In memory of all who have served......just a common soldier

[x2ndxall]

I never served, something I do regret, but I come from a line of veterans:

My father, USN, veteran of Vietnam
My uncle, USN, veteran of Vietnam
My grandfather, USN, veteran of WWII, South Pacific
My great-grandfather, Army, veteran of WWI

and my wife's father, Army, veteran of Korea

I was brought up to deeply appreciate the sacrifices, the willingness to say yes to the call, of all of those that have served this country. My deepest respect and admiration go to all who have served.

Thank you. It's not just those of us who serve(d), but our families as well, perhaps more-so.

 

[RicInOR]

My family is fortunate.
Although all my uncles served in WW2 (as did my dad) all came home.
The greatest risk I faced was driving to my duty station.
My daughter, although she risked her life, came home without facing enemy action.

Best I can tell, I did not have any direct family in WW1.

Many families are not as fortunate.
I fly my flag for them.



Memorial Day is to remember and honor those who left their lives on the battle field.

 

[clearconscience]

Funny you say that. My uncle whom I'm named after and never met died in a car accident coming home late from his duty station.

While I was reading this today I was watching some combat rescue show on natgeo.
One of the guys on there was talking about how they are coming home in a week. He was talking to another soldier on his first deployment (was his 2nd) about how hard it is coming home. Not just adjusting back to normal life, but how it has effected his family. How his daughter would fall apart and crying hysterically everytime he had to go somewhere thinking he was going back to astan. He couldn't even take the trash out without her blocking the door and breaking down. He said that lasted for several months.

 

[nammac]

Godspeed to those who have served and paid the ultimate price.

A heartfelt thank you to all the veterans who have made it back home. Without your commitment and sacrifice, we would not be the powerful and great nation that we are.

Nor would we have the safety and security that we enjoy in this country.

May the Lord watch over and keep you from harm...

 

[tac]

Remembered, even though he was a rogue - my grandfather,

D/9947 Pte William Victor Collins 6th Dragoon Guards [Inniskillins]
+ 21 June 1917, on the Somme
Row B, grave #1
Templeux-el-Guérard Military cemetery northern extension.
Département of the Somme, France

and

2nd Lt Thomas J Foley of 466th Heavy Bombardment Group - Co-pilot of B-24 'Chris' Craft.
Took off from RAF Attlebridge, Norfolk England, at 8am on 23rd February 1945.
Lost in the North Sea twenty minutes later with six others of the crew.
Remembered on the Wall of Remembrance US Military Cemetery, Madingley, Cambs UK

and also at Madfingley -

Cpl John D Foley Jnr
+ 3rd July 1944
Plot C Row O Grave #58

and seven out of the twenty-two of us in Squad 122.

tac

 

[USAF Medic]

You have up to 5 minutes after you submit a thread to edit the title. After that, you can have a Mod do it for you. Just click the 3 bars at the lower right corner of your post, click 'report' and ask the Mod to change the title for you.

 

[x2ndxall]

A few of many on my mind today. Each of them a great loss to this Country and the whole Damn world;

Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jonah D. McClellan, assigned to the 5th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). This one is hardest for me.

Those I knew who died with him;
Army Lt. Col. Robert F. Baldwin,
Army Sgt. Marvin R. Calhoun Jr.,
Lt. (SEAL) Brendan J. Looney,
Navy Special Warfare Operator 3rd Class (SEAL) Denis C. Miranda,
Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class (SEAL) Adam O. Smith,
Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew G. Wagstaff.

Then there's the best friend I've ever had, one of the best teachers I've ever met. A loving father and husband who would have gladly given his life for his country but fell to an illness, USMC SRT Staff Sergeant Aaron Bosch.
Until we meet again, my brothers, until we meet again.

 

[skeezix]

In memorium:
Lloyd Eugene Muse
Pvt.
US Army
August 16, 1908 to July 6, 1944


Jan Rauschkolb
Corporal
H&S CO, 1ST BN, 3RD MARINES, 3RD MARDIV, III MAF
United States Marine Corps
September 18, 1946 to May 25, 1969


Lloyd Muse is my wife's uncle, although she never met him as she was born in 1953.
Jan Rauscholb, a fellow Marine (although we did not serve together), is the brother of Frank, who I worked with for about 27 years.

 

[USAF Medic]

Bataan 1943

View attachment 295234

Tommy Foy, Joel Rogers
Bataan death march survivors...
These two men were neighbors of mine in Bayard New Mexico. I went to high school with
their children. It was an honor to hear their accounts of WWII first hand.

 

[erudne]

 

[clearconscience]

...

 

[clearconscience]

...

 

[Dornai]

Hmmm. Might be going a bit overboard there. Starbucks?

Not that I'm a Starbucks drinker...

I don't think building the empire (what most vets ended up accomplishing if they are honest about it) has much to do with freedom. We were sold a pig in a poke.

I did serve, 4 years in the Marine Corps, 1968-72. But I don't have any illusions about it. At least I was never put in the position of killing a man who was defending his country from invasion and occupation; pure dumb luck, that. May be a factor in those suicides you mention.

When remembering what the vets sacrificed, it's important not to inadvertently be a prop of the same government that unnecessarily put them in harm's way.

You're entitled to your opinion, however much I disagree with you. I, too, served. I have no illusions of grandeur. I do not consider myself above anyone else. I feel awkward when people thank me for my service.

However, stating "...killing a man defending his country from invasion and occupation..." is blatantly wrong. If you at all believe any of the battles we have fought has been killing innocents, you are the one living in an illusion. The suicide among veterans does not have any thing to do with feeling guilt for "murders".

I, and every single other service-member, took an Oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. And that is what we do. That is what YOU did for four years. We don't start needless wars. We don't murder innocents. We don't invade and occupy foreign lands for the sole interest of taking their oil or whatever else.

We try to do good, for good people. We do bad things, to bad people. And we try to bring each other back to the country they love, back to their families. If you think we do any thing else, you sorely need to get a grasp on reality and stop listening to Alex Jones.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Pretty sobering numbers! We also need to remember those Merchant Seamen who ran supplies through contested waters and gave there lives to help the war efforts and the Woman's aux. that flew planes to the war zones and supplies that were lost in route! Many more then any one knows!

I know it was a lot of people! I don't have the guts to be a merchant seaman! I need to be able to return fire! Not a big hypothermia or shark fan either!

 

[Ura-Ki]

I couldn't even imagine going in to harms way with few if any means to defend my self! A few small deck guns was about all they had. Even the Coast Guard were heavily involved in shipping ( they handled all loading and unloading, as well as escort) and didn't have very much in defense of there ships! Small armed Cutters was about all they had!

 

[tac]

@ clearconscience -

'British chickens', eh?

You think?

tac

 

[clearconscience]

Wasn't my quote Tac! Don't shoot the messenger.

The taliban are uneducated folks.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

And then I spend some time in downtown Portland and wonder why I served.

 

[tac]

Sir, you served so that all those dwongs we see every day in downtown Portland can carry on their dwong-like little lives in freedom and safety.

tac

 

[tac]

<broken link removed>

Anybody noticed that these are not US soldiers, but British?

tac