Today Is Memorial Day. Remember Who It's For.

Codger_64

Codger_64

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I just wanted to get the day over with and go down to Smokey's for a few cold ones. Sneaking a look at my watch, I saw the time, 1655. Five minutes to go.

Full dress was hot in the August sun. Oklahoma summertime was as bad as ever -- the heat and humidity at the same level -- too damned high. I saw the car pull into the drive, '69 or '70 model Deville, looked factory-new.

It pulled into the parking slot at a snail's pace. An old woman got out so damned slow I thought she was paralyzed. She had a cane and a sheaf of flowers, about four or five bunches as best I could tell. I couldn't help myself. The thought came unwanted, andleft a slightly bitter taste: "Shit! She's going to spend an hour, my damned hip hurts like hell and I'm ready to get the hell out of here right,by-God, now!."

But my duty was to assist anyone coming in. Kevin would lock the "in" gate and if I could hurry the old biddy along, we might make the last half of happy hour.

I broke Post Attention. The hip made gritty noises when I took the first step and the pain went up a notch. I must have made a real military sight; middle-aged man with a small pot-gut and half a limp, in Marine Full Dress Uniform, which had lost its razor crease about 30 minutes after I began the watch. I stopped in front of her, halfway up the walk. She looked up at me with an old woman's squint.

"Ma'am, can I assist you in anyway?"

She took long enough to answer."Yes, son. Can you carry these flowers. I seem to be moving a tad slow these days."

"My pleasure Ma'am."Well, it wasn't too much of a lie.

She looked again."Marine, where were you stationed?"

"Vietnam, ma'am. Ground-pounder. '69 to '71."

She looked at me closer."Wounded in action, I see. Well done, Marine. I'll be as quick as I can."

I lied a little bigger."No hurry, Ma'am."She smiled, and winked at me."Son, I'm 85-years old and I can tell a lie from a long way off. Let's get this done. Might be the last time I can come. my name's Joanne Wieserman,and I've a few Marines I'd like to see one more time.""Yes, ma'am. At your service"

She headed for the World War I section, stopping at a stone. She picked one of the bunches out of my arm and laid it on top of the stone. She murmured something I couldn't quite make out. The name on the marble was Donald S. Davidson, USMC, France 1918. She turned away and made a straight line for the World War II section, stopping at one stone. I saw a tear slowly tracking its way down her cheek. She put a bunch on a stone; the name was Stephen X. Davidson, USMC, 1943.

She went up the row a ways and laidanother bunch on a stone, Stanley J. Wieserman, USMC, 1944. She paused for a second, "Two more, son, and we'll be done."

I almost didn't say anything, but, "Yes, ma'am. Take your time."

She looked confused."Where's the Vietnam section, son?I seem to have lostmy way."

I pointed with my chin."That way, ma'am.""Oh!" she chuckled quietly."Son, me and old age ain't too friendly." She headed down the walkI'd pointed at. She stopped at a couple of stones before she found the ones she wanted. She place a bunch on Larry Wieserman USMC, 1968, and the last on Darrel Wieserman USMC, 1970. She stood there and murmured a few words I still couldn't make out.

"OK, son, I'm finished. Get meback to my car and you can go home."

"Yes, ma'am. If I may ask, were those your kinfolk?"

She paused."Yes, Donald Davidson was my father; Stephan was my uncle; Stanley was my husband; Larry and Darrel were our sons. All killed in action, all Marines."

She stopped, whether she had finished, or couldn't finish, I don't know. And never have.

She made her way to her car, slowly, and painfully. I waited for a polite distance to come between us and double-timed it over to Kevin waiting by the car."Get to the out-gate quick, Kev. I have something I've got to do."

Kev started to say something but saw the look I gave him. He broke the rules to get us there down the service road. We beat her, she hadn't made it around the rotunda yet.

"Kev, stand to attention next to the gate post. Follow my lead."I humped it across the drive to the other post. When the Cadillac came puttering around from the hedges and began the short straight traverse to the gate, I called in my best gunny's voice:"Tehen Hut! Present Haaaarms!"

I have to hand it to Kev, he never blinked an eye; full dress attention and a salute that would make his DI proud. She drove through that gate with two old worn-out soldiers giving her a send off she deserved, for service rendered to her country, and for knowing Duty, Honor and Sacrifice.

I am not sure, but I think I saw a salute returned from that Cadillac.

This is for all the men and women who went before us, literally and figuratively, who gave it their all so that we could enjoy our liberty. To those who answered the call, who stood in the door before and after us, I salute you. Well done Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen. Well done and thank you.

Michael :thumbup:
 
I only served in peace time, but for those who saw combat, thanks for allowing us to type this in English.
 
Well if that can bring tears to my tough old eyes I'd say it can work on anyone.Well done Michael Arnold
 
Thanks for bringing it back to my attention. I remembered but now I will be thinking of it all day. We are going to dinner right now with my dad (vietnam) infantry 1969-1970. Its a shame the problems he's still having 30 years later. But he's proud of what he did for his country. And I think were all proud to say thanks to thoes who gave there lives and thoes still living, for our freedom. - Joel s
 
On August 2nd, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. Five days after Iraq invaded Kuwait the United States started to deploy Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, and Coast Guard units to Saudi Arabia with the Saudis expressing doubts that Iraq was preparing to invade their country (Operation Desert Shield). The United States, (under UN Security Council Resolution 678 passed on November 29 giving Iraq a withdrawal deadline of January 15, 1991, and authorizing “all necessary means to uphold and implement Resolution 660,” a diplomatic formulation authorizing the use of force) assembled a coalition of forces to join it in opposing Iraq, consisting of forces from 34 countries: Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Kuwait, Morocco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Korea, Spain, Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States itself. US troops represented 74% of the coalition’s 660,000 troops in Iraq. Many of the coalition forces were reluctant to join; some felt that the war was an internal Arab affair, or feared increasing American influence in Kuwait. In the end, many nations were persuaded by Iraq’s belligerence towards other Arab states, and offers of economic aid or debt forgiveness.

A day after the deadline set in Resolution, the coalition launched a massive air campaign codenamed Operation Desert Storm with more than 1,000 sorties launching per day. And thus ended the Operation Desert Shield phase, and began Desert Storm. The ground campaign began on January 17, 1991. One hundred hours after the ground campaign started, President Bush declared a cease-fire and on February 27 declared that Kuwait had been liberated.

By historical standards, the initial operations were a whirlwind event which overwhelmed the Iraqis in their older style Soviet era tanks and tactics.

The rest of this history is still being written today.

A few years back, I bought what I thought was an interesting knife, an imperial Camo Lite with a different blade etch.



Given the short lead time, the etch was the only addition to this "commemorative" knife. But by April of 1991, several likewise simple and more elaborate issues were created with the theme "Operation Desert Storm". An SP3 Firebird in desert camoflage was blade etched with the theme, 10,000 pieces. A special 502HKB was initiated featuring a Desert Storm scrimshawed handle and blade etch, with 1500 serialized knives ordered.

Sadly, this was as far as Schrade was able to go in commemorating the events, paltry in comparison to their attention to other conflicts in our history. But these relatively inexpensive though elusive knives do make nice collectables, even if their value is mostly non-monetary, non-artistic.

Michael

PS- these knives commemorate U.S. casualties: 148 battle deaths, 145 nonbattle deaths

Army: 98 battle; 105 nonbattle
Navy 6 battle; 8 nonbattle
Marines: 24 battle; 26 nonbattle
Air Force: 20 battle; 6 nonbattle
Women killed, 15
U.S. wounded in action: 467.

I do not have figures for the British, Canadian, Australian or other coilition forces.
 
Thanks Michael. A great Lady who also gave the ultimate sacrifice - her family. This is the reason I have never done a BBQ nor any celebration on this day. A lot of us forget too quickly. My tour was with the 1st MAr Div on the DMZ (VN) 1966-67.
Tom
 
Michael, thank you for the beautiful story.

For my part, here is a lot of ramble, tough to follow. That being said, here's my three cents worth:

Yesterday I was honored to be a judge in our city's (Burton, Michigan) 15th (I believe it was the 15th) annual Memorial Day Parade. I am an engineer, and shared the judging duties with an area mother and a local news anchor. One republican, two democrats. One woman, two men. Age range from 30 to 50 something.

The parade is at once a wonderful, and despicable event. Veterans of various wars, military vehicles, color guard (some still do not know enough to stand as the colors are paraded), scouts, police and fire personnel and vehicles, and of course all of the politicians running for office this year. Our governor only comes on election years, so she wasn't there. Three more years until we will be blessed again with her vote rallying presence.

The floats ranged from the local Miss Blueberry, to the county football team (complete with enhanced cheerleaders), to the local partisan rag, to minimally funded yet touching attempts at honoring those who have served.

The three judges, with our varying backgrounds, political affiliations, and other sundry differences, independently arrived at the same winning entries. The winning floats were not the prettiest, but they were the ones that commemorated the spirit of Memorial Day. Basic floats, built on small budgets, that did their best to honor those who serve, those who have served, and those who have fallen in service. I was in very good company.

Remember dates. Pass them on to your children. Dec 07, 1941; Sep 11, 2001; Nov 11, 1918; Aug 15, 1945; Apr 19, 1995. Days of terror, days of war, days of peace.

Here's a picture of the memorial:

IMG_0143.jpg
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In closing, thank you to all of you who have served. To those who have lost a loved one in service, and to all of those who support those who serve.

Greg
 
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