I realize Yogi started a thread for U.K. Rememberance Day, but here in the USA we honor the military veteran and the lives lost in war.

Five years ago I visited Italy. We were early for our first tour stop, so we side-tracked to the American Cemetary in Nettuno, Italy. Nettuno is next to Anzio which was the site of an Allied landing and battle. The cemetery holds the bodies of American soldiers who lost their lives in battles in Italy and Sicily.

Worldwide there are 24 American owned and maintained cemeteries for soldiers. They contain almost 125,000 bodies. They are administered by the American Battle Monuments Commission.

Below is a picture I took of the Sicily-Rome Cemetery in Nettuno. It was a very sobering visit.

Thank you for sharing that photo, MC. Doesn't it summarize the pointlessness of war? All those lives lost, just so we can do it again and again. How very sad for these young lives cut short, and the loved ones they left behind.

Thank you, MC.

I think we can best honor the war dead by safeguarding the values of freedom and justice for which they gave their lives.

My grandfather fought in an artillery unit in World War II. My father has his cast-iron helmet with the faded insignia of his unit. My Uncle Jack stormed the beachs of Normandy on D-Day and went back on the 40th anniversary of the battle and had the time of his life. My godfather and uncle, Col. Eugene O'Grady, fought in the Battle of the Bulge, served in Korea and Viet Nam. No one I ever met hated war more than he, but no one was more willing to serve. My father served in peace time.

I also had a cousin killed in Viet Nam. He was reported missing when his plane went downin the early 70s, but his remains were found about a month later. He was apparently killed execution style. I was about 7 years old.

I'm grateful for all.

My uncle served in WWII in the Navy. He was involved in many battles in the Pacific. He's 85 and every year he attends his ship's reunion.

A close friend of mine lost his son in Iraq. He died on his birthday, 30 days before his scheduled discharge on his second tour of Iraq. He had been discharged from the Marines prior to 9/11/2001. After the attack on WTC, he re-enlisted. He left behind a wife and two children. Like so many, he gave his life honorably and unselfishly for his country......as you said above SB.

It's a shame that this holiday, and the observance of the thousands and thousands who have given themselves to war, that the reality of it's ugliness and heartbreak, doesn't make all wars end. It's just not the way it works sadly.

FWIW, I rememember my dad and mom saying many times where they were when Pearl Harbor was attacked......They had just come out of a movie theater and the newspaper boy on the street was selling the newspapers, giving the newsflash. How shocking that must have been. My dad went into the army shortly after.


TIS

You know what I don't support?

The troops.

Then you should kept your thoughts to yourself, that statement is no use in this thread...

Show some respect..

This is why so many of the better posters are leaving these boards. "The troops" have spilled their blood in the service of their country. I do not agree with every war this country has fought, but this view does not diminish the sacrifices they made for the rest of us. Without "the troops" in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, WWI and WWII we would have lost our democracy.
For the most part "the troops" have trditionally come from the lower income people of this country so the rest of us can watch our flat screen televisions, and do things like, I dunno, worship freely, speak freely, vote, and watch George Bush and Barrack Obama who agree on little, transfer power without violence, but with dignity and grace.

You can put him on ignore and none of the "better" posters would have to leave.

DT, why bother giving any reaction at all? LLC obviously WANTED that reaction from you, which is why he bothered to enter this thread and post what he did. He knew what sentiments would be expressed here.

If he wants his freedom of speech, give it to him, and don't waste your breath on someone who might as well be a three year old having a tantrum in order to get attention.

As for the troops, they made sure that you still had that freedom of speech, LLC. Disparage them all you want. They don't care. The do it for all - the grateful and the ingrates.

I observed a moment of silence at 11:11. It may have helped that I was sleeping.

You were sleeping LN? How disrespectful

That's okay. They have done a lot without your support. You wouldn't be able to do a thing without theirs.

It was only a few years ago that I started talking to my students about my war experience. It wasn't somehting I cared to remember. But with the Iraq war at its height, I thought it was important for them to know about war. I only talk about a very small part of it. I don't get real specific about things because it does get emotional.

There are some on this Board who cannot grasp the essence of what a nation is all about and especially this Nation. I think DT said it best. People put themselves on the line to protect others and to enhance their opportunity for freedom. That's why I joined. I didn't bother about anybody else's motivation. I knew what mine was. I don't think we had to go to war in Iraq, but since we did we can offer the Iraqi people the same freedom that we enjoy. Take 40 years off my age and that would be the reason I would join up again. I got to know some peole really well for a short time. Some of them I left behind. It still matters.

Reminds us all how fundamental to life and death the addition operator is.

Fuck you.



I'm not even going to read your post; chill out. It was a joke.

Couldn't have said it any better. Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing. Thank you to all who gave their life to preserve it.

THE LAST SURVIVING US WW1 VET: Woodruff Buckles, 107 years old. Can you imagine?


Frank Woodruff Buckles was just 15 years old when he joined the U.S. Army. Soon, he was deployed to war and headed overseas on the Carpathia -- the same ship used in the rescue mission of the Titanic.......

TIS


http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/07/war.veteran/index.html

And fuck you, too, for a couple more weeks. See how this works?

And that is a great name too...Woody Buckles.

It reminds me of someone I once knew, Crystal Buttons.

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Kudos. It's about time.

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Kudos. It's about time. [/quote]
Couldn't have said it better. Hurray!

*MASSIVE sigh of relief*

I'm a day late but a big nod of respect from me to the US veterans,living and deceased!

Heroes all!

The Col. retired after 20 years of honerable service to the US Navy. If he had his way he would go back in for a few more years. I was so glad that he got out when he did. He was in the first Gulf War. And that was a very hard time in my life.

God Bless all of our veterans here in the US and world over.

Geoffy, God bless you for your actions against LLC.

Our thanks to the Col., you and your family.

Thank you MC.

I bet you and your family remember the day he returned. Happy times, I'm sure.

Yeah, good riddance. Let's celebrate with some fresh deers from road kill.