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This post is from an e-mail that I sent on the evening of Memorial Day 2004.
Hi,
I hope that everyone that receives this had a peaceful Memorial Day weekend and had a chance to observe the National Moment of Remembrance at 3:00 PM (Local time where ever you live). http://www.remember.gov/ This is a movement that I personally support. Memorial Day is NOT about shopping for a new car or hitting the shopping mall. Well, enough with "that" lecture, OK, I'll get down from that soap box.
My thoughts on Memorial Day: I was drafted in the first draft lottery in 1970 at the height of the Viet Nam conflict (it does not "officially" qualify as a war) so I am sensitized to how lucky I was from day one of my military service (June 11, 1970). I was sworn in at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, New York, the closest induction center to the house in Queens, New York that I grew up in. Before I was sworn in a Sergeant came into the room where they had us assembled and had us "count off" starting with the guy in the front row to his right. After all hundred or so of us had "counted off", he instructed "that every fifth man, that is if you were five, ten, fifteen, twenty, etc take one step forward and raise your right hand". Fortunately, I was forty-nine. The person immediately to my left stepped forward as did the others, and were read the oath of the United States Marine Corps. I was then sworn into the United States Army with the remaining others.
My point in mentioning this is to illustrate that for veterans, fate (or luck depending on one's point of view) plays a larger role in their life's than in most peoples life's, those that are rarely thrust into potentially life threatening professions. Not only was I not drafted into the U.S.M.C., but after serving my first eleven months at Fort Dix, NJ with a huge "levy" coming up to send more troops to Viet Nam, I was lucky again (as fate would have it). It was common for draftee's that had thirteen months of service left to be prime "candidates" for a twelve month tour of duty in Viet Nam. One would get thirty days of leave to go home (presumably) to visit with one's family. Then get shipped off to Viet Nam for a year and then get "separated" from active duty upon one's return. If one did not come home in a pine box draped with a flag. Just before the levy came down, I was picked (apparently based on my test scores in the Army Qualifying Battery Test) for a temporary duty assignment on a "Special Task Force" at Department of the Army Headquarters, at the Pentagon. This twist of fate took my name "out of the hat", so to speak for the levy to Viet Nam that five of my co-workers at Fort Dix got caught up in. I guess because of this I have always felt a bit guilty and wondered "why me"? Why did I get to spend the rest of my time at the Pentagon as a "Chair Borne Ranger" when my buddies got sent off to a foreign war that was very unpopular? I guess I will never know the answer to that question.
But I do know that it makes me very grateful and thankful to all of the people who served before me and after me. My thoughts are with those serving in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as those deployed in other potential hot spots around the world that are "THERE" to protect our freedom.
My heart felt thanks goes out to all of those that were not as lucky as I was. To all of those that paid for our freedom with the "ultimate sacrifice". To all of those that paid the price in other ways, the wounded and those that who were POW's and of course the MIA's along with the heart break that their families endure.
The ironic part of my day today was seeing about a half of dozen protesters on the street near the newly dedicated WWII Memorial holding their signs, and being virtually ignored by everyone. It took a fair amount of self control to not walk over to one of them holding their sign and asking them if they would have been willing to do that in Iraq two years ago?
I will close with one of my favorite quotes from Voltaire' (Ironically, he was French): "I may wholly disagree with what you say, but I will defend to my death your right to say it!"
Yes, war is hell! But so is tyranny. Freedom is NOT free. May all of those that have helped secure our freedom rest in peace.
I have attached some pictures from "The Wall" as well as the newly dedicated World War II Memorial.
Regards,
Matt
P.S. My special thanks go out to my father and father-in-law that both served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
it looks like a lovely monument but it's a damn shame that they built it 60 YEARS LATER... far too late for many veterans of that war to appreciate it.
thank you for your excellent, illuminating post. (great pics too)
today, my girlfriend and I went on a beautiful drive on some twisty roads through the hills. it was warm and sunny, but not overly hot thanks to a slight breeze. we then spent some time in Berkeley, seeing some excellent examples of people definitely excercising their freedom of speech and expression. then we casually drove back to my apartment, ate some delicious ice cream and took a lovely nap.
every moment of this wonderful day was paid for and guaranteed by the brave soldiers who have defended and continue to defend our shores, guaranteeing our freedoms, and protecting us from those who would maraud and rape and pillage on our soil.
thank you very much brave soldiers. it was a beautiful day to be free.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by tritium_pie
it looks like a lovely monument but it's a damn shame that they built it 60 YEARS LATER... far too late for many veterans of that war to appreciate it.
05-31-2004, 07:09 PM
(great pics too)
