Two Ways to Say Thank You

 Posted by at 12:03 am  Holiday, Politics
Nov 112014
 

VetsandRem

Thank you for your service!

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  10 Responses to “Two Ways to Say Thank You”

  1. In Flanders Fields 
    By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) 
    Canadian Army

    In Flanders Fields the poppies blow 
    Between the crosses row on row, 
    That mark our place; and in the sky 
    The larks, still bravely singing, fly 
    Scarce heard amid the guns below.

    We are the Dead. Short days ago 
    We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, 
    Loved and were loved, and now we lie 
    In Flanders fields.

    Take up our quarrel with the foe: 
    To you from failing hands we throw 
    The torch; be yours to hold it high. 
    If ye break faith with us who die 
    We shall not sleep, though poppies grow 
    In Flanders fields.

    From Wikipedia:

    "On January 28, 1918, while still commanding No. 3 Canadian General Hospital (McGill) at Boulogne, McCrae died of pneumonia with "extensive pneumococcus meningitis". He was buried the following day in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission section of Wimereux Cemetery, just a couple of kilometres up the coast from Boulogne, with full military honours. His flag-draped coffin was borne on a gun carriage and the mourners – who included Sir Arthur Currie and many of McCrae's friends and staff – were preceded by McCrae's charger, "Bonfire", with McCrae's boots reversed in the stirrups."

    Growing up when I did, McCrae's poem was either recited or sung EVERY Rememberance Day.  As a young teen, I always went to the services at the Cenotaph, usually by myself.  I dressed in my grandmother's navy blazer with a Canadian maple leaf embroidered on the breast pocket, kilt, blue knee socks, and navy beret.  I reasoned that others gave their lives so that my grandfather could come home.  He was in the army but he was never sent overseas.

    We need to heed the needs of our veterans.  We ask them to put themselves in harms way, to suspend their family life, and yet when they return, too often we (the collective we) push them aside saying "You'll manage.". But the horrors are too great all too often.  Human beings, decent human beings were not meant to become killing machines.

    Thank you for your service when your country called.

  2. My father served as C.O. of a MASH unit which led him to work for the rest of his life to try to prevent anyone else from having to make similar sacrifices.  Honor to those who served and sacrificed and commitment to ensure it is never asked of any in vain.

  3. God bless all those who serve their countries – and may God grant common sense, intelligence, wisdom and compassion to the politicians in charge!

    Thanks so much for Colonel McCrae's poem Flanders Fields, Lynn, – it is so utterly brilliant, words can't describe it.

     

  4. Hope all Veterans have a warm Veteran's Day My father was in the Korean War. Got shot in the foot and was never same after that.

  5. Flanders Fields is much more a part of the British-Canadian consciousness than it is for Americans, which is too bad.  It is very economial (by which I mean it says a whole lot with very little, high praise from me) and it certainly would be a good thing if everyone in Congress were required to read it today.  My service didn't include combat (no woman's did at that time) but I thank you.  I did what I could.

  6. Today is not only Veterans' Day – it's my Mom's 98th Birthday!  (Happy B-Day, Mom!  And she really seems to be enjoying her new Assisted Living apartment lifestyle … at least so far.)

    Of course I'm old enough to remeber when it was called Armistice Day – and she's old enough to remember when it wasn't even a Holiday.

    To celebrate it, Kos has a post pairing Vets and pets – it's full of "awwwww" and squee overload:

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/11/1343541/-Tuesdai-Critterz-Salute-Teh-Veterans

    • Happy Birthday Mom!!!!!  Your mom still has a couple of years of catch-up to get to my grandfather's age when he passed away.  May she have a good quality and quantity of life!

      Very cute, especially the soldier protecting his ass!

    • Happy Birthday Mom!  You have a lovong son, especially considering that yuou never gave him a name. 😉

  7. My dad and two uncles served in WW2, another uncle in the Korean conflict, my brother in law, and numerous friends were in Viet Nam.  There is not enough we can do to thank them and repay them for their sacrifices.

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