A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....05-28,29,30,31-04...A Memorial Day Tribute

dutchess;billie;NicknamedBob;GinaD.

[dutchess]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Mama_bear, dutchess, Aquamarine,

So Many Crosses

I saw so many crosses there, my eyes began to swim,
Among all the fallen heroes, how could I find just him?
But then I found I had a guide, and this One said, “Fear not,
For I know all the servicemen who rest within this plot.”

My guide showed me the way to find my fallen brother,
And said that in my family I would certainly find another.
And on and on He led me there, to pass by every stone,
To show me of the fallen ones, which ones had been my own.

“I did not know so many had been taken of my clan.”
“Not all have died in battle, but each one has been a man.
A man to stand against the tide, and sweep it back to cower,
And that is why I hold them here, in this My sacred bower.”

I looked in wonder ‘round me in this forest of the brave,
Where each stubby sapling was the marker of a grave.
I said, “Why have you gathered these? What is the plan you made?”
He said with sadness, “Many others ran away. These are the ones who stayed.”

“They stayed when others ran in fear. They went toward the harm.
Though many knew no more of war than being on a farm.
They were steadfast in battle, and were conquerors of fear,
I have plans to grow some more of them. This is a garden here.”

“The seeds of their great courage, will rest within your souls,
And when the need arises, you will find you have controls,
Over the blinding terror, over the numbing fear,
Perhaps one day it will be you who journeys here.”

I was no longer trembling. I did no longer weep.
I no longer was a stranger in that strange and silent keep.
It was a ward of brothers, a loving family somehow,
And then I knew that I would be just like my brother now.

© NicknamedBob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May10, 2004

A Memorial Day Tribute

I would like to share with you an essay a young co-worker of mine wrote this month as part of a leadership program she is attending. Although I have worked with Gina for 10 years and almost consider her a “daughter”….I had never seen this side of her…I am the one always talking politics and patriotism. She’s into softball, NASCAR and raising a terrific 5th grader. Sometimes I think we get discouraged feeling only those active on such sites as FR get it. But I think there are a lot more “Gina's out there” and, with her permission, I share her essay with you today. This thread will run through the weekend as we pay tribute to our fallen, veterans and military men and women around the world......dutchess

Written by Gina D., 5/04.

Every year I go back to spend my Memorial Day in the small town I grew up in, Zanesfield, Ohio. Growing up, I remember having to be up and ready to go on the morning of Memorial Day because my father marched in the parade with the veterans, and my mother would be helping the ladies of the auxiliary prepare breakfast before the parade.

Sometimes I would even be in the parade, so proud of my red, white and blue decorated bike. I also remember selling poppies for the American Legion and going with my mother to all the cemeteries the week before to decorate the graves.

This year I will go back to the same parade and cemetery…I will see new faces marching for the armed forces as well as old ones who marched with my father. It is a very nostalgic time for me. I wish my father was alive today so he could share memories with my son and me of his time in Korea. Now, as an adult, these memories of Memorial Day mean so much more.

We need to remember the cost of war, we need to remember the price paid for our freedoms, we need to not let those who died, die forgotten and in vain.

Teach your children the day’s meaning. You don’t have to believe in war or support military action to still honor those who died in service for our country. Memorial Day is a time to honor and reflect on the sacrifices made by Americans in combat.

There are many who make it a tradition to observe the day as it was meant be observed and are lobbying to restore the traditional day of observance back to May 30th rather than the last Monday of May where many now consider it just a long weekend of barbeques, picnics and parties.

I encourage you to remember the true meaning of Memorial Day and remember we are all beneficiaries of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

Take your children to a local cemetery and place flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes. Visit memorials. Fly the US flag half-mast until noon. Participate in the National Moment of Remembrance at 3:00 p.m. to pause and think upon the true means of the day.

And most important of all, renew a pledge to aid the widows, widowers and orphans of our fallen dead as well as our disabled veterans. God bless our military men and women one and all.

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 05-24-04...Military Monday 05-25-04..."Indiana, the "Crossroads of America" 05-26-04...Letter from a Proud Military Wife 05-27-04..."My fellow American's, we will not fail"

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

CLICK

[dutchess]

[dutchess]

This weekend we pay a special tribute to all of our military men and women past and present. We enjoy our freedoms because of you. May you all have a blessed Memorial Day Weekend.

[Mama_Bear]

Beautifully done, dutchess! Thank you for this special holiday thread.

We are going out of town this weekend, I am glad I got to see this touching tribute before we left.

We should never forget the price they paid. A blessed Memorial Day to you also.

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Dutchess.

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody ! Happy Friday ! TGIF !

[dansangel]

What a moving and beautiful tribute ((((((dutchess))))) and the poem that ((((((NicknamedBob)))))))) wrote is so appropriate and moving. Deepest thansk to you both for bringing us closer to the true meaning of Memorial Day - not hotdogs and hamburgers, not an extra day off, but to honor the military members past and present that make deep sacrifices to ensure our freedoms.

Later, I'll post a picture of the fallen soldier that I have honored since I received his MIA bracelet to wear over 30 years ago. I posted a tribute to him last year on the Finest and will continue with the tradition this year.

[The Mayor]

We all . . . are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory. —2 Corinthians 3:18

Drawing close to Christ produces a growing Christlikeness.

[The Mayor]

May 28, 2004

Restoring God's Image

Read: Colossians 3:8-17

We all . . . are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory. —2 Corinthians 3:18

Bible In One Year: 2 Chronicles 4-6; John 10:24-42

---

As a young boy, theologian Alister McGrath enjoyed experimenting with chemicals in his school's laboratory. He liked to drop a tarnished coin into a beaker of diluted nitric acid. He often used an old British penny bearing the image of Queen Victoria. Because of the accumulated grime, Her Majesty's image couldn't be seen clearly. But the acid cleansed away the grime and the Queen's image reappeared in shining glory.

We know, to be sure, that we were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), but that image has been defaced by our sin. We are still His image-bearers, however.

Once we invite Jesus to enter our lives as Savior, He goes to work to restore the original image. He transforms us to make us like Himself (2 Corinthians 3:18). This process is described as putting off some behaviors and putting on others. For example, we are to "put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language" (Colossians 3:8) and to "put on love" (v.14).

Unless and until our sin-tarnished souls are cleansed by Jesus' forgiveness, God's image is obscured in our lives. But when we trust Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, we are forgiven and the restoration begins. —Vernon Grounds

Restore in me Your image, Lord,
So tarnished by my sin and shame;
And cleanse whatever may conceal
The shining glory of Your name. —D. De Haan

Drawing close to Christ produces a growing Christlikeness.

[lonestar]

A salute for a job well done.

[FreeTheHostages]

[xp38]

Good Morning all....not a long weekend up here in Canada but prayers will be sent.

[Texagirl4W]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. This is so beautiful. I wish every American could read this.

Last work day of the month - very busy. I'll come back later to read more. I hope everyone has a fabulous Friday and a wonderful, safe, happy weekend. ((H)) to all.

Remember to pray for President Bush, our military, and America.

[Aquamarine]

Keeping the faith with all who died.

Click on the pic

[The Mayor]

ThankYou Aqua!

[JohnHuang2]

Beautiful job with the layout, dutchess!

Drive-by G'morning to y'all and have a great weekend!

[The Mayor]

I'm not on your ping list anymore?

did I do somethin wrong? : (

[DollyCali]

I'm not on your ping list anymore?

did I do somethin wrong? : (

Been a bad Mayor huh????... time out in corner for 20 minutes should do it!

[The Mayor]

OK

[DollyCali]

Thank you for the beautiful thread.

Here is my personal GI memorial...

I am here at my dad's grave.... US Navy, Pacific Theater WW2; 33 degree Mason; Eastern Star; Dr. Michael E. Grlicky...1917-1990.Buried Sunset Memorial Park, North Olmstead, OH.

and 6 weeks before his death

Miss you Dad!

[The Mayor]

Donald Roof, who served with the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam, plans to be among those parachuting into ceremonies in France marking the 60th anniversary of D-Day.

Men like Donald Roof do what they do because of men like George McCoy.

McCoy was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division who parachuted into Normandy, France, on June 5, 1944, at the start of the D-Day Invasion.

The 79-year-old Hamburg resident recalled descending, watching tracer bullets flying up through the night sky and thinking every one was aimed at him.

"The sky was lit up with tracers, and it was like the Germans were saying, "Here's McCoy, let's get him.' Or at least that's what it felt like," he said.

"I was just a grunt who did my job. The heroes are the guys lying in the fields over there," he said.

Ceremonies in France marking the 60th anniversary of D-Day will include a jump by 30 members of the World War II Airborne Demonstration Team, who honor veterans like McCoy by re-creating World War II-style airdrops.

They will include Roof, of West Seneca, who served with the 82nd Airborne in Vietnam. Roof, a pipefitter at Ford Motor Co.'s Buffalo Stamping Plant in Hamburg, wasn't comfortable talking about his role.

"It's not about me. It's about the demonstration team and the guys who jumped on D-Day," he said. "We do it to honor them."

The Airborne Demonstration Team is different from the team of 11 World War II veterans - now in their late 70s and 80s - who have been denied permission to re-create their jump on the 60th anniversary of D-Day. The Army determined that the risk of injury was too great for the World War II veterans.

So, unless it's reversed, that decision will leave the jumping to the younger demonstration group, which remains determined to honor the older veterans.

And they do feel honored, said McCoy, who has never seen a demonstration jump but is aware of the volunteer group.

"I think it's wonderful that they think that much of what we did," he said. "I wish I was jumping with them."

The demonstration team, formed in 1995, is based in Lawton, Okla.

Members pay their own expenses, and Roof figures he has about $3,500 invested in equipment, including a parachute, uniform and M-1 carbine rifle with folding stock.

He travels to Oklahoma several times a year to participate in demonstration team activities, including air shows.

At age 59, he isn't sure how much longer his body will allow him to jump, but jumping from a World War II-era plane over Sainte Mere Eglise, the first town in France liberated on D-Day, "will be the jump of a lifetime. I can't wait," he said.

Team members will jump from about 1,000 feet with about 125 pounds of gear. The low altitude and round parachutes are designed to get troops on the ground as quickly as possible, an experience completely different from sky diving, which Roof also has done.

"You have about four seconds to deploy your reserve chute (if the main chute doesn't open). You can steer them," he said of the military chutes. "But it's like steering the Queen Mary."

The team was formed by Richard Wolf, a retired Army Special Forces first sergeant, and has about 130 members, according to Craig Singhaus, public affairs officer.

"We're not a bunch of rich playboys. We do it to honor the old guys, so they know they're not forgotten," said Singhaus, a Maryland resident.

Roof's wife of 34 years, Diane, and four of their five children plan to travel to France for the event. She said she supports her husband's jumping, adding, "He looks pretty nice in his uniform."

When Roof travels to Oklahoma, he usually goes by car, a 22-hour trek.

"I don't like to fly," he said.

Information on the demonstration team is available at its Web site, www.wwiiadt.com.

e-mail: ternst@buffnews.com