Memorial Day

[Elessar]

Memorial Day, significance thereof.
It was created to honor deceased and buried service members. It was not created to honor just one faction, but to honor all.
From the U.S. Revolution clear up to the present, it honors all Veterans, living or dead.

Expanded to include honor to our Great Allies, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Poland.

Honor our Departed Vets; Respect our present Vets in spite of political differences.

Submitted with sincere Respect...Elessar...37 year USCG Vet.

[Kathianne]

https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/61175175_10111703432374638_5990495263473532928_n.j pg?_nc_cat=106&_nc_eui2=AeFXd2qi02xonQ0qY9Khvc2GbbkBcfzfFJootOODs tl_XPv2x4J-qNO6E2nD2x8-OcPQ8kxOe7dfdA3oQq5lykhosznvXEALjzEWvYJJh3z6gQ&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.xx&oh=7ed0cf8b4ed414529c7c13197c2af902&oe=5D555745

[jimnyc]

MacArthur and Patton - 2 fantastic readings here. :saluting2:

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Gen. Douglas MacArthur: "Duty, Honor, Country!"

Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur (d.1964), who was the Supreme Allied Commander in the Pacific during World War II, and who was in charge of the surrender and post-war occupation of Japan, was relieved of his command in April 1951 by Democratic President Harry S. Truman.

In accepting the Sylvanus Thayer Award on May 12, 1962 at West Point, the five-star general explained the necessity of adhering to "a great moral code -- the code of conduct and chivalry of those who guard this beloved land." This code, he repeatedly noted, could be discerned in three words, "Duty, Honor, Country." Presented here is Gen. MacArthur's complete speech -- audio and text -- from May 12, 1962.

General Westmoreland, General Grove, distinguished guests, and gentlemen of the Corps!

As I was leaving the hotel this morning, a doorman asked me, "Where are you bound for, General?" And when I replied, "West Point," he remarked, "Beautiful place. Have you ever been there before?"

No human being could fail to be deeply moved by such a tribute as this [Thayer Award]. Coming from a profession I have served so long, and a people I have loved so well, it fills me with an emotion I cannot express. But this award is not intended primarily to honor a personality, but to symbolize a great moral code -- the code of conduct and chivalry of those who guard this beloved land of culture and ancient descent. That is the animation of this medallion. For all eyes and for all time, it is an expression of the ethics of the American soldier. That I should be integrated in this way with so noble an ideal arouses a sense of pride and yet of humility which will be with me always.

Duty, Honor, Country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying points: to build courage when courage seems to fail; to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith; to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.

Unhappily, I possess neither that eloquence of diction, that poetry of imagination, nor that brilliance of metaphor to tell you all that they mean.

The unbelievers will say they are but words, but a slogan, but a flamboyant phrase. Every pedant, every demagogue, every cynic, every hypocrite, every troublemaker, and I am sorry to say, some others of an entirely different character, will try to downgrade them even to the extent of mockery and ridicule.

But these are some of the things they do: They build your basic character. They mold you for your future roles as the custodians of the nation's defense. They make you strong enough to know when you are weak, and brave enough to face yourself when you are afraid. They teach you to be proud and unbending in honest failure, but humble and gentle in success; not to substitute words for actions, not to seek the path of comfort, but to face the stress and spur of difficulty and challenge; to learn to stand up in the storm but to have compassion on those who fall; to master yourself before you seek to master others; to have a heart that is clean, a goal that is high; to learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; to reach into the future yet never neglect the past; to be serious yet never to take yourself too seriously; to be modest so that you will remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength. They give you a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions, a freshness of the deep springs of life, a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, of an appetite for adventure over love of ease. They create in your heart the sense of wonder, the unfailing hope of what next, and the joy and inspiration of life. They teach you in this way to be an officer and a gentleman.

And what sort of soldiers are those you are to lead? Are they reliable? Are they brave? Are they capable of victory? Their story is known to all of you. It is the story of the American man-at-arms. My estimate of him was formed on the battlefield many, many years ago, and has never changed. I regarded him then as I regard him now -- as one of the world's noblest figures, not only as one of the finest military characters, but also as one of the most stainless. His name and fame are the birthright of every American citizen. In his youth and strength, his love and loyalty, he gave all that mortality can give.

Rest - https://www.cnsnews.com/blog/cnsnewscom-staff/gen-douglas-macarthur-duty-honor-country


Patton: ‘The Very Idea of Losing is Hateful to an American’

Editor’s note: Gen. George S. Patton Jr. (1885 – 1945) gave the speech below to the soldiers of the U.S. Third Army on June 5, 1944, one day before the Normandy invasion, D-Day. The speech -- portions of which were delivered by the actor George C. Scott in the 1970 movie “Patton” – is presented below in its entirety. WARNING: Some of the language is profane; a few colorful expressions were excised and marked with asterix.

Gen. George S. Patton Jr.:

Be seated. Men, this stuff that some sources sling around about America wanting out of this war, not wanting to fight, is a crock of bullshit. Americans love to fight, traditionally. All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle.

You are here today for three reasons. First, because you are here to defend your homes and your loved ones. Second, you are here for your own self-respect, because you would not want to be anywhere else. Third, you are here because you are real men and all real men like to fight.

When you, here, every one of you, were kids, you all admired the champion marble player, the fastest runner, the toughest boxer, the big league ball players, and the All-American football players.

Americans love a winner. Americans will not tolerate a loser. Americans despise cowards. Americans play to win all of the time. I wouldn't give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That's why Americans have never lost nor will ever lose a war; for the very idea of losing is hateful to an American.

You are not all going to die [in the battle]. Only two percent of you right here today would die in a major battle. Death must not be feared. Death, in time, comes to all men. Yes, every man is scared in his first battle. If he says he's not, he's a liar.

Some men are cowards but they fight the same as the brave men or they get the hell slammed out of them watching men fight who are just as scared as they are. The real hero is the man who fights even though he is scared. Some men get over their fright in a minute under fire. For some, it takes an hour. For some, it takes days.

But a real man will never let his fear of death overpower his honor, his sense of duty to his country, and his innate manhood. Battle is the most magnificent competition in which a human being can indulge. It brings out all that is best and it removes all that is base. Americans pride themselves on being He Men and they are He Men. Remember that the enemy is just as frightened as you are, and probably more so. They are not supermen.

All through your Army careers, you men have bitched about what you call ‘chicken s*** drilling.’ That, like everything else in this Army, has a definite purpose. That purpose is alertness. Alertness must be bred into every soldier. I don't give a f*** for a man who's not always on his toes.

You men are veterans or you wouldn't be here. You are ready for what's to come. A man must be alert at all times if he expects to stay alive. If you're not alert, sometime, a German son-of-a-bitch is going to sneak up behind you and beat you to death with a sockful of s***!

There are 400 neatly marked graves somewhere in Sicily -- all because one man went to sleep on the job.

But they are German graves, because we caught the bastard asleep before they did.

An Army is a team. It lives, sleeps, eats, and fights as a team. This individual heroic stuff is pure horse shit. The bilious bastards who write that kind of stuff for the Saturday Evening Post don't know any more about real fighting under fire than they know about f******!"

We have the finest food, the finest equipment, the best spirit, and the best men in the world. Why, by God, I actually pity those poor sons-of-bitches we're going up against. By God, I do.

My men don't surrender. I don't want to hear of any soldier under my command being captured unless he has been hit. Even if you are hit, you can still fight back. That's not just bullshit either.

The kind of man that I want in my command is just like the lieutenant in Libya, who, with a Luger against his chest, jerked off his helmet, swept the gun aside with one hand, and busted the hell out of the Kraut with his helmet. Then he jumped on the gun and went out and killed another German before they knew what the hell was coming off. And, all of that time, this man had a bullet through a lung. There was a real man!

Rest - https://www.cnsnews.com/mrctv-blog/michael-w-chapman/patton-very-idea-losing-hateful-american

[jimnyc]

While sports is just sports... every now and again a player comes along that the entire league can be proud of. I'm elated that he's a proud Steeler! Oh, and while OT... I'd want him by my side, whether in battle or in football - the man is 6'9 and 320lbs!!

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Steelers player and former Army Ranger Alejandro Villanueva's memorial day video

Pittsburgh Steelers lineman Alejandro Villanueva has a powerful video for Memorial Day.

SportsCenter tweeted out a video of Villanueva, who served as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan, and it’s incredible.

With shots of Arlington National Cemetery and much more, the former soldier said, “To me, Memorial Day is about all of them” as he discusses the men and women who never made it back home alive.

Watch the awesome video below. You might find yourself getting a little emotional.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqPila1GIh4

If you haven’t read about Villanueva’s story, I highly suggest that you do. It’s an incredible story to hear. He graduated from West Point, did multiple tours, earned a bronze star due to his actions in a firefight, went on to play in the NFL and went viral when he stood for the anthem as other players remained in the locker room.

If there’s one man young men should look to as an example of a fulfilled life, it’s the Steelers lineman.

There aren’t many people talented enough to play in the NFL, and there’s even fewer people capable of playing in the NFL as a West Point graduate who fought in Afghanistan.

He’s one hell of a dude, and the video above might be one of the best things you see all day. A major thanks to Villanueva for his incredible service and the shining example he is of American exceptionalism.

Villanueva and his video for Memorial Day represent everything that’s great about this country.

https://dailycaller.com/2019/05/27/steelers-alejandro-villanueva-memorial-day-video/

[jimnyc]

'Decorating the graves of comrades': Memorial Day celebrated more than 150 years ago

Memorial Day was first observed more than 150 years ago to honor Civil War soldiers, but it did not become an official holiday until 1971.

It was initially known as Decoration Day and first widely celebrated on May 30, 1868, according to PBS.

“The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land,” Gen. John Logan, leader of a northern Northern Civil War veterans group said, History reported.

Nearly 5,000 people helped decorate the graves of more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., during the first Decoration Day, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Some believe the May 30 date was chosen because flowers would be in season around the nation.

There has been some controversy over the official origins of Memorial Day, with nearly 25 locations having some sort of connection with the beginning of the holiday.

President Lyndon Johnson and Congress named Waterloo, New York, as the official birthplace of Memorial Day in 1966, however. Waterloo reportedly held a ceremony on May 5, 1866, honoring local Civil War veterans. Residents flew flags at half-staff and stores were closed.

Following World War I, the holiday began commemorating all of those who died in service during American wars.

Several southern states also hold Confederate observances in addition to Memorial Day.

Americans are encouraged to give a moment of silence at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day to honor fallen soldiers.

https://dailycaller.com/2019/05/27/memorial-day-official-holiday/

[Elessar]

While sports is just sports... every now and again a player comes along that the entire league can be proud of. I'm elated that he's a proud Steeler! Oh, and while OT... I'd want him by my side, whether in battle or in football - the man is 6'9 and 320lbs!!

---

Steelers player and former Army Ranger Alejandro Villanueva's memorial day video

Pittsburgh Steelers lineman Alejandro Villanueva has a powerful video for Memorial Day.

SportsCenter tweeted out a video of Villanueva, who served as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan, and it’s incredible.

With shots of Arlington National Cemetery and much more, the former soldier said, “To me, Memorial Day is about all of them” as he discusses the men and women who never made it back home alive.

Watch the awesome video below. You might find yourself getting a little emotional.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqPila1GIh4

If you haven’t read about Villanueva’s story, I highly suggest that you do. It’s an incredible story to hear. He graduated from West Point, did multiple tours, earned a bronze star due to his actions in a firefight, went on to play in the NFL and went viral when he stood for the anthem as other players remained in the locker room.

If there’s one man young men should look to as an example of a fulfilled life, it’s the Steelers lineman.

There aren’t many people talented enough to play in the NFL, and there’s even fewer people capable of playing in the NFL as a West Point graduate who fought in Afghanistan.

He’s one hell of a dude, and the video above might be one of the best things you see all day. A major thanks to Villanueva for his incredible service and the shining example he is of American exceptionalism.

Villanueva and his video for Memorial Day represent everything that’s great about this country.

https://dailycaller.com/2019/05/27/steelers-alejandro-villanueva-memorial-day-video/

I played college football with Viet Nam Vets.

One was a huge defensive end, 6'5 and 270+ pounds and not an ounce of fat on him, strong and quick.
But he had a steel plate in his skull due to war injury and could not bear the roughness of the game,
so he became our equipment manager.

Another was our center and kicker. He left 3 fingers on his snapping hand and all of his toes from his
kicking foot - as he said "In a rice paddy in 'Nam". Tough as hell!

The other was our middle linebacker that had a mean streak when he put on the helmet, but had his
vision impaired in 'Nam'. Good against the run, tough as all hell, but could not see the ball!:laugh:

[Elessar]

https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/61175175_10111703432374638_5990495263473532928_n.j pg?_nc_cat=106&_nc_eui2=AeFXd2qi02xonQ0qY9Khvc2GbbkBcfzfFJootOODs tl_XPv2x4J-qNO6E2nD2x8-OcPQ8kxOe7dfdA3oQq5lykhosznvXEALjzEWvYJJh3z6gQ&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.xx&oh=7ed0cf8b4ed414529c7c13197c2af902&oe=5D555745

M'Lady, people that care will correctly and respectfully mix the two!

[Elessar]

New ballad and very moving:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZNOOgkkPtA&feature=youtu.be

[LongTermGuy]

Sam Elliott pays tribute to SGT Ray `Lambert on the 2019 National Memorial Day Concert`


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=41&v=MdzWRdZgan0

[Elessar]

https://www.foxnews.com/

Nothing can be said about this!

[Kathianne]

M'Lady, people that care will correctly and respectfully mix the two!

Thank you for the respect and thank you for your service. So there is no difference between the two, correctly?

[Kathianne]

https://www.foxnews.com/

Nothing can be said about this!

Do you have the url for what you were looking at? This only takes me to the main site of FOX.

[Kathianne]

The VA (https://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/memday/) has this:


Memorial DayTHE MUFFLED drum's sad roll has beat The soldier's last tattoo; No more on Life's parade shall meet That brave and fallen few. On Fame's eternal camping-ground 5 Their silent tents are spread, And Glory guards, with solemn round, The bivouac of the dead.
Bivouac Of The Dead (http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/history/bivouac.asp), by Theodore O'Hara
Memorial Day, which is observed on the last Monday of May, commemorates the men and women who died while in the military service. In observance of the holiday, many people visit cemeteries and memorials, and volunteers often place American flags on each grave site at national cemeteries. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time.
Memorial Day Resources

History of Memorial Day (https://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/memday/history.asp)
Memorial Day Order (http://www.cem.va.gov/history/memdayorder.asp)
National Cemetery Administration (http://www.cem.va.gov/)
National and State Veterans Cemeteries (https://www.cem.va.gov/cem/cems/listcem.asp)
Arlington National Cemetery (http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/)
Displaying the Flag at Half-staff (https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/celebrate/halfstaff.pdf)
General Flag Display Guidelines (https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/celebrate/flagdisplay.pdf)
Folding the Flag (https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/celebrate/flagfold.pdf)
Poppy Flower (https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/celebrate/flower.pdf)
Taps (https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/celebrate/taps.pdf)



Now Veterans' Day had been 'Armistice Day' in honor of those from WWI. Eisenhower changed that to Veterans' Day, to honor all that served, living or dead. However, it along with July 4th, continue to be celebrated on the date, not the 1st Monday.

https://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp