Stopped by Arlington yesterday afternoon for a few minutes, lots of families out visiting their loved ones. Saw one group of Marine bikers holding a tribute to one of their brothers. So many gone…
But this gent is still around and I like his idea…
For his 107th Memorial Day, Richard Arvine Overton, who saw many of his fellow soldiers fall in the line of duty in World War II and even more die over the following decades, is planning a quiet day at the Texas home he built after returning home from World War II.
He wouldn’t want it any other way.
Overton, who is believed to be the nation’s oldest veteran, told FoxNews.com he’ll likely spend the day on the porch of his East Austin home with a cigar nestled in his right hand, perhaps with a cup of whiskey-stiffened coffee nearby.
Read the whole article HERE.
I hope y’all are enjoying your Memorial Day Weekend. Stay safe, and remember why we have this holiday please…
Each headstone with it’s on flag, those who didn’t have headstones yet STILL got a flag… and families everywhere, remembering their loved ones…
I stopped by my dad’s gravesite yesterday to meet my son and grandson.
My son wanted me to relate some of the war stories my dad had told me.
There weren’t many.
He’d been at Normandy and the Bulge, but he didn’t have much to say about it.
While I was waiting for them, I wandered around the Veteran’s Memorial Garden, reading their headstones with names, ranks, branch of service (Navy being the hardest for to interpret rank, one was HA).
One had (IIRC) BSM/PH after his name.
After a bit I began to think he had been a survivor of the Bataan Death March (BSM?)/Philippines.
Any ideas?
Absent friends, missing comrades…
This is a weekend for reflection and thought. No matter how many people choose to forget what the day means, there are those of us who never will.
Ed- BSM is Bronze Star, PH is Purple Heart HA is probably Hospitalman Apprentice.
Pediem- Thanks.
Fretting. I’m the last minute substitution for the veteran who was going to give a short speech at our town’s tiny Memorial Day celebration. I don’t care that it will probably be only a dozen people, I still have to get it right (and short!).
As a civilian, I know next to nothing. I’ve been reading your blog for a number of years, I have to thank you as one of my various sources of inspiration.
But also, simply, thanks.
Acair- Go do good! And thanks for reading and commenting!
I need to go by Arlington soon. I’ll have RC with me tomorrow, and his mom has staff duty, so not tomorrow…but soon.
JR- Yesterday was hard, lots of folks there. I stopped by friends graves, just to remember.
Lest We Forget
Rick- Nobody there was forgetting…
Positive signs, noticeable uptick in attendance at ceremonies this year here (still pathetically few)
People seemed to appreciate this: http://acairfearann.wordpress.com/2013/05/27/memorial-day-2/
I hope in some small way I recognized the sacrifices that I haven’t had to make. And I sincerely hope that I didn’t inadvertently offend anyone…
Aca- Very nice, thanks for the update!