Memorial Day.

[Basil]

As we enjoy family and friends this weekend, remember those who gave all - why we have this long weekend.

 

[NutmegCT]

Thanks for posting this. Memorial Day is for remembering - not for partying.
And thanks for your service.
Tom M.

 

[Basil]

Thanks for posting this. Memorial Day is for remembering - not for partying.
And thanks for your service.
Tom M.

Absolutely.

 

[NutmegCT]

I'm hoping that some of us observe a minute of silence tomorrow at 3pm (local time), to remember all those we've lost.
Tom M.

 

[Basil]

 

[AngliaGT]

Unfortunately,I have to work tomorrow.My Wife & Granddaughter
are planning on attending the service at the National D Day Memorial
in Bedford,VA.,home of the "Bedford Boys".
"All gave some,Some gave all".

 

[Basil]

We're probably going to go into the Vet's Memorial in Albuquerque.

 

[NutmegCT]

Doug - a service at the D-Day memorial would be incredibly moving I'd think. I remember visiting that memorial years ago.

This is quite a photo:

 

[Basil]

Speaking of D-Day - I'm about to watch "Ike, Countdown to D-Day." Selleck does a very believable job portraying Ike.

 

[NutmegCT]

That is a really good movie. All that Ike had on his shoulders leading up the D, and the knowledge that the secret practice run in England had been a dismal failure ... plus the "I accept total responsibility for the failure of this action" letter he had in his pocket ... just in case. Wow.

 

[Basil]

That is a really good movie. All that Ike had on his shoulders leading up the D, and the knowledge that the secret practice run in England had been a dismal failure ... plus the "I accept total responsibility for the failure of this action" letter he had in his pocket ... just in case. Wow.

The right man at the right time in history - for sure.

 

[NutmegCT]

No kidding! and the difficulties he lead us through in the 1950s ... a major international crisis at least once a year ... while he and his press secretary Jim Hagerty tried to push his image as the kindly grandfather who only played golf.

One of my favorite stories: when Ike was about to face the press about the Quemoy-Matsu crisis, his press secretary told him he might be pinned down on the use of nuclear weapons. Ike looked him straight in the eye, and said "Jim, if that does come up, I'll just do the best I can to confuse them."

OK - have a good day tomorrow.

 

[Gliderman8]

I’ve posted this before but here it is again. When I was 15 my dad took me to southern France to show me where he came up on the beach. At 15 I was not mature enough to appreciate it

 

[DrEntropy]

Unfortunately the ceremonies at our local Veterans Park were cancelled this year. A shame, really.

 

[Basil]

Good friend just sent me this. Blurry screen.

 

[NutmegCT]

That is excellent. And the President's words at the end - deserve to be heard by everyone.

Thanks for posting this.
Tom M.

 

[DrEntropy]

Good friend just sent me this. Blurry screen.

woof... Blurry screen indeed.

 

[Basil]

woof... Blurry screen indeed.

When I was a lad (about 12), we were living in Germany and one summer Dad (a WWII vet) took us on a magical history tour. Among the places we visited (Dachau, Anne Frank's house, etc) were the cemeteries at Normandy and also in Luxembourg (where Patton is Buried).

 

[Boink]

Of the many stunning/stirring/moving cemeteries and memorials I've seen in Europe is the small American Cemetery in Flanders, Belgium (WWI). It's very small and has a shocking number of markers with dates in early November 1918 (days before it all ended). This photo shows about 1/4th of it. Here's a link (better than my photo): > Flanders Field American Cemetery | American Battle Monuments Commission <
One thing I'll never forget was some of the Australian and English cemeteries... everything in nice, neat rows except the occasional out-of-place headstone; I learned those locations are the exact spots where those souls fell!

Another one is the German one... which is nothing more than a large marker which represents the remains of about 20,000 soldiers. It's about 3 miles from the photo above.

 

[Boink]

Here is/was the forward field hospital where McCrae served (and died). His famous poem is the greatest of all war-time works (“In Flanders Fields the poppies blow…”).

There’s nothing quite like the Flanders and Ypres area… such close fighting (by WW2 standards)… relics everywhere. Farmers still uncover ordinance to this day. Ypres is in the background of this shot.