Memorial Day

[lex137]

Thank you to all those who serve and have served. Especially the ones that didn't get to go home to there families from past and present wars that give me and my family the fredoms that we take for granted everyday. We will always be in your debt, thank you and God bless!

[Double00]

Amen!

[flogger]

^ copy that ^

[Ripper]

Absent Companions!

[theGinsue]

Since before it's official founding through our present day, many brave men and women have made the most noble of sacrifices for our great nation. In battlefields and hospitals around the world, and on our own soil, our nations heroes have shed their blood and taken their last breaths so that we might continue to enjoy the values and liberties this nation stands for.


This is not a day for remembering our nations veterans; there are other days designated for that. Today, Memorial Day, as one nation, we pause to remember our fallen souls for their valiant sacrifices.


“We do not know one promise these men made, one pledge they gave, one word they spoke; but we do know they summed up and perfected, by one supreme act, the highest virtues of men and citizens. For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue.” - James A. Garfield; May 30, 1868 Arlington National Cemetery

[TheGrey]

Gone, but never forgotten.

[flogger]

"Here, where the grim edge of battle joined; here, where all the hope and fear and agony of their country centered; here let them rest, asleep on the nation's heart, entombed in the nation's love."

[Mazin]

[Salute]

[Doc45]

Since before it's official founding through our present day, many brave men and women have made the most noble of sacrifices for our great nation. In battlefields and hospitals around the world, and on our own soil, our nations heroes have shed their blood and taken their last breaths so that we might continue to enjoy the values and liberties this nation stands for.


This is not a day for remembering our nations veterans; there are other days designated for that. Today, Memorial Day, as one nation, we pause to remember our fallen souls for their valiant sacrifices.


“We do not know one promise these men made, one pledge they gave, one word they spoke; but we do know they summed up and perfected, by one supreme act, the highest virtues of men and citizens. For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue.” - James A. Garfield; May 30, 1868 Arlington National Cemetery

Thank you for this post, I've shared Garfield's quote with many today. Too many good men gone but I'm fortunate because I got to call them "friend".

[Rucker61]

On Memorial Day, we honor the fallen. For me, the loss that hits closest to home is that of Marine 1st Lieutenant Robert Paz, who was killed in Panama and whose death was a major factor in the launching Operation Just Cause.


From Wikipedia:


“… four U.S. military personnel were stopped at a roadblock around 9:00 PM outside PDF headquarters in the El Chorrillo neighborhood of Panama City. Marine Captain Richard E. Hadded, Navy Lieutenant Michael J. Wilson, Army Captain Barry L. Rainwater, and Marine First Lieutenant Robert Paz had left the Fort Clayton military base and were on their way to have dinner at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Panama City. The U.S. Department of Defense reported that the servicemen had been unarmed, in a private vehicle and that they attempted to flee only after their vehicle was surrounded by an angry crowd of civilians and PDF troops. The PDF asserted later that the Americans were armed and on a reconnaissance mission. The PDF opened fire and Lieutenant Paz was fatally wounded by a round that entered the rear of the vehicle and struck him in the back. Captain Hadded, the driver of the vehicle, was also wounded in the foot. Paz was rushed to Gorgas Army Hospital but died of his wounds. He received the Purple Heart posthumously”


I had just met 1st Lt Paz right before this group of young officers had left our base at Quarry Heights overlooking Panama City. I had just recently been assign to Southcom Headquarter for a two month temporary duty and hadn’t been there long enough to meet very many of the permanent party. The four officers had stopped by the JTF office to see if any of us new junior officers wanted to go out to dinner, but I had to refuse as I had the duty.


A few hours later, Bob was dead, killed by overanxious PDF soldiers. The three survivors were debriefed by one of the generals assigned to our headquarters, and I was assigned to transcribe the tape recording of the debriefing. As I listened to sections of the tape over and over, trying to capture the testimony as exactly as I could, I realized I could never do justice to the anguish of the three men who had just lost a friend and escaped death or serious injury themselves. I still think about those hours, those men and imagine the grief that 1st Lt Paz’s parents must suffer every December.


RIP 1st Lt Robert Paz.

[TheSparkens]

Thanks to all that gave to this great country in war and in peace times. This is were my dad is Fort Logan a Marine to the end. He did not fall in war but will always be my Hero.
65643

[Joe_K]

".....But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."

- President Abraham Lincoln
Gettysburg, PA 1863

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160530/875b6a45ed8e3b14cdb9d4ffbb899848.jpg

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......Enjoy your BBQ. Drink your Beer, Shoot your Weapons, Light your Fireworks, earn your freedom every Damn Day.

Velocitas, Opprimere,
Violentia Operandi

[brutal]

Thankfully, I served in times of peace and did not have to bear the loss of a brother or sister in arms.

However, on this day, in addition to all the fallen warriors, I'm honoring my cousin CPL Terry Perz, 101 ABN, KIA in Vietnam December 16, 1969. RIP Cuz.

http://www.virtualwall.org/dp/PerzTL01a.htm

Terry Lee Perz
ON THE WALL: Panel W15 Line 65
This page Copyright© 1997-2015 www.VirtualWall.org Ltd.
PERSONAL DATA:
Home of Record: Green Bay, WI
Date of birth: 09/09/1949
MILITARY DATA:
Service Branch: Army of the United States
Grade at loss: E3
Rank: Posthumous Promotion as indicated
Promotion Note: None
ID No: 388549646
MOS or Specialty: 11C10: Indirect Fire Infantryman
Length Service: 00
Unit: HHC, 1ST BDE, 101ST ABN DIV, USARV
CASUALTY DATA:
Start Tour: 10/09/1969
Incident Date: 12/16/1969
Casualty Date: 12/16/1969
Age at Loss: 20
Location: Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam
Remains: Body recovered
Casualty Type: Hostile, died outright
Casualty Reason: Ground casualty
Casualty Detail: Misadventure (Friendly Fire)
Status Date: Not Applicable; was not MIA
Status Change: Not Applicable; was not MIA
Repatriated: Not Applicable; was not MIA
Identified: Not Applicable; was not MIA
URL: www.VirtualWall.org/dp/PerzTL01a.htm

[Gman]

Thanks to all that paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. [Salute]

[Dave]

[Salute]