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20 minutes ago, hatuffej said:

My Dad was a WWII Navy veteran in the Pacific campaigns

I would say your Dad earned the right to observe Memorial Day any way he danged well pleased! That's for sure! :Praise:

Hat, is your dad still alive today, sorry if this was covered before, just curious.

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47 minutes ago, hatuffej said:

I think it is important to realize that most people understand the significance of Memorial Day

I hope you are right, but my experience with folks around me, has not been as positive as yours Hat. I doubt it's even discussed in our public schools out here in CA anymore.

Even the interviewer with the mic gets mixed up too, he references Memorial Day as a day for veterans, but hey, not to take away from this topic, I'm just sitting here having fun tonight guys. Hope everyone has a good and memorable weekend!

 

 

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2 hours ago, hatuffej said:

but we don't make it solemn

We like to enjoy our Memorial Day Hat, my family. Yet we keep our hearts grounded as a family, simply out of respect for the fallen. We barbecue, we take a hike up in our mountains, I make a mean tri tip traditionally for this day!:D

My Dad served as Corpsman during Korea, and my Uncle was wounded on the beach in Guam WWII and died of his wounds aboard ship and buried at sea, we have his wonderful USMC picture in his dress uniform that was taken at MCRD San Diego before they all shipped out and we even have the original Western Union Telegram that his mom received 30 days after he was buried at sea.

 

Uncle Jeroid was battle hardened, he'd been through various jungle campaigns before he was wounded. We even named our son after Uncle Jeroid, Jeroid Morris. We bring the photo down from the wall, and we set it at our table for all to view on this day. It's a family tradition.

We all observe the day in our own way.

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On 5/26/2019 at 9:12 AM, hatuffej said:

 Several of my veteran buddies have told me they get so tired of all the "hero" stuff. We honor and remember them by celebrating the day.  

I couldn't have said it better than this article Hat I linked below.

 

As for me, I served, I had a job, I was a lineman in the Army, just running comm cable for our guys, I dislike the whole hero thing for folks like me. And I hate standing at events, but my family insists. I thought I would have a trade after the Army and it never panned out, at least not as a Lineman, but I wanted to get out of town and change my direction in life, I joined for me, not for country, it wasn't till I got in the Army that I had a different perspective of our Nation, fortunately it was a very positive experience for this young and lost surfer kid from So Cal, I like to say the Army saved my life, and put me on a path of positive direction for the rest of my life. My time in was relatively brief, but it changed my life.

 

I am so far detached from the military both physically and mentally, my efforts here on TPW helping our veterans and their families, fundraising, and giving, etc, and all the volunteer events my family and I attend locally for Homes For Our Troops, has nothing to do with my own service, I am coming from the perspective of a complete civilian who feels I owe them, and I owe Uncle Sam for giving me the chance to become something better than what I was, if I had not joined I'd be dead, heading in the wrong direction quickly. Again, the Army did more for me than I ever did for it, and now I am simply trying to pay it forward in a very small way, very small. And blah blah blah, here we are.

 

There are true heroes here, in our own woodworking community, but I can guarantee you, it aint me. I climbed poles and trees in Central America, helped unseat a nasty dictator, doing my part by providing communication to the ones doing the real work. And I am glad I had a part in that, something I can talk about at the dinner table and mostly make my kids laugh with my stories, believe me sliding down a wood pole with splinters facing up makes a great story to kids! A couple guys from the Infantry Battalion down the road from our barracks who I used to drink beer with never made it back, and I was saddened.

A wonderful thing happened to me while in Panama, I met my wife of 29 years, we have three kids, and it was all because of the Army.

So my part, and my experiences cannot be compared to the guys and gals doing the real work, and that is as far I go with all of that. I am truly humbled in the presence of many here in our woodworking community, you included Hat with your service in Nam and Ron Altier, and Gunny with his time in the big sandbox, and there are others here who would probably be embarrassed if I mentioned their names.

 

Not many folks know who we are here on TPW, but as a woodworking community, we try to do what we can, and you all are right there to help when called upon, for that I will be forever grateful, you are all the greatest.

 

I will never greet another person with "Happy Memorial Day". That's just me. But there is a ton of sentiment and philosophy behind that, too much to go into here.

Just know Hat, I appreciate you being here, you have chosen to spend some time here, and that is worth something. You are here, so we must be doing something right. :)

 

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“Are you in the military?” an old lady asks me while I wait in line at the store.“Yes, ma’am,” I reply.“I just wanted to say thank you...

 

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Man gives you a medal, he wants you to do for your country.  Man gives you a extra clip of ammo, he expects to see you back after the mission.  Guess which one is more important to me?

 

Had a LT that went ballistic I only wore a few ribbons.  Seems he looked in my file and saw what I was authorized to wear.  Told me those were bragging rights and needed to be on the uniform.  My answer, "Medals don't make the man."  Ticked him off.  But the regs say nothing about NOT wearing them.  :D

 

I am not a hero, merely a Marine that was assigned the task of seeking out and destroying the enemy.  Did what was asked, returned to base and waited for next mission.  Some days I do miss it though, never more alive than when you live on the razors edge.:D

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Tough subject. I’m not saying I don’t have cook outs, and plan fun activities on Memorial Day, and the weekend, I do. I also attend our little small towns parade. I attend the memorial service at the cemetery where my Father is buried. He was a veteran, status wise, but never claimed that honor. The closest he got to Korea was Japan. He had a great time in Japan, loved his time there. Veteran status to him was for the people in Korea, on the lines. He signed the dotted line, did what he was asked to do. He didn’t want to call himself a veteran, well that was his decision to make, and I understood the decision he made. I joined the USAF Reserves. I was raised that there was an expectation to  serve the US. If Mr Morris did so little, as he humbly described it, well I did 100 time’s less. We kept Chicopee Ma safe from the commies. This does not bother me. I gave them their chance to do what they wanted with me for 4 years. Thank fully they didn’t need me. I am NOT a veteran. The veterans officer for the town I work for, insisted I was, I said no, he looked it up, I am NOT a veteran. This doesn’t bother me. I have an honorable discharge, I did what I volunteered to do. If needed I would have reported. My brother was 4 years active duty 1980-84. He has veterans status, he also does not claim it. He never left the US. I saw Panama, Germany, Portuguese Azores, with the reserves, still irks him I traveled more as a weekend warrior that’s he did on active duty. I have posted the photo of my military wall that is on our living room wall. Only two people on the wall (of the 7 photos) we consider veterans. My wife’s Dad, 2 tours in Vietnam Nam as a medic, Her Grandfather-fought in the mountains of Italy during WWII (from what I heard that was kinda like Iwo, with snow). My Mom’s Uncle Eddie is not on the wall yet, I have the photo, but haven’t gotten around to hanging it yet, seems like a great thing to do tomorrow after the parade. He was a Marine on Guadalcanal. The stories about him are third hand, but in the stories he was there for the invasion and holding of the island, yeah he’s a veteran. I agree with the link that John posted. If you served it’s YOUR decision on whether you want the accolades, and honors, or not. BUT if you served you get my respect, that’s not negotiable. I am somber at the ceremony’s and parades, because that’s how I feel. I am somber at funerals and wakes, that’s my Irish Catholic upbringing.   Whether you are a veteran, firefighter, police officer, nurse, or the many other people who put themselves at risk to help people, what I’ve noticed is the one’s that I consider to be actual hero’s, want nothing to do with that label. Nothing but respect for them. 

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5 minutes ago, Artie said:

I am somber at funerals and wakes, that’s my Irish Catholic upbringing. 

Artie, all very well said, a wonderful perspective, I love reading the history of our members here when it comes to service and their family members. You know I quoted what you said about your Catholic upbringing, because now I finally know what's wrong with me! It most assuredly is a Catholic thing and obviously I'm in good company with you. :D There is an old saying I grew up with, "of course I feel guilty, I'm Catholic!". :lol:

 

Thanks for the wonderful reply to this topic.

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