RIP Uncle Robert.
https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/151029/Memorial-Crew-B24-Liberator-%E2%80%98Miss-I-Hope%E2%80%99.htm

For this sacred Day of Remembrance and Gratitude…

Gerard Van Der Leun was one of the finest essayists I have ever read. He died a few years ago but left an incredible body of work, now (alas) consigned to memory only. Archived for two years, then no more.

One piece has survived however; and I give abundant thanks to his dear friend who in eulogizing him managed to save his finest, most moving personal essay, one I try to post each Memorial Day. 

I can never read this without sinking into deep thought, with reverence for the memories of those men and women who served in our Armed Forces, hoping to return home to those who loved them, but did not.

With deep honour for their ultimate sacrifices, I leave Mr Van Der Leun’s masterpiece for every brother and sister in our Tree…

(The Substack in which “The Name In The Stone” can be found is worth a read. But for those who may wish not to, scroll through…the essay is further down.)

https://margaretannaalice.substack.com/p/remembering-gerard-van-der-leun-bon

Thank you Menagerie for posting. The Ringgold Georgia people are a good example of what and where we should all be today.

Thank you for always posting this important reminder that it’s not about furniture or car sales, or about hamburgers on the grill. We remember those who gave all for our country. God bless them.

Amen.

Thank you Menagerie!

(Posted on Presidential thread).

I didn’t know you Captain George I Mims Jr. but I think of you and wear a bracelet remembering you every Memorial Day weekend..
“Capt. George Mims Jr. 12-20-65”. MIA

❤️

Thank you, Dad (SSG James C Bucherl), for your 34 years in the military police. Thank you for always being formidable, unapologetic, and striking fear in evil. You served this country in the U.S. Army by serving South Korea to establish and administer the training of their own military police officers to the tune of 400 men a year. You were something else. If you were alive today – you would have stormed the Capital in the coup – because you would surely know – what this was.

I am grateful you are in our Heavenly Home and this depravity no longer harms you. I am grateful you raised me alone as a single parent after Mom died when I was 9. I was probably your most formidable task – because you had no experience with young ladies and barely of marriage to Mom – you were gone so much from our lives. Little girls and frilly things – totally a foreign threat. Thanks for putting a hammer in my hands and teaching me to build things. I use your wisdom to this day.

Thanks for being the essence of toxic masculinity. You are my hero. Even in death at the Indiana Veterans Cemetery – Savannah and I would laugh that those interred there were still protecting us – because the military guns are pointed towards the Madison County Jail that is adjacent to the grounds. Even in death, Sir, you made us laugh. Wish you could have known Savannah. You only got to hold her as a baby, but she was your pride and joy. And you told me – “Well, Joanie – God finally gave you someone to love.”

Yes, Dad. Be her guardian angel now and forever. Can’t wait to see you again, as I understand so much more about you now… than I ever did.

Thank you to you and our veterans who are underpaid, underappreciated, misunderstood, and often displaced and deprecated. I’ll keep marching like you taught me.

I look forward to this post every year. It never fails as a reminder of the cost of freedom.

It’s especially moving in that they do not just raise flags for this day but they raise them with the names of our honored dead.

Godspeed to one & all, rest in God’s Eternal Peace. Thank you.

Some gave all. May they rest in eternal peace.

Amen.
1st Lt. Frank K. Evans, 397th Bomb Group, 597th Bomb Squadron, KIA 5/13/1944 over France.
2nd Lt. Hulen L. Stromquist, USMC, 2nd MAR DIV, 10th Marines, KIA 7/31/1944 Tinian Island
Cpl. Patrick S. Cochran, USMC 3rd MAR DIV, 26th Marines, KIA 8/21/1967 Viet Nam

83’ wooden hulled WWII US Coast Guard boats, part of the “Rescue Flotilla” (a/k/a “The Matchbox Fleet”) tasked with pulling our wounded troops off the beach and out of the water (many of the landing craft swamped) during The Normandy Invasion / D-Day, June 6th, 1944.

My Dad was on one of these vessels and there for the invasion. We lost him in 2013.

Getting him to talk about what he did, saw and experienced was tough, but I learned more from him than any other man on earth and miss him 🇺🇸🫡

The Virtual Wall

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

https://www.virtualwall.org/index.html

Best Memorial speech ever made:

Delivered at Gettysburg, Pa.

Nov. 19th 1863.

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. “Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. “But in a larger sense we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us,that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion, that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

My late uncle Neal served his country during the Vietnam War, and never got injured while over there. But then, while home on leave, was killed in a car accident in which his vehicle was violently broadsided. He was 24. Thank you for your service, uncle Neal. By the grace of God, we will never forget you and the many others who dedicated their lives and honor to the preservation of the people of this Republic.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:13

J

Remembering my father and stepfather who both served in the Navy in WE II, father in-law who was a marine, and all the great veterans who paid the price.

One of my most cherished memories as a young boy were those with my dad the week leading up to Decoration Day. Every year he would take me with him. We would visit at six or more cemeteries in the area. My father had a long list of names and graves that he was responsible for as a member of the VFW and as a decorated WWII veteran himself.

Our job was to clean the bronze flag holders, and place a fresh, new American flag in the holder. I recall him pausing at the grave and saying a short silent prayer before moving to the next one.

I miss my father most on days like today.

Mark Twain ” The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” These men and women lived fully . May God always bless them.

For those that sacrificed their tomorrows so that others could live their tomorrows.

TY for the Special Forum
There Can Never Be Enough THANK YOUs for America’s Military People Current, Vets, Family and Those Passed Away

THANK YOU A Million Times Over, American Military People , For Your Many Sacrifices in Serving In America’s Military

Sundance Thank you for posting this. My father, and two brothers did their duties., my dad was in WWII Nayy, he was the missile man that put them in the shoots on the sub. Extremely strong man. My Aunt said he was so impatient the day before he turned 18, he signed up and was shipped off immediately. He then married my mother and they had 10 children.
My older brother joined and loved the Navy, he was a technical mechanic for all the jets in Sicily, he said he wanted to stay for life, but got married.

Then my joker brother was drafted in the army, I think he went in to make jokes.

They all did their duties.

I’m so proud of them, and all those who served our country and world.

My daddy, Korea, my stepdaddy, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, my step brother, Vietnam, my grampa, his brother and his brother in law, DDay, my great grampa, doughboy in the trenches WWI, my great great grandfathers, Spanish-American War, great great great grandfathers, Civil War, two on Federal side, two on Confederate side, my relative John Brown at Harpers Ferry, and all the others who served in all of the wars back to the French and Indian Wars,,,,,currently still alive, numerous uncles Vietnam, kids and nephews Iraqi Freedom, now grandbaby in Navy,,,,,I was married to USAF during the Shah’s fall,,,,my hat is off and tears are shed to my family, we gave so much, and proud to do so!

RIP my uncles, one of whom never returned to his bride and young son. He was killed by a kamikaze suicide bomber during the Battle of Okinawa. The other uncle, after flying missions over Italy, returned home to help raise his orphaned nephew with his own bride, though they were never blessed with children of their own.

All of that generation of my family now rest in the Lord. Their sacrifices bind us together as a people with a common history.

My family remembers.

May we never forget.

i offered this elsewhere, but is appropriate here:

In the earlier days of the last century Decoration Day was heard perhaps more often than Memorial Day.

“Decoration” because the graves of military personnel – and also deceased relatives and friends – would be decorated on that day.

That should explain the title of this:

American composer Charles Ives wrote a short symphonic poem called Decoration Day. well worth your 8 minutes of your time!

The classical radio program hostess this morning briefly shared that her grandfather died in battle in Italy in 1944. She honored her father and brother for their military service, but gently pointed out the reason for Memorial Day. She has had several selections in a program for Memorial Day.

Thank you for posting this again, Menagerie. I was thinking about past years’ posts, just yesterday.

My eldest son had a high school classmate who was killed in the Beirut Marine barracks bombing. I’m remembering him today, and thinking his parents who would, obviously be about my age. If they are still living, they have the dear memories of his life and the helpless memories of his death.

As an American, born 82 years ago into a family who bravely fought for our freedoms so highly cherished, I am privileged to meet so many brave men and women on this thread.

Thank you all for your sacrifices and for teaching us how to live and breathe as true Americans.

May our Lord Jesus Christ bless you richly on this solemn day of Remembrance and for always…..

Amen.

Happy Memorial Day to all!

david cornelius
us army
sp5
sep 14,1942-feb 20,2023
my dad
and
my best friend
The Lord did answer my prayer for your healing….just not in the way i was asking.
and MUCH better.
i miss you every day.
i love you forever.
we will be together again.
in heaven.
and worship Our Lord…FOREVER.
thank you for everything.
I LOVE YOU.

My father served in the Army in WW II, oldest brother in the army and 3 other brothers in the US Navy. We were blessed not to lose any in the wars. I honor them all and everyone who served and owe each one our freedoms. Love to all treepers on this most important day. God bless!

https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-17/41-2645.html

Just a small group trying to help soldiers and marines and Aussies to push the Japanese force that marched on Port Moresby off of New Guinea by bombing a reinforcement convoy, and disappeared in the act.

The convoy made it. The fight they were supporting was won in January, a month or so after they disappeared and a month before the fight was won on Guadalcanal.

Declared MIA until after the war.

Co-pilot was my mom’s mother’s little brother.

In memoriam

Arthur Thompson, of Stoughton, WI, who died in France in 1918.

Your family still remembers you, Arthur.

On this day, we MUST take a pause to remember the sacrifices of our fallen and recommit ourselves to the trials left undone to secure and endure our Singularly Special Constitutional Republic Under ONE GOD. Prayers UP for those Patriot Souls and Our Great Nation of United States!

Thank you, Menagerie.

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine.
Et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Fidelium animae, per misericordiam Dei,
requiescant in pace.
Amen

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May the souls of the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

In Memoriam:

Gilbert Charles Blades Pvt, 110th Inf.
KIA Jul 15, 1918 Chateau Thierry, France
Age 18 yrs 4 months
My Great Uncle
You are not forgotten

I drove down on Memorial Day and walked the streets of Ringgold a few years ago because of this post. It was during Covid, and my allergies were awful that year, so to avoid worrying anyone I stayed well away from anyone, just me an and an extra large brown greyhound.

I only write this to urge that if you are anywhere that way, you need to go. Do it today. At the end of the day, taps in the near empty town will speak to you, and you will be glad you were there.

Echoing Taps, gets me every time.

This evening I will be watching Taking Chance again, it is an excellent movie. Back in the day I had the honor to meet LTC Strobl, he was in attendance for the promotion of the book Operation Homecoming, a complication of OIF/OEF letters and stories produced Andrew Carroll. Wonderful read. Taking Chance was the last submission in the book, it will tear your heart out, thankfully someone made the movie, best part they did a great job on doing the film. Both are well worth your time.

🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰

Never forget this is how Democrats really feel about Memorial Day!

I’m remiss if I don’t remember two friends of mine from college who gave it all in godforsaken lands of the Middle East.

Both were special ops majors, one a 160th aviator and the other a green beret in the different groups. Both absolute studs. Worth looking each of them up.

Steve Reich, USMA 93
Guy “Bear” Barratieri, USMA 92.

Moving from a long while ago…

I am grateful to my Grandfather, Bronson, who was a frogman on Omaha and later stationed with the 144th CBMU in Cherbourg. He taught me to scuba dive when I was 8.

Thank you, Menagerie, for the forum.

Avi
 May 25, 2026 4:47 pm

RIP Uncle Izzy and Dad.
my uncle was the first born into a family of three boys and a girl. he was a prominent NYC surgeon who could have stayed stateside but felt obliged to answer the call of duty. he served with Pattons Third Army during the liberation of France where he was killed by a sniper. my father always told me he was killed outside of Paris while a cousin of the second brother ( who was assigned to be a dermatologist in Saipan ) claimed it was in the Battle of the Bulge. My uncle was initially buried in France but my grandparents disinterred him and brought his body to be reinterred in the family’s cemetery. Unfortunately his gravestone listed his date of death as the date he was reinterred and nobody was left who would remember. He and his wife who was a speech professor had put off children until the wars end , so he had none. Finally another relative found our uncle’s personal possessions that included his after action report.
My uncle was killed in August 1944 outside of Troyes France. He was attending to a wounded German soldier and my uncle and his driver were putting the soldier into his car which was called the “peeps” later to be changed to jeeps. A sniper shot and killed all three people in the car , my uncle instantaneously with a head shot. His car was clearly marked as a medical vehicle. When the American forces captured the Germans fighting them their commanding officer claimed that his soldiers were under strict orders not to fire upon medical personnel and vehicles and that it was the free French trying to create a false flag. We will never know the truth, although Chat gpt says likely the Germans.
my father the youngest brother served as a radar technician in Burtonwood Army Air Force Base in England. Unfortunately just like how all the original radiologists developed lymphoma and other cancers because we didn’t know of radiation risks, the radar system used microwave radiation that was unshielded and he subsequently developed and died from lymphoma.
Memorial Day is for remembering those who gave their lives so we can be free.

The National Anthem, all 4 stanzas…lyrics included….God Bless those who preserve the Freedoms we often don’t cherish enough.

Stanza 3 starts at 02:35. Very pertinent to our times…

“…if a foe from within strike a blow at her glory,
..Down, down with the traitor that dares to defile the flag of her stars and the page of her story…by the millions unchained, who our birthright have gained…we will keep her bright blazon forever unstained…And the Star Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave….While the land of the free is the home of the brave…..”

God bless that make it possible…and those that have gone before….

“All gave some….Some gave all.”

I always post it on my social media today…….Memorial Day.

Great video.

Nick Freitas on Memorial Day. Excellent advice.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9E27ms90kUI