Memorial Day 2012 in the United States - What's it about?

In America we have a National Holiday each year in May to honor the soldiers/military personnel who have given their life in service to the United States. It's called Memorial Day and prades are held all over the country in most every small town to large city, graves in graveyards throughout the land are marked and honored by groups and individuals, and people reflect on the sacrifices and the blessings of liberty.




The blessing of having a Constitutional Republic based on liberty, meaninng the right for people to be free and act out of their own free conscience in any way they chose to improve themselves as long as they do not infringe or step on the rights of other people trying to do the same. That is what America and her Constitution are really about, and Americans believe that the rights to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to personally defend themselves from either criminals or invaders through owning their own firearms, the right to a fair trial judged by a jury of their own peers, etc. and many more, are all unalienable and endowed on mankind by God in Heaven and have been established in law in the US Constitution. These soldiers take an opath to that Constitution, not to an individual leader or personality.


During the day, a major memorial service is held at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where the President places a wreath and usually gives a short speech.





The United States is, of course not perfect, but these are the ideals Americans believe in and fight and die for when they are threatened or attacked, or, at times,in other places in the world where our friends and allies are similarly threatened.

So, on this Memorial Day 2012.

So, I thought I would start a thread where anyone can list and tell a short story about someone they know or was related to them, who was killed in service to these ideals, to liberty and feedom of conscience. Please feel free to do so on this thread.

For us, today in our home, we are remebering my Uncle Al, who died in World War II, in 1944 over Belgium, when his B-17, which he was the bombardier, and on his second to last mission, was hit by Germann 88mm flak and exploded. My Mom's older & only brother, my grandparent Spacil's only son. God bless them all for their sacrifice.



Uncle Al, I can't wait to see you, above after this life, and thank you myself, shake your hand, and hug you for your life that you gave on our behalf.

We will also be visiting the Verterans Memorial Cemetary in Boise, Idaho, today.



A blessed Memorial Day to all!

Thank you Jeff. Thank you so much for voicing how you feel about the USA.

All of my Uncles served and survived WWII. My grandfather on my dad's side served in the US Army twice..in the Spanish American War and WWI . He survived both wars without a scratch...he also worked as a civilian to help build the Panama Canal.

We had a neighbor that was killed in Vietnam in 1965. I cannot remember his name. My oldest son was on the same track team at San Diego High as Seaman Recruit Lakiba Nicole Palmer. She was eating on the messdecks when the attack occurred.. she never had a chance.

bd popeye said:

Thank you Jeff. Thank you so much for voicing how you feel about the USA.

All of my Uncles served and survived WWII. My grandfather on my dad's side served in the US Army twice..in the Spanish American War and WWI . He survived both wars without a scratch...he also worked as a civilian to help build the Panama Canal.

We had a neighbor that was killed in Vietnam in 1965. I cannot remember his name. My oldest son was on the same track team at San Diego High as Seaman Recruit Lakiba Nicole Palmer. She was eating on the messdecks when the attack occurred.. she never had a chance.

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My Dad was a US Navy combat officer in the PTO. He was the CO of a Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) carrying about 150 Marines to shore on hostile beaches. He came up through the Philipines with the MacAuthur group.

He joined in early 43 when he was 17 and shipped out in late 43. Came home in 46.

My only blood uncle (my Mom's brother) was killed, as I said above, over Europe in a B-17.

All of my in-law uncles and several of my great uncles all served in that war. Uncle Barney was a Marine in the 3nd wave on Tarawa, and he later also fought in Korea. My Unncle Joe was in the Army Air Corps but in the southern European area, coming up through Italy. My great Uncle, Uncle Austin, was a physician aboard a US Navy hospital ship. He and my dad, by chance met up in Peleliu harbor. My Dad recognized his ship and took a launch over to it. This was in late 44 or early 45. They ended up having about 30 minutes together before my Dad's flotilla sailed. They talked about that meeting the rest of both of their lives.

Those in the mess on the Cole never had a chance. Amazing testimony to the hard work and battle damage and fire control that they saved the vessel and she lived to sail again and serve with distinction during the last 10 years, helping take the battle back to the enemies who attacked her. May Palmer and all those lost Rest in Peace.

On a side note, with all the talk about US Iowa class battleships and there museum status, though two are ny law (Act of Congress) supposed to be maintained in a readiness state so they could be called back if necessary...if the bomb that almost sunk the Cole had gone off next to an Iowa class, it would barely have dented the surface of that armor belt. Amazing vessels.

God bless 'em all. God bless everyopne that serves and sacrifices that others may know the blessings of true freedom and liberty...particularly in the USA.