterans Memorials Around The World: Includes Canada, Australia and others.
- POW-MIA Memorial Page: Poems, comments, info.
- Open Directory - Society Military POW-MIA
- Charles E. Shelton Freedom Memorial: A page to honour all POW's & MIA's.
- Dedicated to POW Charles Ervin Shelton, USAF
- The Wall: A Vietnam Memorial. Lots of info here.
- Korea
- Korean War Veterans Memorial: From the US National Park service.
- Korean War Project: Korean War Veterans Memorial
- World War II
- Women in Military Service in America
- Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
RELATED LINKS
- Tribute to POW's, MIA's, KIA's of the United States
- Vietnam Era POW:MIA Database: Searchable database with info & links.
- U.S. Medal of Honor Citations: Viet Nam
THE ATOMIC BOMB VICTIMS
- Nagasaki Memorial and Peace Declaration: This site is from Nagasaki, Japan and seeks to educate for peace so that the human race will never again drop a nuclear bomb.
- Remembering Nagasaki
- A-Bomb WWW Museum
- Cranes For Peace
HOLOCAUST
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
- Menchelen Museum of Deportation and the Resistance: The Shoah Museum in Belgium.
- Ghetto Fighters House: Also contains Yad Layeled, the memorial to the 1.5 million Jewish children killed in the Holocaust.
- Holocaust Memorial Center: Illuminating the past.
- Memorial du Martyr Juif Inconnu: English Version available.
- The Desert Holocaust Memorial: Palm Springs.
- KZ Memorial Mittelbau DORA
Houston Holocaust Museum
OTHER WAR MEMORIALS
- The Nanking Massacre: Page from Hong Kong regarding the 1937-1938 Japanese invasion.
- Never Again: Genocide In The Independent States: From Yugoslavia.
- Perspectives On Genocide
That cartoon of the flag being passed is the reason I take exception to people who would desecrate our flag. It is more than just a flag, it is the only thing many people have left of a loved one. To desecrate the flag is to desecrate millions of graves of brave men and women who gave us everything they had. That flag to me is more than a just a banner.
Also, I found the history of Arlington Cemetary to be very interesting. The cemetary was originally on the grounds of Robert E. Lee's home in Arlington. Lincoln wanted Lee to serve with the Union, Lee said he was a Virginian first and must stay with his state. Lincoln thought that decision would ultimately cost both sides dearly in lives lost and ordered the dead buried in Lee's rose garden. And so Arlington Cemetary was born.
Posted by: crosspatch | 28 May 2006 at 10:47 PM
This is a great post and wonderful links. I especially appreciate the Inside the Wall image. Thank you.
Posted by: linearthinker | 29 May 2006 at 06:10 PM