Memorial Day - Weekend

Thanks for all who served!!

This is a time for all of us to stop and think about all those who served to keep us free!!

So before you put the hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill and open that ice cold beer, thank a service person and make a donation to any of the military charity out there.

A Memorial Day Tribute with text and videos has been posted to the RMT website.

It will remain online until Tuesday, May 26th, 2015.

God Bless America.

Walter M. Matuch/RMT

www.readymadetoys.com

Never saw this picture before...Touching to those of us who have lost friends defending freedom.

Thanks for the memories of those guys.

Remember those that died for our freedoms!

A few weeks back spent the day assembling packages for the troops. With all the days off schools have, maybe they should spend one day a year going to cemeteries and clearing veterans graves. Without the draft it is astonishing how many young people do not know anyone in the service.

A friends son returned stateside from serving in Afghanistan last year and was coming home for leave so she hung a Welcome Home banner in the front yard. She said it was unbelievable how many strangers stopped by with cards and gifts for him. 

We attended the Adams Area memorial service Sunday.  It is located in the Adams Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania township park.  The memorial was dedicated the Sunday before Memorial day Sunday last year.  Veterans both living and dead were recognized from Adams Township, Mars and Valencia boroughs, and the surrounding area.  We placed an engraved stone in the walkway for my dad, who served in the Army during the Korean War, and was able to attend.  There was quite a turnout.  It would be good if every veteran was recognized in such a way.

For some of us, every day is Memorial Day. My Memorial Days are on the anniversaries of the passing of the soldiers I lost under my command.

I'll remember each of their names with my dying breath, no matter how long I live.

Our brigade will be at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on 5/25 taking part in the ceremonies there.  On May 30th--the real Memorial Day--some of us will be taking part in a living history at a cemetery in N. St. Louis bringing actual troops and politicians and other folks from the 1850s and '60s to "life" via carefully crafted impressions.

p51,

   Roger that.

PCRR/Dave

PCRR/Dave thank you for posting this. so many people forget the meaning of this day, they seem to think its a time to eat hot dogs and drink beer and forget the brave people who have given so much so that this wonderful country that we live in can continue to have the freedoms that exist.

THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE SERVED AND TO THOSE WHO GAVE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE.

5th Marine Regiment

1/5 2/5 3/5

Ladies & Gentlemen,

   Here along Pine Creek in Tioga County we have a few small Grave Yards where the Bald Eagles who fly up and down Pine Creek, land on our fallen Military Veterans Head Stones, when you witness it for real, it leaves you speechless.  Only God can arrange such an honor.

PCRR/Dave  

Thanks for posting this DAVE.  Everyday we should give thanks for those who gave their lives.  Salutations!

My Thanks to Dave for starting this.

I suspect a good many forum members are Vets.

Thank You to all who have and are serving so we may be Free.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Memorial Day is a solemn holiday for all of our veterans who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. It is with utmost respect that I offer a lasting salute to their personal sacrifice for our country and for us.

Semper Fi 

Steamer,

  Dave thanks much for the great picture, it says more than a thousand words ever could.

Especially for those of us that carry memories that make it hard to sleep at night, it truly is wonderful that we have the kind people we do here on the OGR.

God's Speed Gentlemen

PCRR/Dave

Thank-You to all the Vets who served this great land of "ours", some who made it and some who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Can't help but get a little emotional as to all who served without complaint, all the wars the United States has been in. Thanks Uncle Joe for tending the Enola Gay and thank God you made it home. Thanks Dad for being a pilot in the Army Air Corp and stationed on Guam during WW2. Didn't know that you flew three different aircraft (one being the P-40 Flying Tiger) till after you passed 12 yrs. ago and mom and I were going through your pictures and service papers. Am proud of your accomplishments and for being my dad. I salute you and miss you. God Bless You!

                                                         Your Beloved Son,

                                                                John

MartyF,

   Great picture of you and Mr Van Kirk!  Very serious memory for you.

PCRR/Dave

Jerry

Jerry,

   Thanks for the Trace Adkins Arlington Video!  Very well done indeed.

PCRR/Dave

Let's remember all of our service people who are on active duty and in harms way this weekend. Let's pray for their safe return home.

Brian, well stated.  Anytime I see any service people in airports coming home I always welcome them and thank them.   In my day, that was not the situation.  

Memorial Day 2014 I sat down with my first cup of coffee and turned on the local 5:00 AM morning news.  The first thing I saw was the graphic between the two news people proclaiming “Happy Memorial Day”.  Over the past few years, whether it is in the paper, on TV, or signs along the road, I have seen more and more of this “Happy” Memorial Day.  I reflected for a moment on how some of our traditional holidays have become nothing more for some people than a 3 day party weekend.   I guess I have always felt that Armed Forces’ Day is when we recognize those who are currently serving, Memorial Day we commemorate those who have sacrificed their lives serving our country, and Veteran’s Day is when we honor all of those who have served in the military.  Every other day of the year, we should keep these people in our hearts and prayers and thank God there are people who have raised their right hand and taken the oath to “uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic”.

It seems like some journalists just don’t get it.  To them, every holiday is the same.  They don’t understand, much less report, the difference or the significance of those holidays.  When the 5:00 PM news came on, I was sitting at the computer and watching the same station as in the morning.  The first story was about Memorial Day.  Sure enough, same graphic, ”Happy Memorial Day”.  Well that was enough.  Went to the station’s website and found their Contact Us page.  I figured the Newsroom was who I wanted to convey my message to.  In the comments sections, it was one of my more terse communications.

“Happy Memorial Day?

We observe, not celebrate Memorial Day!

Never did understand ‘Happy’ Memorial Day”

I did not receive any reply from them although my name and e-mail address were required.  I guess they got the message.  The graphic did not appear again during rest of the 5:00 PM news or on the 10:00PM news.

Larry

You were right to do that, Larry. As stated in last year's Memorial Day threads on this model trains forum, "Happy Memorial Day" is not appropriate for this day of observance.

By the way Dave, who started this thread, the picture collage in your first post is interesting. However, Actor John Wayne, as depicted wearing a Green Beret cap from the movie "The Green Berets," was not a veteran, never having served in any military branch.

May you all have a worthwhile Memorial Day Weekend.

Thank You All for your service and I am thinking of the 7 we lost over the last week. The older I get the better I understand.

There is a bit of humor in one of the posts, about the guys who served without complaint, from talking to veterans, including my dad (WWII, Europe, Third Army tank corps), complaining helped pass the time, especially about brass who didn't know anything and the common enemy, supply. Seriously, while I will and can question the reasons we put soldiers into harms way, I will never, ever have anything but respect for their service and sacrifices. 

People who this have their hearts in the right places, but generally, people in the military are ill at ease when people come up and do this. I know it's really uncomfortable when people do it to me. I don't feel I'm on the same level as men like my Uncles on my Dad's side, 3 of which fought in WW2. Or my Mom's brother, who fought in Vietnam.

I once sat at a table at a 303rd Bomb Group (B-17s, WW2) reunion and I was the only one at the table who hadn't earned a Medal of Honor or had evaded capture after being shot down. Talk about a humbling experience!

My point here is, PLEASE don't make a huge deal about someone's service. People who served, in recent years anyway, chose that lifestyle.

I was walking out of the local post office a few weeks ago and an older man (probably Nam era) got out of his car with a Medal of Honor license plate. I stopped, opened the door, and saluted in a way I think would have impressed an Arlington tomb guard. I never asked his name. He looked at me in my civvies but still with the 'right' haircut and said, "Active duty, son?"

"Former Army Captain, sir," I replied.

He smiled, patted me on the shoulder, nodded and then walked on.

Show respect, just don't make a big deal. Those of us who've served are just fine with a smile, thumbs up and moving on by.

p51, I find most appreciate being recognized, especially older Veterans.  MANY of those who are still with us proudly wear ball caps with WW2 veteran or the ship or squadron they served with proudly displayed.  If someone does not want to communicate, you will not know as nothing they have on will stand out.  Weather someone gets drafted or joined when they did not need to do so will always get my respect.  I ran into a man years ago with a Medal of Honor license plate.   A head not was given and he responded with a quiet thank you.  

What you did to the gent with the Medal of Honor plate was very proper and respectful.

Vern,

    The picture of John Wayne is not the important part of the photo I posted,

Wayne gave our SF Group that particular picture wile making the movie.

The picture of Audie Murphy on the battle field in France protecting his fallen brother and the Viet Nam wall picture, were the intended reference to Memorial Day.

Wayne told use that not serving in WWII was the biggest regret of his life, being close friends with James Arness, Lee Marvin & CPT John Ford, he tried to make up for it with the Patriotic movies he made, his movie Big Jim McLain with Arness was no joke, he believed everything in that movie.  Wayne further told us that he was only an actor, and that his close friend Major General Jimmy Stewart was in fact his hero, and he tried every day to be worthy of that friendship. 

That picture of Audie Murphy is one of my most treasured possessions.

PCRR/Dave

Dave,

I too, met John Wayne in person at the Kahala Hilton Hotel in Honolulu, June, 1972, a couple of years before I entered AOCS, Pensacola, FL.

It's just that my father, a WWII veteran (an 11th Airborne paratrooper in the Pacific), who is still with us, sort of had a hard time grasping the fact that John Wayne made a lot of money depicting war heroes (especially from WWII), yet never served in the military. "It's like he won the war all my himself," my dad used to say. And my father wasn't alone, considering most of his war buddies felt the same way.

I've known a few people who met, "The Duke" in person when they were in the military and all have told me that Wayne was in awe of almost anyone who'd served.

I know that he was on contract with Republic Picture during WW2 and they ran a lot of interference for him in regards to service. He was classified exempt for the draft due to his age and family (exemptions which were seriously laxed later in the when with the US was desperate for manpower and many previously exempt people were drafted). He could have enlisted anyway, but there's been a long standing rumor that the President of Republic threatened to sue Wayne if he signed up and voided his contract with them.

To be totally fair, he kept saying he wanted to sign up but kept putting it off until it was no longer an issues.

BTW, Wayne is one of a very few people who have been honored as an "Honorary Green Beret," for making the movie.

OK, we're a little "off topic" here. I just don't hold Hollywood actors in as high esteem as others do, I guess. 

Most all of the folks at work are vets, many are still in the guard. We lost a few this year on the job as they were still serving their country still trying to keep it safe 24/7 365 year after year being our countries gate keepers.

For all of them a big WWWHHHHHOOOOHHHHAAAA!!!!

.