Memorial Day

[ccather]

Thank you to those who gave the last full measure in service to us.

 

[M118LR]

To all the Gold & Blue Star families, please forgive US for not behaving like everyday is Memorial Day. Your families sacrifice shall not be forgotten. Thank Y'all.

 

[Jpyritz]

Our brotherhood is etched in stone
This unbeaten path we walk is never alone
And through the trails of terror
There is no obstacle we won't fear
Because we are unbroken
Unbroken
I would die for you
And you would give your life for me
The very sense of being.... free
Can we revisit the times of past
As if I wish they would never fade and always last
For no demon, real or in mind, could ever challenge the courage of brotherhood... tested in time
So maybe walk in the memory of those who forever hold the burden of our freedoms
And I
promise to never let your memory die
because I'm free in it
And you are always with me
and never forgotten—Mat Best/Black rifle coffee

 

[SAWMAN]

My flag is flying at half staff. How about yours ??
It was very slowly lowered at 0800. It will go back to full staff at 1200.
Everybody on this forum flys an American Flag all year . . RIGHT ???
This for every service member that signed up,was wounded,died,was KIA,MIA,or a POW. And I know them all.
Special salute to my father (Purple Heart),and my father in law (Purple HeartX2 and Bronze StarX2). --- SAWMAN

 

[SAWMAN]

Raised briskly to full staff at noon.
People that do not display the American flag all year should be ashamed of themselves. PERIOD !! --- SAWMAN

 

[M118LR]

Ain't to worried about flying the American Flag everyday, but I dang sure still snap to attention when one is being raised or lowered.

 

[SAWMAN]

If that is convenient for you,and you do not feel the obligation as an American . . . good for you. --- SAWMAN

 

[USAF Sarge]

My flag is flying at half staff. How about yours ??
It was very slowly lowered at 0800. It will go back to full staff at 1200.
Everybody on this forum flys an American Flag all year . . RIGHT ???
This for every service member that signed up,was wounded,died,was KIA,MIA,or a POW. And I know them all.
Special salute to my father (Purple Heart),and my father in law (Purple HeartX2 and Bronze StarX2). --- SAWMAN

Mine flies 24/7/365, I dropped mine to half mast at 2400 and raised it back to full staff at 1200.

Here's the setup I have, more pictures towards the bottom.

Flagpole Maintenance

Spent the last two days doing flagpole maintenance. About 6 plus years ago, CINC Household poured an 8 inch thick pad around the flagpole. As the cement was setting up, she etched/pressed the old style Air Corp National Insignia into it. After it was all dried and cured, she painted it, we ran...

www.gulfcoastgunforum.com

 

[M118LR]

If that is convenient for you,and you do not feel the obligation as an American . . . good for you. --- SAWMAN

Convenient for me, not expectorant for others, How am I expected to express the despair of the families that have sacrificed on my & your behave! How am I to voice such regret! Tell me that I shall have such a feeling. If that debt of Honor can be assumed by flag waving, wave away American. But somehow I feel that this is hollow Flag Waving.Tomorrow when you put the Flag away, then you can display your commitment to duty. It shall be anonymous should you anxiously act on it! JMHO.

Actions are far greater than words!

Deeds done are of marked review. Things spoken are of much less conscience! JMHO

 

[Jpyritz]

Convenient for me, not expectorant for others, How am I expected to express the despair of the families that have sacrificed on my & your behave! How am I to voice such regret! Tell me that I shall have such a feeling. If that debt of Honor can be assumed by flag waving, wave away American. But somehow I feel that this is hollow Flag Waving.Tomorrow when you put the Flag away, then you can display your commitment to duty. It shall be anonymous should you anxiously act on it! JMHO.

Actions are far greater than words!

Deeds done are of marked review. Things spoken are of much less conscience! JMHO

Huh? What? I would comment more on this but, all I have for now is spell check is your friend! And if I’m reading this right, your not going to make very many friends around here.

 

[wildrider666]

On Sat, I participated in a Memorial Ruck and Litter March with some of the active duty Instructors from the Dive School. They are a fine representation of Marine, Navy and Army Warriors. "Load" was up to the individual. I loaded up a belt/H-Harness, put a flak vest in an Alice Pack and called it good enough. They had a weighted rescue dummy and a boom box strapped on the Litter.

I only knew the Marine that invited me. Got a warm welcome and in minutes anyone listening would have thought we we did a few tours together. I had 40+ years on those fine men but the bonds of Service and camaraderie are timeless. Stepped off @ 0730 with military punctuality and several loud Rebuffs for a straggler pulling into the lot (he caught up but caught more crap after his effort. (Lol). After the first Bearer swap out, one guy came up and wispered "You don't need to carry the Litter, we got this." Hmmm, they're looking out for Da OG. Told him thanks.

We were well recieved by the public all along the route. Honking, yelling, waves and even a few salutes. Past the 4 mile mark, I still felt good and knew I had it in the bag. Like they say: better dead than look bad, I cut in and took spot on the Litter. The Litter was a bitch! I know full well they called the next swap out early, giving me a graceful relief (Lol. We soon hit the beach sand for the final 100 yards and were motivated by the ladies who had set up canopies with coolers of beverages and sandwiches. A dip in the Gulf and volleyball rounded out the great event.

 

[SAWMAN]

Great for you to participate in this event. Although I cannot do this stuff anymore,I participated in similar stuff when I first moved down here until about 8 years ago. I had a recommendation from a friends son that was a Major at Ft. Rudder on Eglin.
It all started when I was hunting there and gave several guys going through training some water on RR211 one afternoon after the hunt. Offered them a ride down about 7 miles but they refused. Water was good enough. I gave them all I had which was about 2 1/2 gallons.
It is simply amazing the comraudery that surfaces between forces when in need . . OR . . "for the cause".
Although the military has changed markedly since I retired,the core beliefs are still the same. At the Naval Hospital or VA most call each other by their rank or rate. I am always wearing a ball cap and I render a salute to a active or retired (known) officer. If it is 5 minutes to colors,I wait in my car until 0800 then step out and render a salute.
I followed a car with a state issued Medal Of Honor plate into VA,to his parking place,waited until he stepped from his car and rendered him my very finest salute. His caretaker told me that she had never seen that before. Made me feel good.
I fly a lighted American Flag 24/7 also. It does not go to half staff until I say it does. I lower it for men that nobody has ever heard of before. My passed friends . . . MIA and KIA both. Several USA,two USAF,two USMC,and a bunch of sailors. All to honor them AND their deeds and sacrifice to our country.
BUT . . . that's just me . . . . . --- SAWMAN

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Flag in my yard, pistol in my belt.

 

[USAF Sarge]

When we bought our house in Feb 1993, it didn't take long for my first flag pole to be put up. We have had a flag pole in yard nonstop since then. At one point I had three poles, one each for the American, POW/MIA and USAF flags. The USAF flag was replaced by the USMC flag when my oldest was in the Marines.

I've since gone down to one flag pole, and we are adding the POW/MIA flag under the American flag. All our flags have been double sided ones, versus the printed ones.

So my patriotism is displayed 24/7/365 since the Spring of 1993, and my flags have always been properly illuminated during hours of darkness.

 

[SAWMAN]

Mine are sewed not printed. I fly a POW/MIA on special ocassions. I actually have three different friends that were POW's. One was a old boss from S.E.R.E. instructor days. Old now but still hanging on. Another that will not talk bad about McCain. BUT . . . has nothing good to say about him either. --- SAWMAN

 

[Jpyritz]

I don’t have a large flag pole yet, just bought the house a little over a year and a half ago. I do have a flag that is mounted on the front of my house though and have on every house I’ve lived in my whole life. My morning started off remembering one of my dear Soldier that never returned home with us from Iraq in the summer of 2009. One of his spare dog tags is carried with me in my wallet, and is a reminder of his sacrifice every time I open my wallet. I don’t have the opportunity to visit him each year so I go to NAS Pensacola as a way to honor him. I lay a few flowers and pick sticks up. Trying to do , though it only be a little , my small part in trying to honor them. It was a beautiful morning, the weather was nice and I’ll take my hat off to those that help maintain Barrancas National Cemetery.

 

[SAWMAN]

It is a beautiful place.
I will be going there one day in the hopefully distant future. --- SAWMAN

 

[USAF Sarge]

I don’t have a large flag pole yet, just bought the house a little over a year and a half ago. I do have a flag that is mounted on the front of my house though and have on every house I’ve lived in my whole life. My morning started off remembering one of my dear Soldier that never returned home with us from Iraq in the summer of 2009. One of his spare dog tags is carried with me in my wallet, and is a reminder of his sacrifice every time I open my wallet. I don’t have the opportunity to visit him each year so I go to NAS Pensacola as a way to honor him. I lay a few flowers and pick sticks up. Trying to do , though it only be a little , my small part in trying to honor them. It was a beautiful morning, the weather was nice and I’ll take my hat off to those that help maintain Barrancas National Cemetery.
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When I was in my Junior year (83-84) of High School in Germany, my dad and his Maintenance Officer (MSgt and a Capt strange duo) took me to some of the battle sites and war cemeteries across Europe. They both had a love of history, and so do I.

Let me give you some context here. I was a long haired, leather and stud wearing, pierced ear, head banging, metal head, that used every excuse to fight authority. I could have passed for an extra in a Judas Priest video or a Mad Max movie.

My father almost wrecked the car as we were leaving one cemetery after I had made the following remark.

"How can something so beautiful be born of something so ugly......"

My dad sat there with a shocked and confused look on his face, and could only mutter....

"What did you say?"

The Captain laughed, looked at my dad and said.

"Berny, how many times have I told you, to quit judging a book by its cover, looks like there's more going on under all that hair than you know or give credit for"

When we stopped for lunch at a little French cafe the Capt asked if the remark just happen or did I think about it before hand. I told him it just came out of nowhere.

My dad would recall and tell people about that moment for years to come, the last time I heard the story from his mouth was a few days before his passing in 2011, he just had to tell it to the hospice nurse, it was one of his last lucid remarks.