We’ll start with a soundtrack from Trace Adkins.
Pray with me.
God bless the ones who served and gave their all.
God bless the ones who serve our country still.
God guard them and protect them else they fall,
And bring them safely home if it’s His will.
So we pray… Amen
Memorial Day History
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women’s groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, “Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping” by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication “To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead” (Source: Duke University’s Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it’s difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860’s tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.
Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery
From 2007, but worth revisiting.
After spending much of the last six years covering the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, I felt like I needed to visit Arlington National Cemetery this Memorial Day weekend. I felt like I owed it some time.
I went with my family – my pregnant wife and my young daughter. Separately and together, my wife and I have covered a lot of heart-wrenching stories around the world, but Section 60 was unlike any place we had been.
Links
Memorial Day
Today we honor those men and women who went into our nation’s service and never returned. It originally began as Decoration Day shortly after the Civil War. Its specific origins have been disputed; some say it started in Waterloo, New York, while others credit freed slaves in Charleston, South Carolina. Both traditions combined into a national day of remembrance within a generation, but oddly …
by Ed Morrissey
Memorial Day:A Day Of Honor And A National Moment Of Remembra…
As I’ve gotten older, my appreciation for this day has grown immensely, as has my education of its history. Originally declared ‘Decoration Day,’ there is some dispute as to when it was first observed. Some say women’s groups in the South were decorating the graves of Confederate soldiers before the end of the War Between The States, as evidenced by the following song. Kneel Where Our Loves A…
by no2liberals
Memorial Day 2009: Remember the Families
Our friend Mike at Cop the Truth is the most faithful follower of losses of airborne troopers of any person on the Internet. The Captain’s Journal has tried to be the same for Marines. Not openly, mind you, but silently and discretely. Beginning in 2005 and going through the present, whenever a Marine was killed in the Anbar Province in Iraq (and now beginning in Afghanistan), I have tried to m
by Herschel Smith
Memorial Day v. Veterans Day
I’ve seen a few gripes on Twitter and elsewhere about President Obama and others seeming not to understand the difference between Memorial Day, which is set aside to honor those who died in combat, and Veterans Day, which honors those who served in the military. This has long been a pet peeve of mine but the […]
by James Joyner
Memorial Day 2009
This video was created by Larry Crawford of Collierville, TN. and uploaded to YouTube by the Grouch at Right Truth. My Memorial Day Message hereGod Bless Them Every One!
by Debbie
Happy Memorial Day 2009
This Memorial Day, Heritage honors those who serve in the United States Armed Forces, their families, and all military retirees and veterans. From the battlefields of the Civil War–after which the first Memorial Day was observed–to the Forest of Argonne, the beaches of Normandy, the islands of the Pacific, the Chosin Reservoir, the jungles of Vietnam, the deserts of Iraq, the mountains of Afghanis
by Mackenzie Eaglen
The final two entries demonstrate that even the left now celebrates those who have fallen, now that the left’s manchild is in the Oval Office. I’m glad they finally came around.
Paul Rieckhoff: This Memorial Day, Honor the Fallen
Your weekend newspaper—assuming your town still has one—will be stuffed with pages of glossy advertisements for holiday sales. Your local TV news will do a story on the folks waiting in line in the dark for your local mall to open its doors. All weekend, people will be firing up their grills or spending a day at the beach. Nothing’s wrong with enjoying your three-day weekend. But I worry that[…]
by Paul Rieckhoff
Memorial Day Roll Call Honors 148,000 Veterans
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Abts, Richard. Adamski, Walter. Ahlman, Enoch. The names are whisked away by the hot, gusting wind as soon as they are spoken, forgotten in the stream of the next name and the next name and the next name. Fuller, Addison. Fuller, Mary. Furlong, John. The story of America could be told through these names, tales of bravery and hesitation, of dreams achieved or deferred[…]
by The Huffington Post News Editors
UPDATES:
Lost Heroes of the War on Terror: Gallant Deeds and Untold Tales
Despite taking place in the Information Age, very few of the heroic exploits of American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines since September 11, 2001, have made their way into the living rooms of ordinary Americans — at least in any lasting way.
by Jeff Emmanuel
To you from failing hands we throw the torch
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow Between the crosses row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torc[…]
from The Jawa Report
Remembering
Today is a rather unusual Memorial Day, in that as we remember those who have fallen to preserve the American Republic, the new President is proceeding for the most part according to the assumption that conflicts never need to be solved with wars. All we need to do is understand each other a little better, show the opposition a willingness to give, to compromise, build a few schools, teach our c[…]
from Jihad Watch
Memorial Day 2009
John McCain grew up the son and grandson of bona fide war heroes. In Faith of My Fathers (written with Mark Salter), McCain reveals that each had a rebellious streak and a skeleton or two in the closet. McCain notes that in the closing days of World War II his grandfather was relieved of his command. Although his father suffered no such professional disgrace, McCain reveals that he was an alcoholic.
There was never any question that McCain would follow in the footsteps of his illustrious forebears. In his memoir, McCain powerfully conveys the suffocating sense of a preordained life. McCain acts out his resentment at the Naval Academy, barely escaping expulsion while graduating fifth from the bottom of his class. His father, however, was untroubled: “I believe he assumed that, like him, I would be absorbed into the traditions of the place whether I wished to or not, and that when the time arrived for me to face a real test of character, I would not disappoint him.”
by Scott Johnson at Power Line
Technorati Tags: Memorial Day, Patriotism, Military, Good Stuff
Beaglescout 
Section Sixty
The Saddest Acre In America
Men and Women buried here
Who gave their all for you and me
In Iraq and Afghanistan
So that, others, might be Free.
Row after row of headstones
Where friends and families grieve
They pay respects and say a prayer
There’s some, don’t want to leave.
Some will place a memento
For their Hero, neath the ground
And far too often, during the day
Hearing “Taps”, a mournful sound.
The white stones bear their Name
Rank and Branch and conflict Served
The dates of Birth and Death
And the Citations, they deserved.
Maybe, a symbol for their Faith
Something, etched above their name
But no matter what, their beliefs
They’re all treated just the same.
Once, Comrades in Battle
And now, resting neath that stone
Forever with, those other Heroes
So, they will never be alone.
Section Sixty, just a small part
Of this sacred, hallowed ground
But, each plot a special place
Where, a Hero may be found.
They all are in good company
Two hundred sixty thousand souls
Buried here at Arlington
Some young, with unfulfilled life goals.
All Served our Country selflessly
And they all deserve our praise
We should, remember them and thank them
Not just, only on, these holidays.
Del “Abe” Jones
05.23.2009
GOLD STAR MOTHERS
Started with a group of twenty-five
In the year of twenty-eight
By those who’d lost a Son or Daughter
From the wartime’s cruel fate.
When the Blue Star on the Service Flag
Was replaced with one of Gold
Everybody knew a Mother grieved
With a loss from that household.
“Out of tragedy, we were formed”
And, “Out of love we continue.”
This legacy of Gold Star Mothers
With the heartache, that they knew.
They use the memories and love
Of those who gave their all
To help those other Veterans
Who answered our Nation’s call.
It’s so sad, they still exist
And most likely always will
As long as, we go to war
There’s a need they must fulfill.
Del “Abe” Jones
10-04-2003
Their observance day is the last Sunday in September.
GOLD STAR FAMILIES
There’s too many Gold Star Families
Their numbers growing every day
Too much to ask those loved ones
Such a terrible price they pay.
All will say they are very proud
That their loved one knew the cost
That in the horrors of Wartime
Precious lives are sometimes lost.
But the death of a brave Hero
In the Service of this Land
Dying for some other country
Is oft times, hard to understand.
“In the name of Freedom!”
“For the good of fellow man!”
“To put an end to oppression!”
Or, sometimes some other plan!
There have always been those Souls
Who will rally to the battle’s call
Who will bear those deadly arms
Who will march and sometimes fall.
Some will just bear the wounds
Though, not always clear to see
Some will never return the same
As the people, they used to be.
But the ones who have that void
Of that hole in heart and mind
They are the greatest Heroes
That we can ever hope to find.
Maybe one day in our future
Peace will be the way we’ll live
But until then we’ll have those
Who give all they have to give.
Gold Star Families stand in front
And shed their tears of loss and pain
And as long as Man goes to War
We’ll see them time and time, again.
Del “Abe” Jones
8-22-2006
Those are beautiful. Thanks for honoring me by leaving them here, as you honor our fallen warriors by writing them.
Glad you liked them.
A couple more >
A Different Memorial Day
Almost forty-three hundred killed
Since we invaded in two thousand three
Thirty two thousand plus, wounded
But maybe, with an end in sight, to see.
There’s so many hurting families
Whose lives have changed forever more
Sons and Daughters who lost Parents
To the cruel, ravages of war.
Since our Country was founded
One and one quarter million lost
In all of those many battles fought
It’s sad, what our Freedom has cost.
We have this one day to Honor them
All of those Heroes who gave their all
Who rallied ’round our Countries Flag
As they answered, our Nations call.
War has always been the human way
(You would think we had more sense)
Sometimes used for man’s aggression
And sometimes used for his defense.
If we ever hope to have a future
On this small planet where we live
We must all learn to live together
And find more compassion to give.
We build those monuments to war
And for all of those who died
Someday, we could build some for Peace
If we, really, truly tried.
But, looks like there’s not much hope
Unless we change our minds and ways
And we’ll always mourn more lost
On too many, Memorial Days.
Del “Abe” Jones
05.20.2009
Older pieces
Another Memorial Day
Taps play mournfully o’er the grave
Loved ones bow their heads and weep
The Flag folded, casket lowered down
And the Hero, laid to endless sleep.
This scene played out too many times
With all the sadness and the pain
As War torn hearts ache with the loss
It happens, time and time again.
All people should attend a Service
To see the Honor Guard in dress attire
To hear the bugler play that sad tune
And to be startled, when the rifles fire.
A small tribute to those who gave all
The true Patriots of our great Land
To face the horrors of the battlefield
Where sometimes, Freedom makes its stand.
War seems to be the only way, we humans
Know, to change what we don’t like
It seems; peaceful times are short lived
Before there’s another military strike.
The military/industrial complex wins
No matter, if war is won or lost
And the New World Order thirst for power
Uncaring, what their selfish goals may cost.
Maybe one day, we can live together
And learn to respect those different ways
Before we destroy ourselves and Earth
And end the terrible price the Soldier pays.
But until that day finally comes, if ever
And our Brave, no longer have to die
We must Honor their ultimate sacrifice
Even as we wait and ponder, “Why?”
And instead of just a day off work
To enjoy the pleasures of our Country
Just remember what this day is for
To Honor those who gave all, for you and me.
Del “Abe” Jones
5.20.2008
A National Moment of Remembrance
On Memorial Day
That poem about where “poppies blow”
And, “the crosses, row on row”
Still rings true, these ninety years
After written, still brings tears.
We still have Dead, “amid the guns”
And lose our young and our loved ones
Those who lived, “short days ago”
Who, “felt dawn, saw sunset glow”.
In Flanders Fields, “the poppy red”
Still grow near where the blood was bled
They, “Take up our quarrel with the foe”
And still die for Freedoms that we know.
They pass, “The torch” to, “hold it high”
And not, “break the faith with us who die”
For they, “shall not sleep, though poppies grow”
Beneath all those, “crosses, row on row”
In Flanders Fields.
Del “Abe” Jones
Memorial Day
A time for picnics, time off work
Vacations and the “Indy”
A holiday, too often times
We forget what, it should be.
A time to pay respect to those
Who rallied to the battle cry
Who gave their lives for liberty
Those freedoms for you and I.
Such a waste of brave young souls
Some still struggling through their youth
Who faced and fell willingly
Before wartime’s awful truth.
So as we share this holiday
With our friends or family
Take a moment to give thanks to
Those who died so we’d stay free.
Let us strive for world peace
For the end of greed and hate
For next time, after “the war”
It surely, just could be too late.
Del “Abe” Jones
Freedoms’ Memorial
This day is set aside
to honor those
who took the chance to die.
But they have died in vain
if we ever forget
the reason why.
Freedom can be like time
slipping away
before we even know.
But we all have the choice
more, a duty
to battle freedoms’ foe.
Let us give thanks this day
to all those brave
who paid the highest cost.
Not take it for granted
and realize
it easily could be lost.
Del “Abe” Jones