It's Memorial Day weekend: the start of summer and all that comes with it. That includes warm weather (except in Chicago where we wait until June), grilling, al fresco dining (except in Chicago where we wear parkas until June), outdoor sports, and the onslaught of bugs.
We will see many stories this weekend about those who serve or have served in our military. We will be asked to remember their sacrifices and to honor their memory. Some of us will fly flags and watch parades. We might even visit a cemetery. But mostly, we will spend time recreating, enjoying picnics, and being grateful for the day off work. Many of us won't think about the soldiers, sailors, and airmen until we watch the evening news and when the news is over, we will go on about our business.
The ability to go on about our business is why we should all be honoring those who serve. They don't always fight and die for our freedoms. They go where our government sends them to fight and die for others. Whether or not we agree with the politics of these ventures, the military personnel that goes includes our family, friends, and neighbors. Every generation is touched by war and we all share in the consequences of that, no matter how justified the cause may be.
It's a shame that Congress decided to move this holiday in order to create a long weekend. There was something special about May 30th. It stood apart until the National Holiday Act of 1971 moved it to the last Monday in May in order to create the three-day weekend. Somehow our delight in a long weekend supplanted our honoring of those who have served us so well. (Get more history about Memorial Day here.)
So how about doing something special on Monday in addition to the ball games, the cookouts, and the family gatherings? How about saying thank you by flying that flag, donating to the USO, or observing a moment of silence?
Showing posts with label Memorial Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Memorial Day. Show all posts
Friday, May 24, 2013
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Military Service - Talk About It
Memorial Day is tomorrow. Many of us will go to picnics and enjoy a day away from our jobs. Some of us might go to a parade and may even give a brief moment of thought to those who served in the military.
My father never talked much about his time in the Army Air Corps because he didn't think he did anything special. He went, he did his duty, and then he came home. When the base where he was discharged closed, I finally got Dad to tell me a bit. He spent only one day at that base but he will never forget passing through it because he was heading home. He also won't forget the heat of New Mexico where he was stationed for the latter part of WWII.
Yes, in 1945, Dad was serving at Alamogordo, New Mexico. Do I need to tell you what was happening in New Mexico at that time? He remembers how the sky lit up like it was daylight, even though that first atomic blast was 60 miles away. He said he could have easily read the newspaper in light that has been compared to that of several suns.
After describing the events of July 16, 1945, Dad mentioned that he belonged to a flight crew that spent several months in Colorado for secret training. The flight crew of the Enola Gay was not the only one in training for the mission.
It made perfect sense. There had to be more than one crew in case anything happened. This had never occurred to me nor would I have associated my father with this historic event.
Our fathers and grandfathers are rapidly leaving this world. They all have tales to tell that are part of our heritage. If you don't know what your relative did in military service, find out. Then pass that along to your children. In communicating our own history, we honor those who went before us and tie the generations together.
God bless all those who serve and those who wait for them to come home.
My father never talked much about his time in the Army Air Corps because he didn't think he did anything special. He went, he did his duty, and then he came home. When the base where he was discharged closed, I finally got Dad to tell me a bit. He spent only one day at that base but he will never forget passing through it because he was heading home. He also won't forget the heat of New Mexico where he was stationed for the latter part of WWII.
Yes, in 1945, Dad was serving at Alamogordo, New Mexico. Do I need to tell you what was happening in New Mexico at that time? He remembers how the sky lit up like it was daylight, even though that first atomic blast was 60 miles away. He said he could have easily read the newspaper in light that has been compared to that of several suns.
After describing the events of July 16, 1945, Dad mentioned that he belonged to a flight crew that spent several months in Colorado for secret training. The flight crew of the Enola Gay was not the only one in training for the mission.
It made perfect sense. There had to be more than one crew in case anything happened. This had never occurred to me nor would I have associated my father with this historic event.
Our fathers and grandfathers are rapidly leaving this world. They all have tales to tell that are part of our heritage. If you don't know what your relative did in military service, find out. Then pass that along to your children. In communicating our own history, we honor those who went before us and tie the generations together.
God bless all those who serve and those who wait for them to come home.
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