The 2010 Summer Season is upon us. As we get ready to kick off the unofficial start to summer with family and friends, please remember the true meaning of this sacred day.

Memorial Day is for the remembrance of our men and women who have fought and died for our country and to protect our way of life.

Freedom isn't free, somebody paid for it!!! Their sacrifice should be remembered daily. God bless the United States Military, our Allies, and other unsung heroes both here and abroad.

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From wikipedia:
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 31 in 2010). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the civil war), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action.

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Special memories for me for some of my lost USNA '64 classmates:

My roommate 3/c and 1/c years, LCOL Rocky Wirsching, USMC; Virgil "King" Cameron, a Company Mate and second oldest in our class - I was the second youngest - his wife was a college prof for my girlfriend at the time (lost on first mission over NVN); Jerry Siebe, one of my associate editors for Reef Points (USS Oriskany fire); Bob Andretta, my Assistant Editor for both Reef Points and Trident Magazine (lost on USS Scorpion and oddly enough a feature writer for the first published photos - in Trident - of the lost USS Thresher; and Jody Frenzel (aircraft training accident), whose sister was my drag for graduation June Week.

RIP guys...

My father passed away in 1989. He was a veteran of WW II. Just recently my mother found all of his old military papers. It seems he was far more involved in both the European and Pacific theaters than he ever let us know. He never talked much about it, I wish he had.

I've never served in our Armed Forces though I attempted to join the NAVY back in 1983. Sadly, I was rejected the day I went as I had a slight asthma episode and the Navy Doctors wouldn't let me proceed.

The year was 1965... My mother was in the Navy and met my father in the Marines. Not your typical love at first sight thing as my Mother refused to give "that Jar Head" a Navy Military plane for his group to do recreational jumping.

She wanted to skydive. The street kid from the Bronx didn't think the skinny girl from Oklahoma could handle it. He was in charge so the answer was no... Finally the day came for another recreational jump and he, along with the rest of his group, couldn't get on the NAVY plane unless she signed off. It's funny how planes break down or don't get the proper clearance etc...

This was no ordinary jump as it was a "Bowl Game" and they were expecting some Marines to parachute into the stadium.

He got his plane, she learned to skydive... 12 months later I was born.

I know, it has nothing to do with this day, but throughout my life I've been around members of the military. They are the reason we have the liberties we so enjoy today. Thank a vet for our freedoms and say a prayer for our fallen heroes.

I had a great uncle who allegedly died a prisoner in Andersonville in the Civil War, and I lost a cousin in WW I. All my male siblings & several cousins served in, and survived, WW II. None died, though both my brothers were disabled, one from disease, the other from injury in an amphibious landing in the Aleutians.

Most of my high school classmates enlisted in 1946, but only myself & one professional airman were any more than short-timers. A couple of them were recalled during Korea, but all survived. I was in Japan through most of the Korean war, & lost some acquaintances, though none of us were the close associates one develops in a service academy. I lost two home boys in Korea, but they were little kids when I left home, & I only knew them as neighbors.

My career Air force classmate flew F-80s in Korea, & B-52s in Nam. In his words, the only casualties he suffered were some instances of soiled underwear he acquired over North Vietnam.

My eldest son was in the Navy during Vietnam & served in Japan.

My family has a tradition of service, & while most male members have served in wartime, several of us in harms way, we have been fortunate in surviving. Our mutual service, however, has made us appreciative of those who gave the full measure.

dad was in the world War I, 4 brothers in the Air Force during Korean, I be the youngest was in Army during Nam. Moms family tree says great great,great,great was a Major in the War that started this great counrty. Lost to many classmates in nam.

For me this says it all.

Thank you Eric.

All gave some.
Some gave all.

God bless America!

Every year when our unit participated in the 4 day marches in Nijmegen (Netherlands), we visited the huge Canadian military cemetary near the bridge of Arnheim and placed a wreath. It was a somber moment to see all the markers. It is hard to imagine what fierce fighting took place just 50some years ago and all the lives lost. Thank you all for your service and sacrifice.

Tomorrow, as I do every year, I will be setting up and monitoring a high-quality sound system for our veterans to use for services at the culmination of their Memorial Day Parade here in Allegan. I do this as my way of saying "Thanks" to our military; especially those who died in combat.

The only reason I even talk about this is to hopefully encourage others to take time out to salute these men and women in some fashion.

My dad was on the ship when the Japanese surrendered,and also never, ever talked about WWII to my 8 bros and sisters + I. In the late 80's, someone gave me the idea to quit practicing jazz guitar in my hotel rooms on the road and start playing in nursing homes. Jazz is American, and the WWI and WWII generations wrote a good part of it. I bought my first barth for 'ministry', and this is a big part of it. When I travel to do workshops, I take a guitar and play 'the american songbook' in nursing homes. Those homes have been full of veterans for years, and many are in full dress on patriotic holidays (+ I count spouses of WWII in that number); and even w/ alzheimers and dementia, they still remember music and smile, sing, and dance. For the 1st ten years, I didn't tell anyone I was doing it. It was my thank you, esp to my dad who I had lost at the age of 13. Even now, I don't like to write this in case it sounds like I'm about to break my arm patting myself on the back; but a Navy vet told me I should tell every musician I know that I do this and maybe they will too. I am aware of at least 6 people who do it now once they got the idea. So at 2 today, w/ a CW4, I will give my thanks at a ceremony honoring those who wrote the book on service. Someone called it 'reverse ministry'; I always get more out of it than they do.
One last story if you'll indulge: I was playing at the GA War Vets Hosp in Augusta (the blue goose). In the south, they sing hymns better than anything, but I was tired of singing hymns and started singing "It Had To Be You". A woman across the room looked at me and said "how'd you know our song?" She put down the food she was feeding her husband and started dancing with him in his wheelchair. That is when I noticed he was a double amputee, and she was dancing with his soul. He was crying, she was crying, I was a mess; and the staff started dancing with the rest of the folks in the dining hall.
Thank you Vets and God Bless America.

If you want another "It Had To Be You," moment, try "Harbor Lights." That one gets them, too.

Many songs of that era sing of loss and separation, but the line, "you were on the ship and I was on the shore," (or vice versa depending on whether the vocalist is a man or woman) always makes them dance closer; at least the few who are still able.

The Last Great Generation. God bless them all.

http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warsusa.htm
total war dead
“One cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war”
Albert Einstein quotes (German born American Physicist who developed the special and general theories of relativity. Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. 1879-1955)

my brother,my wife and 2 of her daughters as well as myself have served 1 still is she is wat you would call a "spook" decriptoligist wich I'm certin i misspelled