Memorial Day

In the midst of cookouts, family gathering and shopping for bargains (or car parts), let us not forget those today who made the ultimate sacrifice which we will always owe our gratitude for! 

Yes. 

Still smh at those who say happy Memorial Day. 

My grandfather's best friend was Calvin Roach. He, and every other man from my grandfather's platoon were dead by their second day in the Argonne. 

My grandfather survived his machine gun wound, redeployed to the front and saw more combat.

Although it has been a century, and I have no idea of any one else's memory of him, I think of Calvin Roach, as well as my grandfather today.

This is my grandfather, at 22.

He received his commission while in the hospital.

This is from his Army ID before redeployment. 

Amen.

Fueled by Caffeine said:

Yes. 

 

Still smh at those who say happy Memorial Day. 

Yeah, I've never known what to say to people (particularly veterans) about this day. Obviously "happy" doesn't fit, so I usually say something like "Have a good Memorial Day".

We went to our local parade for the first time in a few years. It has a great small-town Americana feel to it, with little leaguers, the high school band, farmers, etc. Some cool flyovers, too, some T-6 Texans, a B-25, and a pair of A-10s.  Hotter than blue blazes today, though.

Fueled by Caffeine said:

Yes. 

 

Still smh at those who say happy Memorial Day. 

Yeah. Not everyone got that memo. 

The last few years we have headed up to St. Augustine National Cemetery, a small site that dates back to the 1800s. Today, instead, we drove down to Cape Canaveral National Cemetery. It only recently opened, yet it's slated to welcome burials for the next 100 years. It's 300-plus acres. Always a sobering day. 

I'm very fortunate to have visited 3 National Cemeteries that are in Europe.   The first was in Belgium- we were on our way to an F1 race at Spa, stopped for lunch after our flight to Brussels, and learned that there was a American Cemetery nearby.   The second was later on the same trip at Omaha Beach.  That was an amazing trip- on top of seeing the F1 race, we toured around Belgium to track the Battle of the Bulge, and then spend 3 nights in Bayeaux where we toured many D-Day sights.

Then a few years ago, on a trip to Italy, we were in Florence with a car, so we decided to spend some time at the American Cemetery there.  

All were very moving to see.  

I still hope to see the one in Hawaii.  

In reply to alfadriver :

I went to the Punchbowl (and the Missouri, and the Arizona and Oklahoma memorials, of course) about 10 years ago. It's well worth the trip