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Posted on 05/29/2007 7:53:44 PM PDT by snippy_about_it
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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 By John McCrae In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly. Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. This was the poem written by World War I Colonel John McCrae, a surgeon with Canada 's First Brigade Artillery. It expressed McCrae's grief over the "row on row" of graves of soldiers who had died on Flanders' battlefields, located in a region of western Belgium and northern France. The poem presented a striking image of the bright red flowers blooming among the rows of white crosses and became a rallying cry to all who fought in the First World War. The first printed version of it reportedly was in December 1915, in the British magazine Punch. McCrae's poem had a huge impact on two women, Anna E. Guerin of France and Georgia native Moina Michael. Both worked hard to initiate the sale of artificial poppies to help orphans and others left destitute by the war. By the time Guerin established the first sale in the U.S., in 1920 with the help of The American Legion, the poppy was well known in the allied countries — America, Britain, France, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — as the "Flower of Remembrance." Proceeds from that first sale went to the American and French Children's League. Guerin had difficulty with the distribution of the poppies in early 1922 and sought out Michael for help. Michael had started a smaller-scaled Poppy Day during a YMCA conference she was attending in New York and wanted to use the poppies as a symbol of remembrance of the war. Guerin, called the "Poppy Lady of France" in her homeland, and Michael, later dubbed "The Poppy Princess" by the Georgia legislature, went to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) for help. Following its first nationwide distribution of poppies in 1922, the VFW adopted the poppy as its official memorial flower. However, a shortage of poppies from French manufacturers led to the idea of using unemployed and disabled veterans to produce the artificial flowers. In 1924, a poppy factory was built in Pittsburgh, Pa., providing a reliable source of poppies and a practical means of assistance to veterans. Today, veterans at Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities and veterans homes help assemble the poppies, which are distributed by veterans service organizations throughout the country. Donations received in return for these artificial poppies have helped countless veterans and their widows, widowers and orphans over the years. The poppy itself continues to serve as a perpetual tribute to those who have given their lives for the nation's freedom.      |
7th grade Georgia History and Geography was good for something besides engaging in that great social experiment called integration.
By the way, if you all haven’t visited this site, there is some really good reading material here:
http://www.army.mil/cmh/online/Bookshelves/Books3.htm
My personal favorite:
http://www.army.mil/cmh/books/wwii/104-13/104-13.htm
Congress in their infinate wisdom managed to kill another national holiday all to get a 3 day weekend.
Bring back Washington’s birthday too!
I read a book called “The Lonely Ships” a long ime ago it covered the Far East Asian Fleet and the disasters it encountered at the beginning of the war. An interesting read.
www.army.mil/cmh/books: Excellent site, many a Foxhole was created using that site for source material.
Hi Feather!
I wasn’t able to go to the cemetery on Monday. I felt really guilty about it; I read your post and drove over this afternoon with the hobbit lass.
Thanks, snippy! You reminded me that I didn’t miss Memorial Day.
I remember having to memorize that poem. Groan... I hated it. Love it now. :^)
WOO HOO, Sam! How are you??
Good to see you Friend!
USS Houston (CA-30) in 1939
Sounds like a terrific trip!
Hiya, Samwise!
Good to see you!!
NYA come on over to the Foxhole, you’ll like it here.
Hi everyone, please met and welcome a Lair FRiend, NYAttitude.
NYAttitude is retired Navy, and a pretty darned good poet to boot.
Long time, no see. I take it you are still having to use dialup?
Howdy, NYAttitude!
Welcome to the Foxhole.
Thanks Samwise!;)
Thank you Samwise. Happy to be here.
Soaring Feather, thank you for inviting me in to the Foxhole.
Oh sure you’re welcome.
SamWolf, and snippyaboutit have posted the Foxhole for years, lots of history here.
The fires aren’t near but the smoke sure is. On days when the wind shifts we get it pretty bad, you’d swear the trees next door were burning.
We doing great, blessed and happy. So are the dogs for that mattter. LOL. Spoiled rotten, all of us!
The weather is hot but with no rain for months and not much in sight it also isn’t humid.
Glad to hear you’re having good weather.
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