My (adult) Daughter sent me a Happy Memorial Day text earlier this morning. I did a poor job of educating her. Memorial Day is for American Servicemen/ Servicewoman who died in the line of duty. It is a sobering day to honor/ remember those who gave their lives so we can live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. My Wife told me not to correct our Daughter, her intent was honorable. Veterans' day is the day the USA has to thank Veterans.
It is beyond anything I can comprehend that today is a day for partying, camping, etc. I think today is a very important day.
The majority of servicemembers killed in combat zones over the past 100 years were under 30 years old. Many under 20 years old. They died, (many so very young)- so we can enjoy life and liberty.
I had the very humbling experience of escorting Canadian and American College students to The Normandy American Cemetery in France , in 2005. I think a visit to this cemetery by all college students could be very beneficial, and something that could be offered by all North American Universities that offer "study abroad" options in Europe.
The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France is located in Colleville-sur-Mer, on the site of the temporary American St. Laurent Cemetery, established by the U.S. First Army on June 8, 1944 as the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. The cemetery site, at the north end of its half mile access road, covers 172.5 acres and
contains the graves of 9,386 of our military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations. On the Walls of the Missing, in a semicircular garden on the east side of the memorial, are inscribed 1,557 names. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified.
ABMC administers, operates and maintains 26 permanent American military cemeteries and 31 federal memorials, monuments and markers, which are located in 17 foreign countries, the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the British Dependency of Gibraltar; four of the memorials are...
www.abmc.gov