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Here’s a short history lesson on Memorial Day:
Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates US men and women who perished while in military service to their country. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was expanded after World War 1 to include casualties of any war or military action.
Memorial Day formerly occurred on May 30 and some, such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, and myself advocate returning to a fixed date so the significance is remembered. The public has a nonchalant observance of Memorial Day and the day should either be a real holiday or dropped completely.
Sadly the day has become a meaningless 3 day holiday weekend and a time for picnics, parties and family gatherings with a complete loss of the real meaning and what the day stands for.
When I was in the the Marine Corps I was fortunate to have served with many veterans but my eyes were really opened when I was part of a select group tasked with going through Vietnam MIA (Missing In Action) files and selecting which ones could be declassified and available for public access.
There is no polite or politically correct way to phrase my thoughts on those MIA files. Imagine serving your country and being shot down behind enemy lines. Surviving the plane crash. Avoiding capture. Surviving alone in the bush for a week or more. In radio contact reporting on a schedule. Then being left to die because no rescue mission was ever attempted. I wish I could tell you such scenarios were rare… but I cannot.
As a veteran I understand casualties of war.
But Memorial Day has a special meaning for me because of the Vietnam MIA project. I’ve handled the military files and read the accounts, seen the communication logs, viewed the maps, and know the real story of many veterans who perished while serving their country. Men for whom no rescue attempt was made even when their location was known.
And on this and every Memorial Day I honor and remember the many men and women who have died serving their country. I hope this day has more meaning than a 3 day weekend with beer and a barbecue but I fear I am one of the few who understand and appreciate the real significance of Memorial Day.
In Memory Of Our Honored Dead,
Gerald Romine
Note: The Marine Corps Hymn is the song below.
3 Responses to “The Real Meaning Of Memorial Day”
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Thanks for this post. It gives me pause.
Because of our veterans we can have our family get-togethers and not live in fear.
I understand that the majority of people in this country still swallow the massive B.S. put out by the Govment. and the Neo-Conned owned media. Truth is that the military in this country and it’s master in the White House are the CAUSE of our lose of freedom and hatred of us by the rest of the world. And I’m not just referring to the IDIOT currently infecting said premises.
As you Gerald , I am an EX marine era Vietnam vet. Phu Bai during TET. It has taken me almost 40 years to get my life back. I find NO honor in what I did. In fact I feel I was SOULED out. My last duty station was El Toro . When I was discharged in 1969 the first thing I did was drive down to Oceanside and sell all my Dress Blues. Being in the USSA military has nothing to do with serving the country but everything about being mindless podlings for the Military-Industrial complex and their masters. There is a VAST , VAST difference between being a ” Warrior” and an obedient SERF for the STATE.
If you are interested please check out Lewrockwell.com, Anti-War.com and Strikethe root.com
I honor the bravery and sacrifice that past vets gave, but in NO way do I believe that they contributed to our freedom. Invading foreign countries and KILLING/MURDERING millions of innocent of our Brothers and Sisters should be punishable by execution as International War Criminals.[ Does the Name John McCain ring a bell.]
To paraphrase Thomas Paine.” The world is my country and ALL sentient beings are my brothers and sisters”
My request is that we work to create a world of Peace and Harmony that works for ALL beings.
NAMASTE,
” DragonWolf “
This is the most insightful, right on piece that I have seen written for today, Bill Moyer did a fine job in his own personal way to define what he felt.
You Gerald, have hit a nerve in me and I would think many others who get to read your piece.
I was in the Navy during the early undeclared era of Nam. I was fixing spy planes that did not exist so they couldn’t possibly have bullet holes in them, and no lives were lost because the flights were not flown.
War is not the answer except if you are a major owner of one of the Military Industrial Complex companies at which time it is only about money flowing into their treasury from the war machine.
Thanks for a great post.