Memorial Day

[GROUCHO MARX]

Each memorial day I post a rememberance of my neighbor, Billy Dorsey. Billy was killed, at the age of 22, on November 20, 1966 in VietNam.

I knew Billy's brother, Beano, much better than Billy as Billy was 10 years older than me. My only real recollection of Billy was him walking up the street past the side of my house and nodding a hello to me. I believe he must have been home on leave at that time.

His family held his wake in their house up the street and I truly don't recall much talk in the neighborhood. I guess most of the parents in the neighborhood were fearful that one day they might be grieving the way the Dorseys were at the time.

In any case, Billy was the only person I ever knew to die in the service of this country. It's the least I can do to remember him

 

[dave1251]

Memorial Day is a bittersweet time for me. Thank you for your remembrance of Billy Dorsey.

 

[oilboy123]

Amen to that.
Thanks to all those alive and deceased who gave us the freedom that some take for granted.
Wow just did a search and found that memorial day goes back to just after the Civil war in 1868.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

General John A. Logan
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-B8172- 6403 DLC (b&w film neg.)]

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

 

[Pablo]

Indeed, thanks.

Anyone want an extremely moving read, find a copy of today's IBD and read the story of Sadao Munemori.

http://news.investors.com/article/612579...tm?Ntt=munemori

I'm not sure exactly if any of this will do his life justice, but I balled my eyes out this AM reading the IBD article.

https://www.google.com/search?q=sadao+munemori

The man died saving his compatriots fighting for our country while his parents were locked up at Manzanar. We modern day whiners can't even imagine.

 

[DutchBrad]

RIP Billy. A BIG THANK YOU to all the Veterans out there. Thank you for your service. Freedom isn't free.

 

[Drew99GT]

Sometimes I have "issues" with United States foreign policy, but when I sit down and critically think about the world we live in and what the world "could" look like without that foreign policy, I remember that I'm sitting here free to criticize my government, free to pick any food I want to eat, free to live anywhere I want, and free to worship any deity (or not) I want. All thanks to brave men and women who gave their lives.

Thanks to all those who have served; past, present, and in the future.

 

[HTSS_TR]

We are free to protest, to criticize our government thanks to our brave man and women who fight for our freedom.

 

[JHZR2]

Always beware of the military-industrial complex, as Ike said. Some actions may be sound, some may not. But for all the warfighters, those who actually have the risk snd pay the prices, those who have risked, sacrificed, or "just" were away missing family times and events, thanks.

To those who made the ultimate sacrifice, may we remember them not just today, but always.

 

[Donald]

Thanks for your service!