This Memorial Day please take a moment...

[ysr_racer]

This Memorial Day please take a moment to remember America's fallen heroes. They paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

R.I.P. Major Reed

[BillCA]

Indeed. Rememberance is just one way to honor our gallant men and women.

I also propose a new CalGuns member ritual each Memorial day -- setting an untouched place at your table to remember those who made this day possible - a veteran alive or dead, known or unknown. When you sit down to eat, hoist your glasses to the memory of the soldier, airman, seaman or Marine who is forever young.

[jazman]

RIP to all of the ones who went down defending our freedoms. I think about my friends whose names are on the Wall often, it sucks.

[4 Brigada]

I also propose a new CalGuns member ritual each Memorial day -- setting an untouched place at your table to remember those who made this day possible - a veteran alive or dead, known or unknown. When you sit down to eat, hoist your glasses to the memory of the soldier, airman, seaman or Marine who is forever young.

There is a POW/MIA ceremony. Just in case someone is interested. Here is a link. http://www.aiipowmia.com/histories/histcere2.html

[Trader Jack]

This Memorial Day please take a moment to remember America's fallen heroes. They paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

R.I.P. Major Reed

This is a most thoughtful and deserving post. It is well beyond time that we as Americans return to respecting Memorial Day for what it is meant to be, rather then to see how cheap WalMart or Target is selling there Chinese junk for.

[RHT447]

This is not new, but it is one of my favorites for Memorial Day...


The things they Carried....

They carried P-38 can openers and heat tabs,watches and dog tags,insect repellent, gum, cigarettes, Zippo lighters, salt tablets, compress bandages, ponchos, Kool-Aid, two or three canteens of water, iodine tablets,sterno, LRRP- rations, and C-rations stuffed in socks. They carried standard fatigues, jungle boots, bush hats, flak jackets and steel pots. They carried the M-16 assault rifle. They carried trip flares and Claymore mines, M-60 machine guns, the M-70 grenade launcher, M-14's, CAR-15's, Stoners, Swedish K's, 66mm Laws, shotguns, .45 caliber pistols, silencers, the sound of bullets, rockets, and choppers, and sometimes the sound of silence.They carried C-4 plastic explosives, an assortment of hand grenades, PRC-25 radios, knives and machetes. Some carried napalm, CBU's and largebombs; some risked their lives to rescue others. Some escaped the fear, but dealt with the death and damage. Some made very hard decisions, and some just tried to survive. They carried malaria, dysentery, ringworm, jungle rot and leaches. They carried the land itself as it hardened on their boots.
They carried stationery, pencils, and pictures of their loved ones - real and imagined. They carried love for people in the real world and love for one another. And sometimes they disguised that love: "Don't mean nothin'! "They carried memories. For the most part, they carried themselves with poise and a kind of dignity. Now and then, there were times when panic set in, and people squealed or wanted to, but couldn't; when they twitched and made moaning sounds and covered their heads and said "Dear God" and hugged the earth and fired their weapons blindly and cringed and begged for the noise to stop and went wild and made stupid promises to themselves and God and their parents, hoping not to die.They carried the traditions of the United States Military, and memories and images of those who served before them. They carried grief, terror, longing and their reputations. They carried the soldier's greatest fear: the embarrassment of dishonor. They crawled into tunnels, walked point, and advanced under fire, so as not to die of embarrassment. They were afraid of dying, but too afraid to show it.They carried the emotional baggage of men and women who might die at any moment.They carried the weight of the world.

THEY CARRIED EACH OTHER.

Author Unknown

Remember them this Memorial Day.

[joea]

This Memorial Day please take a moment to remember America's fallen heroes. They paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

R.I.P. Major Reed

We'll be at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery flag placement 7 am sat.

Dear Scouts and Parents of Pack ___

Please come out and join Scouts from all over San Diego to commemorate Memorial
Day. The event will take place at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery on Saturday,
May 23rd starting at 7:00 AM. This is an annual event where the local scouts
place flags on the veteran's graves and pay their respects to those who have
given their lives in support of our country and our personal freedom. It is
truly a special scene to see hundreds of young boys and men showing their
appreciation to those who have faithfully served this country while learning
about the sacrifices of previous generations of Americans. Family members and
siblings are also welcome to attend and participate. There are over 85,000
internments at Fort Rosecrans, and the scouts accomplish the task in about an
hour. Thousands will show up to pitch in!

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery is on Point Loma just before you reach Cabrillo
National Monument. Just take Catalina Blvd, which becomes
Cabrillo Memorial Drive (also know as Hwy 209). The colors are presented at 7:00
AM, but please arrive by 6:30 so we can meet up as a pack. If you are late you
will probably not get any flags to plant (they go quickly!). The drive will
take you about 30 minutes (with no wrong turns). You should be back in your car
on the way home by 8:30.

You will not be able to miss the starting point where the crowd is gathered.
Assemble under the Pack 624 banner before everyone moves out to do the flag
placing and then again after the work is done to enjoy a snack and a cold drink.
I recommend NOT parking as soon as you see cars pulling over to the side of the
road. Continue past these cars and look for the meeting area on your left, and
after you pass the large crowd look for a parking spot.

This event is a great opportunity to show your support of this country and its
veterans and I hope to see you there!

Yours in Scouting,
___ ______


Directions:

- I-15 south to 163 south to I-8 west
- Exit at Rosecrans (this exit is almost at the same location as the I-5 south
exit)
- Continue on Rosecrans for several miles (past the old NTC facilities) until
you reach Canon St. Turn right. There will be a brown sign at this same
intersection directing traffic to Cabrillo National Monument - the monument is
just past Fort Rosecrans. If you end up at the submarine base, you have gone
too far!
- Follow Canon St. as it winds up a hill, then make a left turn onto Catalina
Dr.This road will take you (after several miles) directly to Fort Rosecrans.

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[BillCA]

Tomb of the Unknowns
HERE RESTS IN
HONORED GLORY
AN AMERICAN
SOLDIER
KNOWN BUT TO GOD

Q: How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns andwhy?
A: 21 steps: It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute which is the highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary.

Q: How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his return walk and why?
A: 21 seconds for the same reason as above.

Q: Why are his gloves wet?
A: His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.

Q: Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time and, if not, why not?
A: He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb. After his march across the path, he executes an about face and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.

Q: How often are the guards changed?
A: Guards are changed every thirty minutes in summer, every hour in winter and every two hours when the cemetery is closed. They guard the tomb twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.

Q: What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?
A: For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be between 5' 10' and 6' 2' tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30.

Dedication:
They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb. After nine months service the Tomb Guard Identification Badge is awarded permanently. Over 500 have been awarded since its creation in the 1950's.


The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to allow the sentinel to keep his back straight and walk smoothly. There are metal heel plates that extend to the top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt.

There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty in front of a full-length mirror.

The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone nor watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery . A guard must memorize who they are and where they are interred. Among the notables are:

Presidents Taft and Kennedy,
Robert F. Kennedy,
Joe Lewis, the boxer,
Band leader Glenn Miller,
Mystery writer Dashiell Hammett (Maltese Falcon, Thin Man)
Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier of WWII and of Hollywood fame.

Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for guard duty.

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD
AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

The Meaning of Commitment:
In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC, our US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. Despite the weather, the Sentinels remained on guard at the Tomb. Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a serviceperson. The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.

[BillCA]

This is a most thoughtful and deserving post. It is well beyond time that we as Americans return to respecting Memorial Day for what it is meant to be, rather then to see how cheap WalMart or Target is selling there Chinese junk for.

While I agree that we should all pay our respects to the soldiers on Memorial Day, we should also not let the day be a sad, somber one.

Our soldiers fought for our way of life, our future happiness and against those who opposed freedom. They would be utterly happy and proud to see millions of families "celebrating" with the BBQ, cold beer, lots of food and plenty of laughter. They fought so there could be good times in the future. Honor them in hoisting your drink and thanking them, whatever you're doing this weekend.

[PonchoTA]

It is
the VETERAN,
not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.


It is
the VETERAN,
not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.


It is
the VETERAN,
not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.


It is
the VETERAN,
not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.


It is
the VETERAN,
not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.


It is
the VETERAN,
not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.

It is
the VETERAN
who
salutes the Flag,



It is
the VETERAN
who serves
under the Flag.



EW1(SW/AW)
USN, Ret.

.

[nick]

It is the VETERAN,
Not the politician,
Who would have to deal with the (*&@(*& VA.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[joea]

Arlington National Cemetery-Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers - 12:12 - Oct 16, 2007

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6619612038872148350

[chris]

It is
the VETERAN,
not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.


It is
the VETERAN,
not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.


It is
the VETERAN,
not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.


It is
the VETERAN,
not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.


It is
the VETERAN,
not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.


It is
the VETERAN,
not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.

It is
the VETERAN
who
salutes the Flag,



It is
the VETERAN
who serves
under the Flag.



EW1(SW/AW)
USN, Ret.

.

It is
the VETERAN
who serves burried under the flag
that allows the protester to burn the flag.

this is in the version i have or close to it.

"It is the soldier, not the reporter, Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet, Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the organizer, Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, Who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows the protestor to burn the flag.

[JTROKS]

Two of the fallen brothers from my career field. Radar love brothers!

Air Force Staff Sgt. Patrick Lee Griffin Jr. 2003-05-13 31, of Elgin, S.C.; assigned to 728th Air Control Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; killed in action near Diwaniyah, Iraq, when his convoy was ambushed en route to Baghdad.

Air Force Airman 1st Class Antoine J. Holt 2004-04-10 20, of Kennesaw, Ga.; assigned to the 603rd Air Control Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy; died April 10 when his tent was hit during a mortar attack at Balad Air Field, Iraq.

[Trench Broom]

Hung my flag outside my porch today! I'll be playing softball tommorrow and enjoying BBQ'd hot dogs, but will definetly take time out to thank our servicemen & women, past and present, for their sacrifice. My friend's son was injured last year while serving with the USMC in Afghanistan ( broken back and ankles ), but has been slowly & steadily improving and now down to using only a cane to get around! He's itching to play softball as soon as he's able ( be looking for you on the field next Memorial Day, Andrew! )