Home » On Memorial Day: those stories behind the names

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On Memorial Day: those stories behind the names — 9 Comments

  1. Thanks Neo.

    I think often of the friends I lost in Vietnam .

    Especially today.

  2. When I saw a high school classmate’s name on the Vietnam War Memorial, I immediately thought of the 23rd Psalm: “Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death…”

    My classmate died in Vietnam a month before our high school class had graduated. Not long before, had had attended in uniform an assembly at our school which had two adults debating, “Should there be a draft?” My classmate in uniform stood up and made a a comment during the debate. Not long after, he was killed in Vietnam.

  3. The pastor of an old, mid-sized church notes young Johnny staring intently at a large, prominently displayed plaque in the church’s hallways. He thinks nothing much of until he comes by 10 minutes later and sees the eight-year old still studying the plaque intently.

    The pastor goes over and stands next to Johnny and looks at the plaque with him. Johnny finally asks, “Sir, what is this list of names?”

    Pleased with Johnny’s interest, he informs Johnny, “That, Johnny, is a plaque commemorating those parishioners who died during the service.” he continued “We respect and honor their memory with it.”

    “Wow”, said Johnny, noting the long, long list of names on the plaque.

    “Sir?” he intoned.

    “Yes, Johnny?” the pastor replied.

    “Would that be the 8am service or the 10am service?”

    :o)

  4. My family has little military tradition, and none that extended to my generation. Now I wait for the boy I brought from Romania 9 years ago to finish his time in the USMC. I’m proud, but going to the cemetery to decorate graves today can’t help but bring fears to the surface.

  5. Much thanks for the celebration of our military (“nee” patriotic) traditions!

  6. I first became aware of the cost of war at about the age of 8. The “boy” next door died in his P-38 over New Guinea; the one across the street died over Germany. I admit it was years later before I understood the utter devastation that those families suffered.

    My mother held it all together for over two years while my Dad was in the Pacific.

    Many years late when we were at NAS Lemoore, Ca, home of the USN light attack squadrons during Viet Nam, my wife told me how the women in base housing dreaded seeing an official car in the neighborhood during the work day. She has also told me of the near agony on the occasions when word leaked that our squadron had lost a pilot while deployed, but it seemed to take forever to get name.

    I was thinking as I saw Biden at the Tomb of the Unknown today, that the honor of placing the wreath should really go to a representative family member. They pay such a high price.

  7. When I was in, a uniformed soldier did not stop at the home of a deployed individual without calling first. Not to return a book, not for anything. And you did not wear a hat while driving side streets, in case somebody thought you were coming for them.
    I notified a family in the Flint area. Found the house, but had to park several doors down. A family, just leaving in a car, froze, looking at me in horror.
    What a crappy memory, recalling the relief and gratitude that I was going to the home of a neighbor.

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