Memorial Day

[Tsalagidave]

I woke my daughter this morning and took her to our local cemetery at sunrise. It is not a known place of great fame, just a 100-year old field that is the final resting place of our local community. No famous celebrities or epic heroes to my knowledge; just people who lived their lives and loved their families as we presently do now. Over the expanse of countless ground placards and headstones fluttered thousands of flags. I told my daughter that each flag was for someone who served in this nation's armed forces. Memorial day remembers the more than 1.3 million men and women of our military service who gave their last full measure in the defense of this country. Placing flags on the graves of all veterans is a final gesture of thanks for their service as well.

To us, the American flag is not about loving government or blindly following of a political ideology.  It signifies our solidarity as a free people with an obligation to gratefully accept the light of liberty from the hands of the brave whose sacrifice brought it to within our grasp.

Warm thoughts and prayers to my brother and sister Americans this memorial day.  The sacrifice of our fallen warriors is remembered with unrequitable gratitude.

-Dave  

[Major 2]

Dave ...That is about the nicest sentiment as I've read this time around....

Our local Monument Garden was designed at inception for UNION (GAR) soldiers coming full term, having retired to St. Cloud Florida.
In fact the town itself was founded for them and called the "Soldier City". Their Building / GAR Hall is still here and as it was in 1911.
There are a number of Span-Am veterans interred, and include  WW1, WW2,  Korean , Viet Nam & a Gulf war veteran.
There is even 3 Confederate Graves,  both the Local GAR & SCV with the VFW decorate the final resting place of these veterans.
They were out there in the rain placing hundreds of small flags...

I went....

"on thy Grave the rain shall fall from the eyes of a Mighty Nation"

[Tsalagidave]

Thanks for the kind words Major. I think it's great that you are so knowledgeable of the vets buried in your town.  There is something about that kind of acknowledgement that just lifts spirits and promotes such a strong sense of belonging to something great for all those who live with the benefits purchased by their sacrifice. Thanks for lifting my spirits on such a busy day like today. It's not that I was in a bad mood this afternoon but was so deep in work mode that I wasn't thinking of all that I should be grateful for.

Thanks again brother.

-Dave

[Niederlander]

I always like looking at the Civil War veteran's stones, as they have the unit they served in on them.  It always strikes me how men from all over the country ended up as friends and neighbors in the middle of Nebraska.  I'll bet there were some great stories at the local G.A.R. chapters.