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Post by Beth on May 24, 2017 20:22:42 GMT
With the coming holiday I thought it would be appropriate to open a place to remember and honor our veterans, past and present. Please don't forget your own service to your country. I hope this thread goes beyond Memorial Day and other related hospital to share those veterans hanging out in family trees.
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benteen
First Lieutenant
"Once An Eagle
Posts: 406
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Post by benteen on May 24, 2017 20:37:56 GMT
With the coming holiday I thought it would be appropriate to open a place to remember and honor our veterans, past and present. Please don't forget your own service to your country. I hope this thread goes beyond Memorial Day and other related hospital to share those veterans hanging out in family trees. Beth, Please dont think I am being picky. or that I dont appreciate your kind and noble thoughts, I appreciate them very much. However, to me Memorial Day is not a day to celebrate all veterans. It is to celebrate one certain veteran. That is the veteran that made the supreme sacrifice for his or hers country. "They gave up their tomorrows so we could have our todays" May they all rest in peace in the palm of Gods hands. Humbly Dan
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Post by Beth on May 24, 2017 20:59:20 GMT
This is CPL Frank Dxxxx. Co. I. 325 Infantry AC.F. I know I often mention him because he was a huge influence in my life though I only saw him a couple times a year. I want to share another part of his letters this time the even of the St. Mihiel Battle. The latter part of August and the first ten days of September, we were on numerous raids and ambush parties. We lost some men-killed, captured and wounded. On the 11 th of November we got 35 new men. We loaded down with ammunition, grenades and rations. All of the officers with the Non Com (Sergeants and Corporals) studied maps and made plans. We were told our objectives for each day. The first day we were to get across the Moselle River and hold on until the outfit on our left caught up with us. We (82nd Divisio~ were on the extreme right. The 1 st Division was to their left and then the rr: 42nd, 89 ,and 6th in that order. Five divisions were in reserve behind them. The night of the 11th, we were lined up. Our battalion, the 3rd of the 325th was to attack. The 2nd battalion was 300 yards behind and the 151 Battalion was 200 yards behind the 2nd. The Germans must have know something was going on for they were shelling our trenches but we were (all except a few guards) behind the trench in dugouts. My company being in the 3rd battalion, being that I was familiar with the lay of the land on account of my outpost experience, I was to lead directly toward the bridge I told you about blowing up before and get across the river, drive the Boche out ofthe trenches and hold on. Ifwe could make it, our orders were we must make it at all cost for the whole plan depended on us keeping the Germans from outflanking the other Divisions. Well, we were all ready when it got dark and we waited for the barrage. While waiting, some of the men just cracked up. They just went stark mad, some cried, others prayed. I played poker and won $80. I gave this money to a Y.M.C.A. man with a slip of paper with Dad's address. Dad got it.
My grandfather loved to play cards, every time we went to their home there would alway be a table set up with one of Grandpas games of solitaire. It doesn't surprise me one bit that he would calm his nerves before battle with a game of cards-or that he would immediately send it home to his dad. $80 then is the equivalent of around $1500 dollars today.
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Post by Beth on May 24, 2017 21:15:04 GMT
With the coming holiday I thought it would be appropriate to open a place to remember and honor our veterans, past and present. Please don't forget your own service to your country. I hope this thread goes beyond Memorial Day and other related hospital to share those veterans hanging out in family trees. Beth, Please dont think I am being picky. or that I dont appreciate your kind and noble thoughts, I appreciate them very much. However, to me Memorial Day is not a day to celebrate all veterans. It is to celebrate one certain veteran. That is the veteran that made the supreme sacrifice for his or hers country. "They gave up their tomorrows so we could have our todays" May they all rest in peace in the palm of Gods hands. Humbly Dan I want to remember them Dan, as the holiday was originally intended. I know it was established first to remember the Civil War veterans on both side of the line, but with time it has become a holiday to remember all Veterans and then even all lost family members. I know as a kid we started each Memorial Day with a trip to the cemetery with vases of lilacs, bleeding hearts, and sprays of bridal veil to place on family graves as well as hear shared memories of those who were with us no longer. It was a very sober start to a day that both fascinated me and scared the crap out of me-death is not an easy thing to wrap your head around when you are young. Of course afterwards there would be a family gathering with grilling and homemade ice cream because after all in the end isn't the ability to celebrate life with your family one of the values our service men fought and died for. Remembering our veterans and celebrating life perhaps should never been mutually exclusive from each other. When my girls were younger we didn't live near family so we would buy a dozen roses for each girl and take them out to the veteran section of the local cemetery. I would ask them to look for the forgotten veterans and lay a rose on the grave. We would discuss from the info on their headstones what war they served in and answer their questions. I hope that someday perhaps if they have kids, they will continue the tradition.
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benteen
First Lieutenant
"Once An Eagle
Posts: 406
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Post by benteen on May 24, 2017 21:45:34 GMT
Beth,
Great post, You are one fine Lady. It is a pleasure to be on this board with you.
Be Well Dan
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dave
Brigadier General
Posts: 1,679
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Post by dave on May 24, 2017 22:16:51 GMT
As a Cub Scout then Boy Scout I would go with other scouts to the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery at Point Loma to put out American Flags on the graves while I lived in San Diego. When I moved to Mississippi we went to the National Cemetery at Shiloh National Park to display flags. I must mention that the 3 Confederates buried there did not have American Flags displayed on their graves as per Park regulations I suppose.
I believe Memorial Day is a time for all citizens to reflect on the service and sacrifice of all those who have served this nation in uniform, as well as the Merchant Marine veterans, and especially those who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. Too often we take our freedoms and service personnel for granted with little if any thought given to how we have them. Regards Dave
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Post by deadwoodgultch on May 24, 2017 23:31:07 GMT
Dave, this Boy Scout will be placing those same flags on Saturday morning in Reedville, VA. This scout will be among the younger as several will be in their late 70's, 2 in their 80's, one 93 he landed on Iwo and 3 other islands. The American legion is getting old!
Regards, Tom
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