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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!
Amen!
^ copy that ^
Absent Companions!
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
Gone, but never forgotten.
"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."
[Salute]
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".Quote:
Originally Posted by theGinsue
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.