Memorial Day

Memorial Day

Memorial Day.  A solemn day.  A reflective day.  A sad day.  But, only for those who have a personal tie to it.  The rest of the country calls it picnic day and beer day and camping day and a few think it is Veteran's Day.  But, it's not.

Memorial Day is not to be confused with Veterans Day; Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving, while Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, living or dead.

For some of us, it is personal.  We have lost a loved one or a friend.  In modern America, few know anyone who has served or fallen, and they have very little patience with those of us who have.  They often turn a cold heart towards those who grieve.  Others are just insistent that it is Veterans' Day and want to thank people and buy them a beer.

For some of us, we will go to the cemetery, be it in person or virtually.  Some of us have a short distance to go and some of us a very long distance.   Some of us look at the pictures we have taken, reaching out ever so gently to touch the image of those far away places in order to feel closer to the person we lost.  We will do the same with their pictures.  We will remember.

For some of us, we will reflect on the life of the person we have lost.  We will remember what was and the dreams of what might have been.  Our memories will briefly comfort our loneliness.  

For some of us, we will tuck away that inconsolable loneliness for another year, except for those many moments every day and especially at night, that are always with us.

For some of us, decades will pass and we will still feel the same as we did that very first year.

For some of us, it breaks our heart just a little more when you say "Happy Memorial Day."  Forgive us for not finding anything to be happy about.  Forgive us for being disgusted with your lack of knowledge of the meaning of one of our country's most important holidays.

I will go visit the cenotaph of a young man who never made it back from a Japanese prison camp in the Philippines.  I will view the picture of the headstone of that sweet young man from my youth, I will think of those friends I can not visit, and the son of a lady I care so much for, and through my tears, I will call up their headstone pictures and remember them and their precious lives.  I will think of the neighbor boy - and the boy who pumped my gas who was tortured to death by Islamists - and the young man I met and prayed with at the National Day of Prayer that died in Iraq a few years later.  I will remember those that personally touched me.  I will remember those I never knew.

Then, when I am about cried out, I will remember a nation so ungrateful that they can't even be bothered with the meaning of the holiday.

Don't wish me a Happy Memorial Day - it's more than I can bear.

Hallmark, Maxine & Memorial Day

Lots of people don't have to work today.

WHICH IS WHY

my motto is "Live every day like it is Memorial Day"

Saturday evening I was feeling a little melancholy, as I do each year at Memorial Day, thinking about the beautiful lives lost serving our country -- especially the ones who have touched my life - James Craig, Gregory Stone, Tom Tucker, Randy Newman, James Holtom, to name a few from the War on Terror - and, many others from Vietnam and those I have learned about over the years from all of our wars.  I was reading tributes people had put up about their loved ones or people who had affected their lives.  I was feeling the best about America and Americans.

Then, and without warning, the Maxine cartoon popped up on my Facebook page.  Wait.  Stop.  One Moment.  You mean Memorial Day is about having a day off?  Within moments the firestorm began.  There were several of us who posted almost simultaneously.  We were absolutely appalled at the message.  Those who were opposed to our feelings, at least saw the message for exactly what it was... the celebration of a day off.  You can read the original comments here.

It didn't take long for the crowds to turn on people.  Messages about attacking Maxine.  Messages about it 'just a cartoon'.  Many, many personal attacks were waged against anyone who suggested that the purpose of Memorial Day was to honor those who had fallen in battle.  At one point it descended to this level:  "Maybe the Bible Belt Inbred's need to do something for their country than sit behind a computer & complain get a life seriously."  She went on to talk about "bible thumpers who voted for Obama should leave Maxine alone."  It was later revealed that she was a Canadian and didn't even know what Memorial Day was.  It was evident that she didn't know what an Obama voter looked like either.   But, that didn't stop her vitriol - which she continues with daily.

Gold Star Wives and Mothers were viciously attacked when they asked that their loved ones were remembered on Memorial Day.  People even started pretending that they were members of Gold Star families to attack others.  

Then, the rewriting of the caption began.  Those who were defending Maxine started to leave out the "which is why" part of the caption and changed the meaning.  The attacking escalated.  People who were out of town and never read the cartoon or the original comments started to opine.

I was stunned at the behavior of the people commenting.  The stupidity and the disrespect were beyond belief.  Post after post after post was made attacking those who wanted a modicum of respect to be made to Memorial Day and the fallen.  And, it's still going on.

All this while, Hallmark moderators did NOTHING.  I guess they had the day, days, off.  Finally, they posted this apology on Tuesday:   

Dear Maxine Fans,

We understand some were offended by Maxine's post on Memorial Day, and for that we are truly sorry. While Maxine is known for her irreverence and playful nature, it can sometimes come off as being thoughtless and insensitive. Please understand that she meant no disrespect to the men and women who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom, as well as those who continue to fight and sacrifice so much for our freedom today.

Those of us who help create Maxine regret missing the opportunity to say something meaningful to everybody on Memorial Day. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and rest assured we will be more thoughtful next year.

Sincerely,
John Wagner

Ideally, that should have been the end to it.  But, it just re-escalated the attacks on anyone who had asked for more respect.  Endless posts were made suggesting that people "get a life" - what an inane little phrase - and censorship.  "It's a cartoon" was repeated ad nauseum.  Yes, a cartoon written by a man who should know better, and admitted he did.  I do remember the days when Maxine was a flag waving patriot curmudgeon.

It is still going on.  Hallmark has begun to scrub some of the posts.  On Wednesday evening they said they would be moderating.  It's hard to tell when things disappear who is doing it, but those annoyed with any criticism continue to start it up over and over and over.

Let's be honest.  Maxine is a cartoon.  Facebook is used as a marketing tool to sell Maxine and other Hallmark merchandise.  Hallmark/Maxine people sat back and watched posts like this one sit on their site for hours. "Well, your stupid son volunteered to be in the military.  It's his own fault he is dead.  He should have made better choices."

I have one thing to say to Hallmark.  I could have forgiven the stupid, stupid sentiment on the Memorial Day cartoon.  I could have accepted your apology.  But, to allow Gold Star Moms and Wives to be derided was beyond the pale.  I went from, "It will be a while before I go into another Hallmark store" to "Hell will freeze over before I do."  Hallmark is a corporation that knows enough about PR to know better.  The ironic thing is that the 'get a life' people brag about not shopping at Hallmark.  Those that were disrespected used to shop at Hallmark, but will no longer.  You lost my business, and it was a considerable one.  I also am learning to like the new card maker I got for my new computer -- this time, I didn't buy Hallmark!

Memorial Day 2010

Memorial Day
commemorates U.S. soldiers who died while in military service.

No, it isn't about putting flowers on Aunt Sarah's grave --- though people do it. Our local cemeteries look like they got smacked by the plastic flower fairy.

No, it isn't about thanking living members of our military, though you will see feeble and mostly insincere attempts at that.

No, it isn't about remembering veterans, living and dead, though this is what normally happens. That, friends, is called Veteran's Day.

No, it isn't about the National Guard NASCAR, as their PAO keeps telling people.

And, NO, there should never be a greeting of "Happy Memorial Day"

Across the country today, cemeteries are covered in plastic flowers on graves of people who may never have known someone who served. The Boy Scouts, VFW and other organizations have placed flags on the graves of the people who were veterans. The local cemeteries are full of flags.

In most cemeteries, the graves that Memorial Day are about are just a few in the many.

Over the years I have written much about Memorial Day. Some day, I may even tell my most significant Memorial Day story, but this is not the year.

I have written about FLAGS IN at Arlington

I have written about Punchbowl National Cemetery where I spent every Memorial Day of my youth.

I have written about the Gold Star and the Blue Star

I have written about the Poppies

I have written about the American Cemeteries Abroad

I have shared Ben Stein's amazing speech "They Did God's Work"

I have written much about Rolling Thunder - you'll have to search for that one - or you can click on the tag Memorial Day and see all of my posts.

I have written about the fallen - told their stories.

We have lost friends and neighbors over the years. People who stepped forward and said, "Send Me" --- they are missed everyday, but especially today we think of them.... those we knew and those we did not.

On this solemn day - think of those who gave their lives for us, for this idea of America - think of those they left behind who hurt everyday, but especially today.

May They Walk with God - May We Ever Remember

Forty-five-year-old; Sgt. Maj. Robert J. Cottle, 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, pays tribute to one of his fallen Marines on March 8, 2010 at South Station, Helmand province, Afghanistan.

A little more than two weeks later, Cottle, a seven-year active-duty veteran and high-ranking SWAT officer for the Los Angeles Police Department, was struck by a roadside bomb killing him and 19 year old Marine Lance Cpl. Rick Centanni.

Photo by Marine Corps 1st Lt. Joshua Diddams
I Marine Expeditionary Force (Fwd)
Date: 03.08.2010
Location: South Station, AF

As we approach Memorial Day,
we must never forget that good men and women
are still giving their lives in defense of our nation.

If you didn't read the caption of this photo, you missed the point....

When the Blue Star Turns to Gold ~ Memorial Day 2009

When the Blue Star turns to Gold

Someone has given all
to a country that asked them to give
everything they had.

Can we ever repay the gift they gave?
The gift of freedom and safety
that they provided.

Can we ever comfort their loved ones?
Take the pain from the heart
and the loss from their lives.

Can we ever say thank you to them?
As we go about our lives without a thought
for the security we have.

Can we do anything?
We can remember and we can honor
When the Blue Star turns to Gold.

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On Memorial Day, we remember the many who have served us so well, and we remember their families who have lost so much. Most Americans will never know a person who who served and lost their life, nor will they know families and friends of those who have. I have been given the gift and burden of knowing some who have fallen, of knowing Gold Star families, of listening to troops talk about their buddies. However deep the heartbreak, I will always feel priveledged to have known them. Their lives were a gift, a touchstone to freedom. I will remember them. I will carry their faces in my heart forever.

There are many beautiful tributes on the blogs today:
American Ranger writes about those he has lost
Sarge Charlie gives us some memorable images
Exile in Portales shares the Air Force letter on Memorial Day
Conservative Intelligence Report reminds us of those who stand watch
One Loon's Tales gives us The Bivouac of the Dead
Cop the Truth gives us some memorable links
A Soldier's Perspective shares a beautiful poem
Violence Worker has a reminder
Yankeemom has some links for us

For all of my Memorial Day posts:
Memorial Day posts

Whatever you read today, please remember those who gave all.

Remembering the Missing at Punchbowl National Cemetery

IN THESE GARDENS ARE RECORDED
THE NAMES OF AMERICANS
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY
AND WHOSE EARTHLY RESTING PLACE
IS KNOWN ONLY TO GOD

The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific - also known as Punchbowl National Cemetery - includes ten "Courts of the Missing". These garden courts are located on both sides of the stairway that leads to the sculpture of Columbia, the chapel and the information walls about WWII Pacific battles.

On the inside and outside of the walls in the 10 courtyard gardens are engraved the names of the 28,788 troops who went missing in the pacific theatre in WWII, Korea and Vietnam.

It is a moving experience to walk into the courts and see all of the names and where they were lost. The majority were sailors lost in WWII, now united in granite with their shipmates.

While these men were never recovered, here they are never forgotten. And, thus, we lift their names to heaven.

To see more pictures of the Punchbowl National Cemetery, go here.

The Poppies ~ Symbol of Memorial Day

The Flanders poppy, also known as red poppy, corn poppy and field poppy (Papaver rhoeas) is native to the Mediterranean and areas of Europe. The tiny seeds can sit in the soil for decades until the soil is disturbed and they come back to life. They are spread on the boots of soldiers and by the winds and birds, by tires on bicycles and cars. It is believed that they were spread to Britian on the boots of Roman soldiers.

During WWI the soils were disturbed around trenches, craters and graves. When Spring came, the poppies grew. John McCrae, an aide station doctor observed the poppies and wrote the touching poem In Flanders Field in 1915. The war raged for three more years, and each Spring where graves had been dug, the poppies bloomed on them.

In Flanders Fields
By John McCrae

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.

When you see the red poppies, remember the fallen that have given so much for each of us.

We have an area of our yard where we have Flanders poppies growing... never forget.

Rolling Thunder XXII

Each Memorial Day weekend, bikers from across the United States ride to Washington, DC. They gather in the Pentagon Parking lot on Sunday morning, then ride in one VERY LONG line to the Mall and gather at the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial. They come each year to remember our POW/MIA troops and to stand up for Veteran's Rights.

Rolling Thunder members do many acts of charity for Veteran's - homeless, hospitilized, in need. They stand up for legislation to assist Veterans. They assist in the recovery of remains from SE Asia. To read about their many activities, go here.

Usually, C-SPAN shows the Rolling Thunder ride to the Wall.

Memorial Day from our Troops

"Flags In" at Arlington National Cemetey

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Sandra Quaschnick, right, and U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jennifer Bailey, left, render salutes during the "Flags In" ceremony to honor fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., May 22, 2008. Quaschnick and Bailey are assigned to the the Fife and Drum Corps of the 3rd U.S. Infantry, "The Old Guard." Defense Dept. photo by Sebastian J. Sciotti Jr.

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Andres Yanez renders a salute during the "Flags In" tribute honoring fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery, VA., May 22, 2008. Yanez, who regularly supervises funeral details at the cemetery, said it is an honor to participate in the tribute. Defense Dept. photo by Sebastian J. Sciotti Jr

Sgt. Edward Taylor, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion 3rd Infantry Regiment placing a flag in the ground during Arlington National Cemetery's annual Flags In.Photo by SGT Parker, US Army, The Old Guard.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Stephen Kuhne, places the fourth flag in front of the Tomb of the Unknowns during the "Flags In" Tribute yesterday evening at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., May 22, 2008. Kuhne is the commander of the relief for the 3rd U.S. Infantry, "The Old Guard." Defense Dept. photo by Sebastian J. Sciotti Jr.

(Click on pictures to enlarge)

Since 1948, the "Flags In" ceremony has taken place at Arlington National Cemetery. This year, it will take place on May 21.

The flags are placed at each headstone and at the Tomb of the Unknowns by the Tomb Sentinels and at the cemetery's Columbarium. Each resting place will have a flag placed upon it, which will be there until the end of Memorial Day.

This year, flags will be placed by soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), Marines from the U.S. Marine Corps Ceremonial and Guard Company, the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard, the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard in placing more than 250,000 grave decorating flags at Arlington National Cemetery.

When Pompous Becomes Idiotic

Garrison Keillor, once known fondly for his Lake Woebegone broadcasts on PBS, now writes a pompous editorial column for the Baltimore Sun. His Memorial Day column is not only pompous, but ignorant. He writes like a smarmy elitist who did not bother to gather any facts and was annoyed only by his own inconvenience. If this editorial does not enrage you, I do question your patriotism. My comments are at the end.

The disturbing roar of hollow patriotism
By Garrison Keillor
May 28, 2008

Three hundred thousand bikers spent Memorial Day weekend roaring around Washington in tribute to our war dead, and I stood on Constitution Avenue on Sunday afternoon watching a river of them go by, waiting for a gap in the procession so I could cross over to the Mall and look at pictures. The street had been closed off for them and they motored on by, some flying the Stars and Stripes and the black MIA-POW flag, honking, revving their engines, an endless celebration of internal combustion.

A patriotic bike rally is sort of like a patriotic toilet-papering or patriotic graffiti; the patriotism somehow gets lost in the sheer irritation of the thing. Somehow a person associates Memorial Day with long moments of silence when you summon up mental images of pilots revving up B-24s and infantrymen crouched behind piles of rubble steeling themselves for the next push.

You don't quite see the connection between that and these fat men with ponytails on Harleys. After hearing a few thousand bikes go by, you think maybe we could airlift these gentlemen to Baghdad to show their support of the troops in a more tangible way. It took 20 minutes until a gap appeared and then a mob of us pedestrians flooded across the street and the parade of bikes had to stop for us, and on we went to show our patriotism by, in my case, hiking around the National Gallery, which, after you've watched a few thousand Harleys pass, seems like an outpost of civilization.

There stood Renoir's ballerina in pale blue chiffon and Monet's children in the garden of sunflowers. And Mary Cassatt's "The Boating Party," which I stood and stared at for a long time. A lady in a white bonnet sits in a green sailboat, holding a contented baby in pink, as a man rows  the boat toward a distant shore. (Perhaps the boat is becalmed.) The man wears a navy blue shirt,  he is preoccupied with his rowing, and the lady looks wan and mildly anxious, as well a mother should be. The baby is looking dreamily over the gunwales. Is the man a hired hand or is he the husband and father?

A work of art can lift you up from the mishmash of life, the weight of the unintelligible world, and vulgarity squats on you like an enormous toad and won't get off. You stroll down past the World War II Memorial, which looks like something ordered out of a catalog, a bland insult to the memory of all who served, and thousands of motorcycles roar by disturbing the Sabbath, and it depresses you for hours.

If anyone cared about the war dead, they could go read David Halberstam's The Coldest Winter or Stephen Ambrose's Citizen Soldiers or any of a hundred other books, and they would get a vision of what it was like to face death for your country, but the bikers riding in formation are more interested in being seen than in learning anything. They are grown men playing soldier, making a great hullabaloo without exposing themselves to danger, other than getting drunk and falling off a bike.

No wonder the Current Occupant welcomed them with open arms at the White House, put on a black leather vest, and gave a manly speech about how he'd just "choppered in" and saw the horde "cranking up their machines," and he thanked them for being so patriotic. They are his kind of guys, full of bluster, giving off noxious fumes, and when they leave town, nobody misses them.

Meanwhile, the man pulls at the oars, the lady wonders if this trip was a good idea or if some disaster is at hand, and the child lolls on her lap, dazed by the sun. They started this trip in 1894 and haven't advanced an inch; meanwhile, half the people who ever stood and watched them have reached that distant shore and the rest of us are getting closer every day.

I am the boatman and maybe you are, too - it is quiet on the water, we lean on the oars, and we are suspended in time, united with every other man, woman and child who ever voyaged afar.

Garrison Keillor's column appears regularly in The Sun.
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First - Memorial Day was on Monday - Rolling Thunder rides on Sunday. It seems Keillor does not know when Memorial Day is. I'm not quite sure how looking at French Impressionist art is an expression of patriotism, but in Keillor's very small frame of reference it is. Does he know that without the sacrifices of men better than he is, he would not get to go to the museums in DC.

Second - Rolling Thunder is made up of Veterans - started by Vietnam Veterans and now joined by more recent Veterans. Keillor chooses to denigrate them and deny them the honor deserved. He calls them drunkards who fall off of bikes, and denies them the honor of their service. Little does he know that these men ride for their POW-MIA brothers and for their fallen comrades. They ride for Veteran's benefits and hold the VA to account at all times. They have played a much wider role in American history than Keillor, or for that matter Halberstam and Ambrose who recorded others actions from the safety of their offices.

And, finally, he insults the World War II Memorial - and while we can agree to disagree, he does not express any respect who served, in fact he calls it a bland insult.


Oh, and don't forget the obligatory liberal insult to the President.

Keillor, you are a small minded, arrogant elitist who knows less about his country than most. You have so much secured for you by these 'fat men' that you will never comprehend. You sicken me and I am sorry you live in my country.

Memorial Day ~ Rev Don LaVetter

A friend of mine, The Reverend Don LaVetter, gave the following Memorial Day address and graciously allowed me to post it here. (I have typed it in, so all typos are mine.)

************************************************************************************

I would like to ask all of you a question... What do you think the world would look like today, if it were not for the American soldier?

Memorial Day is the time for Americans to reconnect with their history and core values by honoring those who gave their lives for the ideals we cherish.

More than a million American service members died in the wars and conflicts this nation fought since the fist colonial soldiers took up arms in 1775 to fight for Independence. Each person who died during those conflicts was a loved one cherished by family and friends. Each was a loss to the community and the nation.

The observance of this day was born of compassion and empathy in 1863, As the Civil War raged, grieving mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, and other loved ones were cleaning confederate soldiers' graves in Columbus, Mississippi, placing flowers on them. They noticed nearby the union soldiers' graves, dusty, overgrown with weeds. Grieving for their own fallen soldiers, the confederate women understood that the dead union soldiers buried nearby were the cherished loved ones of families and communities far away. They cleared the tangled brush and mud from those graves as well as their own soldiers' graves and laid flowers on them too.

Soon the tradition of a "Decoration Day" for the graves f fallen soldiers spread. On May 5, 1866, when the Civil War was over, Henry Welles of Waterloo, New York, closed his drugstore and suggested that all other shops in town also close up for a day to honor all soldiers killed in the Civil War, union and confederate alike. It was a gesture of healing and reconciliation in a land ripped apart by conflict.

Sixteen years later, in 1882, the nation observed its first official Memorial Day, a day set aside to remember and honor the sacrifice of those who died in all our nation's wars.

For decades, Memorial Day was a day in our nation when stores closed and communities gathered together for a day of parades and other celebrations with a patriotic theme. memorial Day meant ceremonies at cemeteries around the country speeches honoring those who gave their lives, the laying of wreaths, the playing of Taps.

In some places, these ceremonies continue, as we see here. You present at this event remember the true meaning of Memorial Day. You come here to honor our fallen comrades by your presence. You understand that on Memorial Day we honor the ideals and values those soldiers stood for and died defending.

Sadly, many Americans have lost this connection with their history. All too many Americans today view military service as an abstraction, as images seen on television and in movies. For a growing percentage of the American people, memorial Day has come to mean simply a three-say weekend or a major shopping day. Families might still gather for picnics, but for many of them, the patriotic core - the spirit of remembrance - is absent.

Memorial Day, like the military itself, is largely cut off from its historic meaning for many Americans. They have forgotten what the military stands for in the nation's history.

Many Americans have no experience with or connection to the military. There are many reasons for the disconnect. We have fewer and fewer veterans to share their stories. And many of our older veterans - especially those from World War II and Korea - tend to be reticent. They often don't talk about their service.

Today, we have the smallest military we've had in 50 years. Unlike past periods in our history, the majority of members of Congress today have not served in the military. Many Americans do not have any relatives or even neighbors who serve now or have ever served in the military. In fact, many Americans today have never even met a soldier.

We are living in a time of economic prosperity, when threats are not well understood, when many young people are drawn to military service. In fact, all the services face challenges i reaching their recruiting goals. Nine out of 10 high school students surveyed say they have no interest in serving in the military. ROTC programs in our universities struggle to sign up cadets to fill the officer ranks.

This is not news to many of you. Your are aware of the challenges involved in reconnecting the American people to their Armed Forces. You've encountered some of the ignorance and apathy yourselves. And you may wonder what to do about it.

What can you do, as one individual, or as a community?

As Margaret mead once said so well, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

You are doing an important thing, making a difference, by being here today. Your are not forgetting the sacrifices of our soldiers.

Let me share with you some other ideas and examples of what people are doing to make a difference - to reconnect Americans with their military, past and present.

In May 1996, Carmella LaSpada met a group of school children on the Mall in Washington DC. She asked them what Memorial Day meant. They all paused and then said, "The day the pool opens."

Ms LaSpada decided she wanted to show these children and others like them why they are free and who paid for their freedom. She started the 'Moment of Remembrance' campaign. Her goal is to put the 'Memorial' back into Memorial Day.

she would like to see all Americans observe one minute of silence at exactly 3 pm on memorial Day, at Taps plays, to honor those who sacrifice their lives for us.

That first year, 1,000 shopping malls in this country did what she asked on Memorial Day. They announced the moment of silence at 3 pm; so did several baseball stadiums, including those of the Yankees and Orioles; so did transportation centers, such as Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, Amtrak, and bus lines. Several amusement parks announced the moment of silence.

Each year since 1996, the "No Greater Love Foundation" has worked to expand the campaign further. The goal is for every American to hear an announcement on memorial Day at 3 pm, calling for a moment of silence, one minute out of the year to remember those who made the greatest possible sacrifice.

I encourage you to join in the effort to spread the word about the Memorial Day moment of silence, to make it observed in more places.

Carmella LaSpada is one person who started a nationwide campaign. There are others who have made a difference taking action on a smaller scale, in their school, in their community, and one-on-one.

In Lincoln, Vermont, on the first school day after Memorial Day, the children of the elementary school walk about a mile from their schoolhouse to the village cemetery. About 100 students from kindergarten to sixth grade, along with the teachers and staff, pick dandelions along the way to decorate the graves.

In Corvallis, Oregon, the granddaughter of a veteran started a Veterans Day celebration in her middle school. That's the type of grass roots effort that can make a difference for Memorial Day or Veterans Day or any day to help reconnect our children to our history.

The students of Ritter Elementary School in Allentown, Pennsylvania, honor veterans each year at a special Veterans Day Program where the children sing songs of praise and recognize what veterans have done for our country. Those same children started a project called "Penny Power for Veterans." They asked 40,000,000 Americans to donate just one penny to help build the Korea-Vietnam Veterans memorial Education Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in January of this year, hundreds dressed up as soldiers to reenact the Battle of the Bulge. They said their goal is to preserve a fading legacy, to pass on the history of what our soldiers did for us.

In Wilmington, North Carolina, a program in the Wilmington Star-News encourages school children to send e-cards, that is, e-mail greetings, to veterans through the Internet. The newspaper provides many other ideas of Internet sites to educate children about veterans and our military history.

In fact, the Internet has created the opportunity for a different kid of memorial ceremony. a number of dedicated individuals have spent their time creating and maintaining Memorial Day and other veteran-related web sites on the Internet. These sites are available year-round, 24-hours-a-say, for individuals to learn more about our military history and individual veterans. Many of the sites link to other sites and include photos, individual memories, poems, prayers and music. these sites allow more personal reflection. They make information and remembrance internationally available, even to the home bound.

At a site created by David Merchant, a Navy veteran, one e-mail from a reader spells out another idea of what one person can do on Memorial Day itself.

On that site, Sylvia Mohr writes: "this weekend I plan to something different. I am going to buy some carnations each day and go to one of the nearby cemeteries and walk through the sections for soldiers. When I find a grave that has no flowers, I'll leave on and say a prayer for the family of that person, who for some reason could not bring their soldier flowers. I will pray for our country and all who serve or have served. For their families, who also serve by losing precious days, weeks and months spent with their loved ones who are off serving, preserving peace and the freedom we have in this country, I;ll pray for the families who paid the ultimate price, whose loved ones died or were taken captive and never returned. I'll pray for those who may still be in captivity and who think perhaps they are forgotten. I do NOT forget."

We can all make a difference with our individual acts. And it is important that we act. It is important that those of us who understand the importance of our history, who understand the importance of our military, who understand the importance of the values of our Armed Forces - that we act to help re-connect the American people to the American soldier.

You can spread the word one-on-one with your fellow citizens. If you are a veteran, share your own stories. Or become an oral historian yourself and collect other soldiers' stories. Write them down and spread the word. Share soldier stories with family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. Tell soldier stories to other Americans any time you have the chance. Encourage veterans you know to share their stories. Emphasize the relationship between the nation's values and the core values of our military.

What is it that inspires and enables ordinary citizens to rise to the challenge of battle, to be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice of the their lives in service to their country? What is it that motivates them to respond and contribute wherever and whenever called upon to do so?

The answer is values. The proud legacy of our military - and our country - is grounded in these core values: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless-service, honor, integrity, and personal courage.

*Loyalty means to bear true faith and allegiance to the U. S. Constitution and the Armed Forces.

*Duty means to fulfill your obligations.

*Respect means to treat people as they should be treated.

*Selfless-Service means to put the welfare of the nation, the military and subordinates before your own.

*Honor means to live up to all of the military values.

*Integrity means to do what's right, legally and morally.

*Personal Courage means to face fear, danger, or adversity, whether physical or moral.

These values made the military strong. Carried with us over the threshold of history into the new millennium, these values will keep this nation strong.

We in this country owe a great debt of gratitude to those who sacrificed their lives so that we could live free. We can start to pay that debt by not forgetting, by remembering what they did and what they stood for.

Listen to these words by Charles M Province:

It is the Soldier, not the minister
Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet
Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer
Who has given us freedom to protest.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier, not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

Please join me in a moment of silence as we all remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The greatest tribute we can offer to those who have died is to wave the banner of freedom proudly.

This Memorial Day and every day....

May we never forget those who died....

May we never fail to live up to their standard.....

and may we never falter in our fight for freedom at home and abroad.

I ask that you please continue to make a difference with your words and actions

May God bless you all.

Memorial Day 2008

Each year of life, I find Memorial Day more solemn, more important. As we age, we gain more respect for the fleeting nature of life and the profound sacrifice that has been made on our behalf by young men and women through the history of our country. There is nothing in my life that I have that they did not secure for me.

This year is the first Memorial Day since the passing of two of our friends - SGT Eddie Jeffers and SGT James Craig. Today, my heart aches as it did on the days we learned of their deaths. I think of their families and the rest of their friends. I think of how much they enriched our lives, as well as the lives of people they never knew. I hope you will visit their stories and be thankful that such men lived.

On Memorial Day, I think back to the Memorial Days of my youth. I spent them with my family and we would go to the National Cemetery of the Pacific - Punchbowl. We would walk by the graves, we would go into the ten gardens of the missing. Most important, we would read their names. We would enter the chapel and offer prayers for the fallen. "Lift up their names," Puna used to say, "lift them to God, lift them into your memory."

I have always been disturbed by the phrase "Happy Memorial Day" - I guess because it is such a solemn day of importance. It was never a 'holiday' in my family. It was a day of remembrance.

So, today I remember. I hope that you will too.

Memorial Day 2008 ~ Arlington Cemetery

President George W. Bush is accompanied by Major General Richard J. Rowe Jr., commander of the Military District of Washington, right, as he holds his hand over his heart during the playing of taps at the Tomb of the Unknowns during a Memorial Day ceremony Monday, May 26, 2008 at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.

White House photo by Chris Greenberg

President George W. Bush, accompanied by Major General Richard J. Rowe Jr., commander of the Military District of Washington, foreground left, lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns Monday, May 26, 2008, during a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.

White House photo by Shealah Craighead

Pausing for a moment of silence, President George W. Bush is accompanied by Major General Richard J. Rowe Jr., commander of the Military District of Washington, right, after laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns Monday, May 26, 2008, during a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.

White House photo by Chris Greenberg

President Bush's Memorial Day Address:

A few moments ago, I placed a wreath upon the tomb of three brave Americans who gave their lives in service to our nation. The names of these honored are known only to the Creator who delivered them home from the anguish of war -- but their valor is known to us all. It's the same valor that endured the stinging cold of Valley Forge. It is the same valor that planted the proud colors of a great nation on a mountaintop on Iwo Jima. It is the same valor that charged fearlessly through the assault of enemy fire from the mountains of Afghanistan to the deserts of Iraq. It is the valor that has defined the armed forces of the United States of America throughout our history.

Today, we gather to honor those who gave everything to preserve our way of life. The men and women we honor here served for liberty. They sacrificed for liberty. And in countless acts of courage, they died for liberty. From faraway lands, they were returned to cemeteries like this one, where broken hearts received their broken bodies -- they found peace beneath the white headstones in the land they fought to defend.

It is a solemn reminder of the cost of freedom that the number of headstones in a place such as this grows with every new Memorial Day. In a world where freedom is constantly under attack and in a world where our security is challenged, the joys of liberty are often purchased by the sacrifices of those who serve a cause greater than themselves. Today we mourn and remember all who have given their lives in the line of duty. Today we lift up our hearts especially those who've fallen in the past year.

We remember Army Specialist Ronald Tucker of Fountain, Colorado. As a young man, Ronnie was known for having an infectious smile and a prankster's sense of humor. And then he joined the United States Army, which brought out a more mature side in him. Ronnie transformed from a lighthearted teenager into a devoted soldier and a dutiful son who called his mother every day from his post in Iraq. In his final act of duty, less than a month ago, he worked with other members of his unit to build a soccer field for Iraqi children. As he drove back to his base, an enemy bomb robbed him of his life. And today our nation grieves for the loss of Ronnie Tucker.

We remember two Navy SEALS -- Nathan Hardy of Durham, New Hampshire, and Michael Koch of State College, Pennsylvania. Nate and Mike were partners in the field and they were close friends in the barracks. Through several missions together, they had developed the unique bond of brotherhood that comes from trusting another with your life. They even shared a battlefield tradition: They would often head into battle with American flags clutched to their chests underneath their uniform. Nate and Mike performed this ritual for the last time on February the 4th -- they both laid down their lives in Iraq after being ambushed by terrorists. These two friends spent their last few moments on earth together, doing what they loved most -- defending the United States of America. Today, Nathan Hardy and Mike Koch lay at rest next to each other right here on the grounds of Arlington.

The men and women of American armed forces perform extraordinary acts of heroism every single day. Like the nation they serve, they do not glory in the devastation of war. They also do not flinch from combat when liberty and justice are embattled. Ronald Tucker, Nathan Hardy and Mike Koch make clear, they do not waver -- even in the face of danger.

And so today, here in Washington and across our country, we pay tribute to all who have fallen -- a tribute never equal to the debt they are owed. We will forever honor their memories. We will forever search for their comrades, the POWs and MIAs. And we pledge -- we offer a solemn pledge to persevere and to provide the security for our citizens and secure the peace for which they fought.

The soil of Arlington and other sites is filled with liberty's defenders. It is nourished by their heroism. It is watered by the silent tears of the mothers and fathers, and husbands and wives, and sons and daughters they left behind. Today we pray for God's blessing on all who grieve and ask the Almighty to strengthen and comfort them today and everyday.

On this Memorial Day, I stand before you as the Commander-in-Chief and try to tell you how proud I am at the sacrifice and service of the men and women who wear our uniform. They're an awesome bunch of people and the United States is blessed to have such citizens.

I am humbled by those who have made the ultimate sacrifice that allow a free civilization to endure and flourish. It only remains for us, the heirs of their legacy, to have the courage and the character to follow their lead -- and to preserve America as the greatest nation on earth and the last best hope for mankind.

May God bless you and may God bless America.

President Bush Meets with Rolling Thunder

President Bush, center, is presented with a Rolling Thunder jacket by Artie Muller, left, president of the veterans group, and Gary Scheffmeyer, vice president, on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday.

President George W Bush is now an honorary member of Rolling Thunder. Today, Rolling Thunder was welcomed at the White House - don't know about you, but I would have loved to have seen rhose motorcycles pulling up to the front of the White House!

The President paid tribute to the group. "You've done a lot for the country, and the troops appreciate you, and the veterans appreciate you, and your president appreciates you."

The leaders of rolling thunder also met with the President in the Oval Office. They talked about increasing benefits for PTSD for Veterans. After the meeting, Muller said: "He said he is going to really look into it. He said that really has to change. I know he can't do everything we've always asked, but I know he's come close."

Thank you, Rolling Thunder.

Rolling Thunder

For the past 21 years, Rolling Thunder has gathered in the Pentagon parking lot on the Sunday before Memorial Day and ridden across the Memorial Bridge, down the Mall, to the Vietnam Wall and the Lincoln Memorial to remind us all of the soldiers who are POW-MIA. Once there, they have a concert and speeches. These are those who have fought for us - who have kept us free.

American Cemeteries Abroad

"Time will not dim the glory of their deeds"

-General of the Army John J pershing

As we approach Memorial Day, we should remember that our war dead are buried in cemeteries around the globe. This is a listing of those administered by the American Battle Monuments Commission, and each includes a link to a video and more pictures.

The ABMC commemorative mission is reflected in 24 overseas military cemeteries that serve as resting places for almost 125,000 American war dead; on Tablets of the Missing that memorialize more than 94,000 U.S. servicemen and women; and through 25 memorials, monuments and markers.

AISNE-MARNE AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/am.php

ARDENNES AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/ar.php

BRITTANY AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/br.php

BROOKWOOD AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/bk.php

CAMBRIDGE AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/ca.php

COROZAL AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/cz.php

EPINAL AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/ep.php

FLANDERS FIELD AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/ff.php

FLORENCE AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/fl.php

HENRI-CHAPELLE AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/hc.php

LORRAINE AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/lo.php

LUXEMBOURG AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/lx.php

MANILA AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/ml.php

MEUSE-ARGONNE AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/ma.php

MEXICO CITY NATIONAL CEMETERY

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/mx.php

NETHERLANDS AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/ne.php

NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/no.php

NORTH AFRICA AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/na.php

OISE-AISNE AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/oa.php

RHONE AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/rh.php

SICILY-ROME AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/sr.php

SOMME AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/so.php

ST. MIHIEL AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/sm.php

SURESNES AMERICAN CEMETERY AND MEMORIAL

http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/su.php