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Every worker to the betterment of this world deserves to be honored ... some of us do it in quieter ways ... some in more painful, some in more dangerous, more exposed ways.  Hell, i sound and feel so ignorant...Honestly, I could never possibly fully appreciate the anguish of  those mothers and fathers who watched their sons rented from them for purposes of defending their country. Wishing for the  gratitude and pride they felt if/when their sons ever returned.  The torment of waiting. I would only hope to realize that the world (myself in this case) isn't so small as to disregard those who have been a huge part and sacrificed hugely, often quietly and without notice, and in some cases unjustly dishonored and/or tortured to death.  I could only hope to think I could imagine the anguish. But mostly the value of what you men gave and the pain you must keep dealing with, including lack of acknowledgement, appreciation...I am celebrating by dancing at an annual  Memorial Day salsa convention at LAX ... I LOVE to dance.  I wish to express the most joy I can in honor of the most sacrifice that makes this freedom possible for me in this country!  I dance and sing when I want to be happiy. Many sacrificed so I can.  So I will! I realize we as a country are again struggling economically. We rant about the legalities of  sex issues/ "the hobby"; but we get to play the music we want, we get to talk, listen to the howard sterns...we get to play music!  so many things,  a reminder.  Not to settle for less, but to realize and to appreciate the struggles. the quiet sacrifices. the accomplishments!Thank you, any and all gentlemen who served to make this country a better place for the rest of us to follow.  The struggle is neverending...but what has been given is inconceivable,  I will honor it without question.Warmest respect and regardsfelicia foxx--modified by feliciafoxx at Sat, May 26, 2001, 01:47:07

Wolf,Your words and thoughts gave me the same tingly feeling down my spine as the first time I saw Maya Lin's Vietnam Memorial in D.C. The inscribed names of 58,000 soldiers brought about an overwhelming clarity of the magnitude of men and women who give up their lives in war.In comparison, my sacrifices in life are small. I will always be grateful to these people.

who has wondered if the majority of our society today even has any clue as to the burden our servicemen and women face everyday to insure their freedom. While I am hopeful that someday the majority of our society will understand, I am not going to hold my breath for it, as I doubt I could last that long. Thanks for understanding our service and I am glad to have served you and the rest like you. I would do it again without hesitation.

Thank you Greywolf and everyone else who has served our country and those who continue to do so.You mentioned "I hope that I am not the only one to put all other things aside & take a moment to honor & salute our service men & women, they are most deserving of that. "You are not the only one.I was a peaceful protester of the Viet Nam war.  I marched many times against the war.  However I prayed even more times(daily) for the men and women that were over there and for their families.  I am not religious, but very spiritual, and in this sense it was easy for me to put aside my feelings about the war itself and focus on prayers and sending love for the people who fought for us. Those two things(war vs. men/women) are a universe apart.I am so sorry to those of you who fought the Vietnam war and were not given a heros' return when you came home.  It is a national shame how my fellow country men treated you when you came home.  But there were many of us who gave you a heros' 'welcome home' in our hearts, and those we got to personally welcome got a heroes welcome from us in all ways.Thank you to all of you for protecting us in all of the wars.  I will be forever grateful.May God bless all of you and keep you from harms way in the future.Susie

four of my childhood friends are there.  Regardless of one's views of America's involvement in the Vietnam War, the young men that went there did so in the service of this country.  Everyone that puts on that uniform does so and most do it with great honor.  We are still the only nation with a history of sending our youth around the world - not conquer, but free other peoples.My father is buried at Arlington National Cemetary.  During the 80's and early 90's I traveled to D.C. often.I didn't always get to Arlington; I never took to a trip (including rain, sleet and snow) that I didn't visit The Wall.Dad understands, I am quite sure.

I read your post late last night before I went to bed and spent a rather sleepless night thinking about your comments and my 80 y.o. father, a Navy veteran of WWII, and a conversation I had earlier in the day with a 25 y.o. woman (more on that in a minute).For years when I'd ask my father about the war, like so many veterans he'd invariably tell a story about his shipmates and some of the funny things that happen amongst the crew.   When I'd push for details about the action they experienced, the story would always veer off in some other direction- the typhoon with the 60 foot waves, or when they had to eat rice with maggots for 6 weeks when they couldn't get resupplied, or the 120 degree heat of the engine room that would cause you to pass out if you took a drink of cold water, and on and on. All interesting, but clearly not the whole story.Then one day he took out a book that he acted like he didn't know he had.  It was basicaly a "yearbook" for all who served on this particualr ship, with hundreds of photos taken by the ship's photographer.  And there it all was- a Kamikazee plane flying between the ship's stacks, torpedo trails that missed, splashes in the water from 12" shore batteries that went 30 yards too long.  I was incredulous and couldn't believe that he'd never told me any of this.  Then at age 78 with my prompting, he filled in the blanks by dictating 12 cassettes of his war memoirs because he realized the time to keep his experiences to himself was over, and the time to pass on the lessons learned had arrived.  I had tears in my eyes as I listened to these incredible events described as dispassionately as a documentary.   Things that he could tell the tape recorder that he could never tell us in person.  I think at that moment I started to understood my father for the first time and why his generation felt so uncomfortable being called heros, and largely shunned adulation.  Heros and glory are for those seeking gain, and these men were "just doing their duty."  Four words that speak volumes.   Four words that belie the unspoken pain, lost commrades and sacrifice of the hundreds of thousands who lost their lives or were wounded.   We are the only country that has repeatedly fought to free, not conquer.  And our military has always been made of people who seek to serve rather than rule.  Common citizens united in the defense of freedom.  It may sound corny; it's not.So where are such people today?  Well, fortunately they're still with us, but invisible to most Americans.  They are in Taegu, and Okinawa, and 500 feet beneath the North Atlantic, and on a carrier in the Persian Gulf, or a radar station in the middle of nowhere- right now, today, while we enjoy burgers and beer celebrating a long weekend that we mostly forget why it's a holiday.    Because while the GI generation may have been special, they were not unique.  The millions of men and women who continue in their tradition do so not for personal gain (it's a joke what they get paid and how they live), but for the same reaons every citizen soldier has served since the revolution- they were needed.In 1969 I was in a real quandry over the Viet Nam war, I asked my father what he thought I should do about the draft.  I was in engineering school and was worried about losing my student deferment.  I wanted to control my own destiny so I asked him whether he thought I should go to Navy Officer Candidate School (and serve for 4 or 6 years), or just enlist and serve for two years.  He paused for a moment and simply said "Nobody is better off for having gone to war."   I just stood there and looked at him in disbelief.  What kind of answer was that, I thought?  I had never asked him for any advice in my life, and now when I do he tells me that? He might as well have said "Life is like an oatcake."  But 32 years later I realize that was really all that needed to be said.  So to finish this long story, yesterday I told the 25 y.o. physical therapist that was helping me with a back injury that I always call my father on Memorial Day and thank him for "just doing his duty" for four years.  This woman then  told me that her grandfather was wounded at Peral Harbor and she was going to see the movie.  She then asked me "What war was that anyway?   Which war did we fight Germany?"  I actually thought she was joking at first, but then realized she was serious.  When I said World War II, she said "Yeah, that's the one."  To punctuate my disappointment in our schools, she told me her very own grandmother emmigrated from West Germany after her city had been flattened during the war!  Yet this young woman didn't have the vaguest idea as to why.  That my friends is why we take time to remember.To all those who have served in both peace and war, you have my gratitude, respect and thanks this Memorial Day and every other day.Sincerely,G2  --modified by G2 at Sat, May 26, 2001, 18:52:12--modified by G2 at Sat, May 26, 2001, 19:14:25

I myself am going out to Rosecrans tommorow to visit my Grandparents. People take for granted all that we have as US citizen's. People think Jehovah's Witnesses are annoying sometimes, but without them many of our First Ammendment rights wouldn't be there today. Just like the Armed Forces,we have what we have because of those before us.             Semper Fi                  CD

Greywolf,Thank you. You said it just perfectly and it was very touching. I couldn't have said it better nor would I want to.  I, too, get a lump in my throat as I contemplate the pecious gift we have been so freely given.  Corny??  Not on your life!!  Yes, this is the time to reflect on the gifts we have been given by a simple accident of birth.  People really don't realize what we have here.  We seem to learn only when we lose it.The heroic men and women who fought in WWII and gave and the ultimate sacrifice should be remembered if only for tomorrow. They died so that we could be free. I have heard it said "we have the worst system on earth except for any other one. But for them, we would be living a very different lives. Thank God for them.  Viet Nam, our terrible war, was a total shame.  I remember when the men came home, bloodied and beaten, they were welcomed with great insult to add to their horrible pain. Nevertheless, they answered the call, notwithstanding any political point of view. A bullet is still bullet. Fortunately, times have changed and we now recognizing them to be the heros that they are.God bless them, and all you good frends out there.  When I hear the National Anthem, my eyes swell with tears.  I get a lump in my throat and I feel so proud and greatful to be counted as one of you.  Americans.Corny?  Not on your life, Greywolf!!! I am with you!!!I now reflect on every American who has ever fought in any warand I feel greatful.Thanks again, Greywolf,The Jet Jocky

Greywolf,I spend this Memorial Day like I have all my others as long as I can remember and that is with a trip of remembrance to a National Cemetery.  I spent this year in particular with my son who has gone every Memorial day since his birth at National Cemetery because he has several relatives and close family friends who "gave the last full measure of devotion" to this country and this is our way of saying thank you.As G2, notes ours is the odd country to fight wars for liberation and not conquest and standing in a foreign country at a U.S. National Cemetery will bring that fact home to you and certainly will make you appreciate the sacrifice that not only the soldiers made but their families.  One of the most sobering things to see at the U.S. Cemetery in Normandy at the site of the D-day invasion is the grave stone marker for unknown soldiers.  As my son put it “someone’s Daddy never knew what happened to them” That is a cost born by the families.I was most lucky that my tour with the Government did not ask that of me although it surely did try several times but the simple fact is that I will never know what the men and women who paid that ultimate price for my freedom went through.  So the least I can do is remember them and teach my children to do the same.  It is good to know someone of your caliber, as well as so many others in the TER community have also not forgotten.--JP--modified by JP at Mon, May 28, 2001, 15:04:18--modified by JP at Tue, May 29, 2001, 11:47:59

...I want to sincerely thank each one of you.  Many of your comments were very poignant.  Frankly, I was concerned that my original message would be dismissed by most as patriotic drivel.  It's very gratifying to know that patriotism hasn't "gone out of style"...hopefully it never will.  Again, thank you.