Memorial Day (Forever Young)

[Hoshneer]

I just wanted to take the time and say thank you to all our soldiers and veterans out there. This is the true reason for the holiday. Let's not forget while we are drinking and cooking out with our families that someone has sacrificed for us.

Whether you know someone who had fallen in combat or you are a soldier who has come home without a friend I encourage you all to bow your heads for a moment and remember who didn't make it back. This isn't just about the people who have died for us but it's about their families and lived ones as well.

Let's face it, my father was a Marine and he made it home but I know I lost part of him to war. So post up a name or a picture of a loved one that fought for our freedom to be the great people we are. When the day is over hopefully we will have a list to look upon and remember those great people that did so much for us.

I want to remember a friend of the family which I wish I had known better. Someone who lost his life and in return forced me to see things differently then I had previously. Sometimes you just have to realize that you are not only living for yourself but also for the people that died for you. I will always remember him every time I wake up and he will always be the goofy kid down the street. Forever young in my heart.

 

[Angry Bill]

Well said Rex. We will never forget the sacrifices made to keep our freedoms.

 

[mdwest]

You're not forgotten Chris...


http://www.groups.sfahq.com/20th/robinson_chris_kia_20th.htm

 

[criollo]

I had an uncle who I never knew. Long before I was born, my father's brother was killed in WWII in a naval battle. I get the impression that he was my father's favorite brother. From the things my dad has said about him, it sounds as if he was a fascinating, talented and wonderful guy,and I probably would have loved to grown up with him as an uncle. This memorial day, while I am mindful of all who have served, he's the person in the forefront of my mind.

 

[GoingPostal]

Memorial day is more than just bbq and 3 day weekends. Take time and remember those who gave their today's so we could have our tomorrows.

 

[Highlander]

I'm watching "Taking Chance" its a great movie. I'm gonna get choked up. I know it.

 

[Madcox]

I'd like to send my condolences to all those that have lost friends and family that sacrificed so much for this great country.

 

[Smoqman]

This is my brother Paul. He served in the United States Army. He was a good man, a person who believed in goodness and justice and God.

I held him in my arms last month until he took his last breath at the VA hospital in North Dakota. I will miss him dearly.

He was 57.

 

[dharbolt]

This is a touching thread. I'm glad to be able to have some insight into some loved ones of brothers here. All of you great service members have a place in my heart and my utmost respect.

 

[Kantucky]

My list is long. My grandfather was in Germany, France, and Italy in WWII. Lived a long life and died a couple of years ago at 96 years old. His brother, my uncle, died in Italy. My dad served in the army in Vietnam, albeit the very last few months of the war.

I graduated high school in 01, and a lot of my friends joined in after 9/11, as I would have if I hadn't had a bunch of broken bones in my back. Of the 40 guys in my high school class, 7 have died in Iraq, Afghanistan.

Great men- all of them.

 

[AdamJoshua]

My father served in WWII, Korea and 'nam, he was UDT and chosen to be one of the first "frogmen" who of course went on to become the teams we know today as the SEALs and they were just as badass in those days, just with much less glory, he was on the beaches of Normandy the night before the invasion, the teams trying to clear and scout as much as they could before the main assault.

I served and was in Desert Storm, a joke compared to what others have gone though, lost 3 good friends in the on going conflicts, including my basic training "battle buddy", the guy who happens to be standing in line next to you when you get down range to train, ended up sleeping in the next bunk for all of basic and AIT, who I hated like hell all through basic and yet we became the best of friends when out of the blue we ended up deployed together, different units and deployment dates and we actually ran into each other in another god forsaken country, it was so great to see someone there I knew and someone to talk to and laugh about, all the bullshit of the past was funny as hell all of a sudden, that was so many years ago and his sister let me know that he lost his life in combat just last year, still hurts down deep.

This day is about the men and women that paid the ultimate sacrifice, who gave their all. There are other days for living soldiers, that's just how I feel though, people are too quick to forget the dead and thank the living.

 

[Madcox]

My father served in WWII, Korea and 'nam, he was UDT and chosen to be one of the first "frogmen" who of course went on to become the teams we know today as the SEALs and they were just as badass in those days, just with much less glory, he was on the beaches of Normandy the night before the invasion, the teams trying to clear and scout as much as they could before the main assault.

I served and was in Desert Storm, a joke compared to what others have gone though, lost 3 good friends in the on going conflicts, including my basic training "battle buddy", the guy who happens to be standing in line next to you when you get down range to train, ended up sleeping in the next bunk for all of basic and AIT, who I hated like hell all through basic and yet we became the best of friends when out of the blue we ended up deployed together, different units and deployment dates and we actually ran into each other in another god forsaken country, it was so great to see someone there I knew and someone to talk to and laugh about, all the bullshit of the past was funny as hell all of a sudden, that was so many years ago and his sister let me know that he lost his life in combat just last year, still hurts down deep.

This day is about the men and women that paid the ultimate sacrifice, who gave their all. There are other days for living soldiers, that's just how I feel though, people are too quick to forget the dead and thank the living.

I agree brother we shouldn't forget about the ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice my apologies on the earlier post. Sorry that you lost such great friends and family. And Thanx for your service as well Brother.

 

[AdamJoshua]

My father served in WWII, Korea and 'nam, he was UDT and chosen to be one of the first "frogmen" who of course went on to become the teams we know today as the SEALs and they were just as badass in those days, just with much less glory, he was on the beaches of Normandy the night before the invasion, the teams trying to clear and scout as much as they could before the main assault.

I served and was in Desert Storm, a joke compared to what others have gone though, lost 3 good friends in the on going conflicts, including my basic training "battle buddy", the guy who happens to be standing in line next to you when you get down range to train, ended up sleeping in the next bunk for all of basic and AIT, who I hated like hell all through basic and yet we became the best of friends when out of the blue we ended up deployed together, different units and deployment dates and we actually ran into each other in another god forsaken country, it was so great to see someone there I knew and someone to talk to and laugh about, all the bullshit of the past was funny as hell all of a sudden, that was so many years ago and his sister let me know that he lost his life in combat just last year, still hurts down deep.

This day is about the men and women that paid the ultimate sacrifice, who gave their all. There are other days for living soldiers, that's just how I feel though, people are too quick to forget the dead and thank the living.

I agree brother we shouldn't forget about the ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice my apologies on the earlier post. Sorry that you lost such great friends and family. And Thanx for your service as well Brother.

Dude totally didn't mean anything about your post, it was just what I was feeling when I typed and thinking about my buddies, please don't take it any other way.

 

[Madcox]

My father served in WWII, Korea and 'nam, he was UDT and chosen to be one of the first "frogmen" who of course went on to become the teams we know today as the SEALs and they were just as badass in those days, just with much less glory, he was on the beaches of Normandy the night before the invasion, the teams trying to clear and scout as much as they could before the main assault.

I served and was in Desert Storm, a joke compared to what others have gone though, lost 3 good friends in the on going conflicts, including my basic training "battle buddy", the guy who happens to be standing in line next to you when you get down range to train, ended up sleeping in the next bunk for all of basic and AIT, who I hated like hell all through basic and yet we became the best of friends when out of the blue we ended up deployed together, different units and deployment dates and we actually ran into each other in another god forsaken country, it was so great to see someone there I knew and someone to talk to and laugh about, all the bullshit of the past was funny as hell all of a sudden, that was so many years ago and his sister let me know that he lost his life in combat just last year, still hurts down deep.

This day is about the men and women that paid the ultimate sacrifice, who gave their all. There are other days for living soldiers, that's just how I feel though, people are too quick to forget the dead and thank the living.

I agree brother we shouldn't forget about the ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice my apologies on the earlier post. Sorry that you lost such great friends and family. And Thanx for your service as well Brother.

Dude totally didn't mean anything about your post, it was just what I was feeling when I typed and thinking about my buddies, please don't take it any other way.

I didn't brother no problem. You are right though Memorial Day is to remember those that gave all.

 

[NIZZLE]

My father in law paid the ultimate sacrifice for us all to be here today the story goes I took a bullet to save a brothers life god bless him and all others who died for my freedom I wish I could of shook his hand in person but me and the wife are blessed to have a part of him in are lives and to be able to tell are children we are America because of him and others.love you dad your gone but will never be forgotten 😢😢 View attachment 42042

 

[NIZZLE]

I know these 3 old timers personal all of them where P.O.W. and nearly lost their life's to serve and protect.

View attachment 42043

 

[Argus17]

A special thank you to all who served. Let us never forget those who gave all they had.

My wife's Uncle Chip was killed during the D-Day invasion. My Father in Law (Chip's brother) caught 3 rounds from a German MG42, while clearing the hedge rows, 7 days after D-Day. Somehow he lived. As he was being evacuated from the aid station, and only a few hundred yards down the road, the aid station was hit by a German bomb, killing everyone. I guess he was meant to survive the war.

He refused to talk about the war, or his participation in it. It wasn't until his funeral, that I finally saw all the medals he had won, including the Silver Star.

 

[NIZZLE]

I figured this thread would of got a lot more post.

 

[Frozen Toews]

My uncle was a Marine during Vietnam. Being small in stature he was often chosen to be a tunnel rat. That was about all he would say about it... never getting into great detail. He was my hero, before i even knew what the word meant. He was the driving force behind my decision to enlist in the Army after i graduated high school. A couple years after i got out of the army, he took his own life. He was an incredibly smart man. In public he showed no sign of weakness or struggle. I have no doubt that his actions were based solely on the overwhelming burden he carried from Vietnam. I believe what these great men and women go through after combat can often be worse than what they face during. I am still heartbroken that he didn't seek help... and that he died alone.

I get irrationally frustrated when people thank me on Memorial Day. Not just because my service was more like Stripes than Full Metal Jacket. The closest i ever came to death was almost being run over by a private who was driving a M577 and didn't know his left from right. I opened more cans of floor wax than cans of ammo. This day is to remember those we lost. That sacrificed their lives for the man next to them. And these hero's don't always die by the bullet of their enemies. And their sacrifices don't always end when they take off the uniform. The care of our vets is outrageous. No matter what side of the political spectrum you fall on, this has to be an issue that everyone agrees on, or at least should. I'm glad that they are acknowledging PTSD these days, but not enough is being done. The suicide rate of vets is a testament to that. More can and needs to be done.
Sorry for the solemn post brothers. Your stories are touching... and I'm glad to see people with their heads on straight. Thanks for the thread.