Novemeber 11th

[wildone]

I like to start a post for November 11th.

 

It is Remembrance Day in Canada, Veteran's Day in the US, Armistice Day in Great Britain and I'm sure many other countries set aside this day to honour and respect the members of current and past military service who gave much, up to and including their lives, to defend and preserve the rights that we all hold dear.

 

This is not to be politicized. It is meant to say a heartfelt Thank You for your service to your country in the highest way possible.

 

We, in Canada, pause for two minutes of silence on the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month. It is a small amount of our time to remember.

 

Having family members that have served, the following two items I'd like to share which means a lot to me.

 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

 

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

 

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

This poem was written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, a Canadian Doctor who served and wrote the poem while eulogizing a friend and noticed how the poppies grew on the graves of buried soldiers, one's who final resting spot would never be where they came from. It also is the poem behind the symbolic use of the poppies that most Commonwealth Nations wear in remembrance.

 

Finally, please take a moment to watch this moving video/song that still chokes me up every time that I see it.

 

 

 

 

 

Lest We Forget

Edited November 9, 2012 by wildone

[joann414]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sVdCYf2cAUo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

Heartfelt thanks too all our servicemen around the world:)

[Daddydavek]

My grandfather fought in the Army in the trenches in WWI under Pershing. My dad and his brothers fought in the Pacific in WWII. I fought in Vietnam. Thank God, my son did not have to fight in the Gulf or Afghanistan. I too think it is appropriate to remember the sacrifices of all the men and women who served in the armed forces for their country, especially this weekend! God bless all the families that lost a loved one and all the wounded warriors of all generations. Thank-you to all the veterans who honorable served anywhere!

[LJH]

Thank you Steve.

[TetRefine]

I come from a long line of veterans. One grandpa was in the Navy in WWII, and the other was in the Marine Corp during Korea. My dad is an Army veteran and I have a step-cousin who is both a veteran of the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan. To all of them, and all who have served and are serving, thank you.

 

One of my favorite songs: The Green Fields of France by Dropkick Murphys

 

Edited November 9, 2012 by TetRefine

[Bill W]

To all of the brave souls who lost their lives fighting for freedom, as well as those who were fortunate to survive and return home. We know that none of these warriors came back the same as when they left, because war takes a mental, as well as physical toll. Some return with problems that linger well beyond their time on the battlefield, so besides honoring their service, let's do more to take care of those who have given so much on our behalf.

[Xtro]

Sadly, the World never learns. In 22 years service I caught The Falklands, the First Gulf, and the Balkans. I will be saying a prayer for Oscar Dalgleish, my partner of 6 years, who was lost on his second tour of the Falklands back in 1982, December 19th.

[MikeL]

Growing up, I remember the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) selling poppies as a fund raising effort every November 11 (Armistice Day, as it was known then). My parents always bought them and we all wore them proudly.

 

I served in the US Army in the years between Korea and Viet Nam. I was a "peace keeper" in Korea. My father was in the Navy during World War II, but was never sent overseas...was never even on a ship. Mom and I were able to live with him most of the time because he was assigned to Navy hospitals in California (Oakland and Yosemite National Park). A friend of my parents, for whom I am named, was a French cavalry officer who disappeared during the war. We have never been able to locate his family or determine his fate.

 

I had three great-grandfathers who fought in the Civil War. Two of my great-great-great-great-grandfathers, one born in France and the other born in Ireland, fought in the Continental Army during the American Revolution.

 

So, our family has served...always out of necessity, not as a career. None of my four sons has been in military service, for which I am grateful.

 

My thanks to all who have served.

[Andrea]

My maternal great-grandfather, Clayton (Grant) Lawrence, was career US Navy, served from 1936 to 1966. He retired as commander and worked for the Pentagon in Naval Security Group Command. He was stationed at Pearl Harbor between from 1944 to 1945 and worked with FRUPAC (Fleet Radio Unit Pacific). From http://maritime.org/tech/ecm2.htm:

 

In early September 1944 U.S.Fleet Radio Unit Pacific (FRUPAC) in Hawaii recorded a Japanese cipher radio message that originated from Singapore. Unknown to the Japanese, U.S. forces had analyzed many Japanese messages and as a result of much brilliant and hard work were able to reproduce their enemy's inadequately designed and implemented cryptographic system. This is called cryptanalysis or "breaking the system". FRUPAC deciphered (and decoded) the message that announced the route of an important Japanese convoy from Singapore to Japan. The timing and expected path of the convoy from the message was enciphered on an ECM in Hawaii and sent to Pampanito where it was deciphered on an ECM. Although Pampanito's crew did not know how FRUPAC got its information, they were able to go directly to the convoy's path and attack with great efficiency. Pampanito's attack was kept secret by the superior U.S. cryptographic system that revolved around the ECM Mark II.

He spoke seven languages fluently and was one of the founding members of the US Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association (USNCVA). My grandmother (his daughter) and grandfather (daughter's husband) were both in the Navy and when I joined the US Army my grandpa kicked me out of his house for disgracing the family. Oops

 

I am thankful everyday for his and everyone who has served for our country.

[Breeze]

My late husband served as a Master Sargent in the USAF for 20 years. My thanks to service men and women throughout the world, both past and present.

[MikeL]

I bought a poppy! Haven't seen anyone selling them for years. This morning, as I entered a supermarket, there were two Cub Scouts selling them for the VFW. So, I now have a poppy to wear to church tomorrow.

 

 

 

[MikeL]

It occurred to me that I should call your attention to my poem A Placed Not Far as an appropriate work to be read on this occasion. It is part homage to friends, part personal remembrance of war as seen from the home front.

 

[Daddydavek]

An interesting article :

 

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/11/15079818-your-thank-you-to-veterans-is-welcomed-but-not-always-comfortably-received?lite

 

Proud service members and veterans do have complex reactions to a casual thank-you and here are some of the reasons why.

[MikeL]

[JamesSavik]

If you have one of these, you know what it cost.

 

Gold Star Families.