As we all head out today to go to our fishing trips, camping trips, days on the lake, bbq's and such…. May we all pause sometime this holiday weekend to remember what Memorial Day means….. To honor and mourn those who gave it all in service to our country…..allowing us all to do what we are doing……and thank God for them!
Howdy, Dad, USMC 1941-1946 passed away at 100 yrs + 3 months this year. What Gunny said, all of these men, greatest or other generation gave us this chance to celebrate their service! God Bless them and Let Light Perpetual Shine upon them!!!
Howdy, Dad was Marine Aviator, VMSB 231 Ace of Spades, SBD-5's, 5 Major Battles including Midway, Purple Heart, Air Medal and others. Never talked much, only once when an Old Marine visited and they talked did I ever learn much about their life in the Pacific and on carriers. He did tell me once that they flew off the USS Gambier Bay, and when the flew back from that mission their 'home' was on fire. Did not think too much about that, was a kid, when years later reading the 'Two Ocean War' by Samuel Elliot Morrison found a picture of the Gambier Bay on fire, the Old Man was telling the truth. Rest In Peace Dad!
My grandfather was in the Philippine and US Army. He had dual citizenship. He was a brigadier general in the Philippine resistance. My dad was born on a tree stump in the middle of the jungle.
He was a bad ass.
I know a lot about a little, and a little about a lot.
My dad was in Guam and New Guinea and was in for all four years. Grandfather was in the 23rd infantry in the Meuse-Argonne in WWI and was shot in the hip. Always both of them really held Veterans Day for those who served and lived and Memorial Day for those who served and died…as almost like holy days to them. They never failed to remember.
My dad's brother was in the Philippines when it fell. Survived the Battan Death March and was a POW in Japan for the duration. Weighed 82 lbs when he came home.
Saluda County, South Carolina is the birthplace of William Barrett Travis and James Butler Bonham. This weekend, county fathers are flying the Texas flag on the courthouse lawn. I can think of no finer Memorial Day tribute.
Howdy, here is another tidbit on the lighter side. Question for Boomers about, wait for it, SPAM! Why am I asking this??? Well, as I said, my Dad was a Marine in the Pacific for all of WWII, my FIL was in the Army in Europe all of WWII. They both LOVED Spam. One of the few things my Dad ever said about his service was the horrible, foul smelling, rotten tasting Mutton they were served from sheep in Australia. He would go hungry before he ate that stuff. Then the Hormel folks introduced Spam, he musta eaten a ton of Spam, and came home loving it. So did my FIL. For that reason we were brought up on Spam, Spam sandwiches, fried Spam and baked Spam. Recently bored on a Sunday afternoon and watched one of those 'Foods that Built America' (not exact title) and it was about, you guessed it Spam. Turns out Spam helped win WWII, so Dad, you did good.
Now a Boomer question. Any of y'all Boomers remember Spam from our youth, say 1950-1960? It is the can I am referring to, with that little key and you inserted into a tab on the can's side and twisted it all the way around the can. When you removed the Spam, that can's edge was as SHARP as a razor, cut yourself in an instant.
That is my SPAM recollection, your recollection of Spam may vary!
In NOLA for a wedding and was lucky enough to get to spend a lot of today at the national WW2 museum. What an amazing museum and what a great reminder of how blessed we are to have had so many brave men and women make the ultimate sacrifice to protect our way of life and help keep the world a safer place.
Our generation often overlooks WW1 (The Great War). In September- November 1918 was the Meuse - Argonne Offensive. It was the deadliest battle in losses in the history of the U.S. Army. It was the turning event that caused the armistice of WW1 on November 11, 1918. Great movie called the Lost Battalion was created from it. A true story of the 77th Infantry Division that would become infamous as the " lost battalion". They weren't ever lost of course. Here is a short video that was done about it:
Saluda County, South Carolina is the birthplace of William Barrett Travis and James Butler Bonham. This weekend, county fathers are flying the Texas flag on the courthouse lawn. I can think of no finer Memorial Day tribute.
Cross-posting on several boards because there is more to Memorial Day than just being off work and barbequeing.
In Memory of: John H.Craig, JR (aka Buddy) '56 25AUG1998 Franklin, Texas (from complications due to his Navy service during the Korean War)
SPC Beltran Mar2002-KIA training exercise at Ft Stewart, Ga SFC Paul R. Smith MOH KIA 4APR03 Baghdad, Iraq SSG Lincoln D. Hollinsaid KIA 7APR03 Baghdad, Iraq PFC Jason M. Meyer KIA 7APR03 Baghdad, Iraq SGT Curt E. Jordan KIA 28DEC03 FOB Speicher, Iraq SGT Ryan M. Campbell KIA 4APR04 Baghdad, Iraq SPC Isaac M. Nieves KIA 8APR04 Bani Saad, Iraq SPC James L. Beckstand KIA 29APR04 Baghdad, Iraq PFC Norman Darling KIA 29APR04 Baghdad, Iraq PFC Jeremy R. Ewing KIA 29APR04 Baghdad, Iraq SPC Justin B. Schmidt KIA 29APR04 Baghdad, Iraq SGT Michael L. Boatright KIA 4DEC04 Baghdad, Iraq SGT Dominic R. Coles KIA 26DEC05 Baghdad, Iraq SPC Antoine J. McKenzie KIA 21MAR06 Baghdad, Iraq CPL Robert L. Jones KIA 17JUN06 Ar Ramadi, Iraq SGT Reyes Ramirez KIA 17JUN06 Ar Ramadi, Iraq CPL Ryan J. Clark 29JUN06 Brook Army Medical Center, FT Sam Houston, Texas SGT Leroy Segura, Jr KIA 4Aug2006 in Habbaniyah, Iraq SSG Omar D. Flores KIA 8JUL06 Ar Ramadi, Iraq CPL Troy C. Linden KIA 8JUL06 Ar Ramadi, Iraq CPL Joseph P. Micks KIA 8JUL06 Ar Ramadi, Iraq SGT Al'Kaila T. Floyd 13JUL06 Landstuhl, Germany SGT Allen R. Bevington KIA 21SEP06 Ar Ramadi, Iraq SGT John A. Carroll KIA 21SEP06 Ar Ramadi, Iraq SGT John Mele KIA 14SEP07 Arab Jabour, Iraq SGT James A. McHale 30JUL08 Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Bethesda, Md CPL Carlo E. Alfonso KIA 26AUG08 Baghdad, Iraq SPC Ja'mel A. Bryant KIA 27SEP08 Baghdad, Iraq CPL Brian Connelly KIA 26FEB09 Baghdad, Iraq SPC Alexis V. Maldonaldo KIA 21AUG10 Kandahar, Afghanistan PFC Adam E. Dobereiner KIA 18NOV11 Kandahar, Afghanistan
Sgt Calvin LeBlanc death by drowning while saving his son's life. His son fell out of the boat. He jumped in to save his son, got his son back in the boat and then got caught up in a rip current and pulled under the water
SPC Jay Boye death by suicide 7Feb09 SPC Curtis Gearheart death by suicide 7Nov16 SFC Kevin Graham death by suicide
SSG John H. Craig, III (aka JC, aka AGGIE12B)'88 TBD
RIP MY BROTHERS! You are not forgotten! SEE Y'ALL ON THE OTHER SIDE
There are a lot of days when I would willingly trade places with just about everyone on this list. The exception being the first name on the list because no parent should outlive their kids.
Thank you Lord for the peaceful life we've been blessed with. On this day I remember two nice guys. I have had a good life, these two died in uniform in their mid 20s.
Captain Chip Stem, '82. Animal 8 commanding officer. A good man, when he was first Sergeant I still remember the time he cut me some undeserved but much needed slack when I F up as a fish. Air Force. F111 pilot, crashed on training mission in Scotland.
Captain Kelly Castlebury '82. Fellow Agronomy major. Used to walk to class with him when I was a pisshead. Although he was the Corp Commander, he was decent and kind, looked forward to talking with Kelly as we walked across the tracks to class. Marine pilot. Lost him in an F4 collision over the Atlantic.
