FReeper Canteen ~ Memorial Day 2018 ~ 28 May 2018

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | StarCMC & The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

The FReeper Canteen Observes ------------------------ Memorial Day 2018 ------------------------

 

History

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet (see below) carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

More history here.

 

 

 

 

Poetry & SONG

MEMORIAL DAY In distant field of sunny France Where strangers come and go, Amid the farms of Flanders, where The fragrant breezes blow, Our soldier-dead in quiet sleep 'Neath crosses row on row. Here shrapnel shells once shrieked and burst And took their toll of death; The very wind, itself a foe, Bore poison on its breath. Above their graves the birds now sing As round that home of yore, When, carefree boys, they romped and played; Those childhood days soon o’er, The boys to brave and strong men grown, They romped and played no more. They put aside their childish toys, A man’s work each must do, And when their country called for them, To her they answered true. "We must protect our native land: She shall not suffer wrong For she has reared and nurtured us, We’re men and we are strong. We’ll bid good-by to those we love; It will not be for long." With aching hearts and tear-dimmed eyes We watched them go away. Some have returned but many sleep In foreign lands today. Where English roses bloom and fade, In France where lilies grow, Among the fields of Flanders, where The scarlet poppies blow, Our soldier-dead are not forgot Though strangers come and go. ~By Eula Gladys Lincoln~

America the Beautiful - 1913 O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for pilgrim feet Whose stern, impassioned stress A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness! America! America! God mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law! O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife. Who more than self the country loved And mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine Till all success be nobleness And every gain divine! O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for halcyon skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the enameled plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till souls wax fair as earth and air And music-hearted sea! O beautiful for pilgrims feet, Whose stern impassioned stress A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness! America ! America ! God shed his grace on thee Till paths be wrought through wilds of thought By pilgrim foot and knee! O beautiful for glory-tale Of liberating strife When once and twice, for man's avail Men lavished precious life ! America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till selfish gain no longer stain The banner of the free! O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears! America! America! God shed his grace on thee Till nobler men keep once again Thy whiter jubilee!

 

 

 

 

 

Links to redrock's
Memorial Day Threads from 2006

"We Can Be Heroes.....Just For One Day"
MEMORIAL DAY --Thread # 1


"Just Another Drunk Indian..."
MEMORIAL DAY--Thread # 2


"Chocolate Chip Cookies"
MEMORIAL DAY --Thread # 3


"Hey...Do Ya Wanna Hear a Polish Joke???"
MEMORIAL DAY --Thread # 4

 

"Remember...What We Owe.."
MEMORIAL DAY --Thread # 5


"The Betrayal of The American Soldier"
MEMORIAL DAY Thread # 6


Final -- "Falls The Night"
MEMORIAL DAY Thread # 7

 

 

 

 

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

THANK YOU
for your service!

[radu]

Howdy, Kathy.

I hope your day’s been a good one. Did you get all your homework finished last night so you could chill for a couple of days?

[PROCON]

Hiya radu!

I was very happy that my sister came into town this weekend and we hung out yesterday and today before she left. Good times, shared good memories and even took her and son out to the gun range for some fun! She enjoyed herself and brought her own arsenal of guns to shoot.

Too much fun!

Your weekend going OK?

[radu]

Tears flow.
Very moving images.

[ConorMacNessa]

REQUEST PERMISSION TO COME ABOARD



CHARLESTOWN, Mass. (Jan. 14, 2008) The first major snowfall of the New Year blankets the USS Constitution. Despite the weather "Old Ironsides" remained open for free public tours. At 210 years-old, USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world, manned by 67 active-duty United States Sailors and visited by nearly half a million visitors annually. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Eric Brown (Released)

GOD BLESS AND PROTECT OUR TROOPS AND OUR BELOVED NATION!!!





Boston, Oct. 21, 2009 - Boatswains Mate 2nd Class Philip Gagnon pipes as USS Constitution performs an underway demonstration in honor of the three-masted wooden frigate's 212th birthday. (U.S. Navy photo by Airman Mark Alexander/Released).



USS Constitution's 1812 Marine Guard fire vintage Springfield flintlock muskets during the ship's underway. "Old Ironsides" was underway for the "Constitution Day Cruise," which is conducted to thank the family and supporters of Constitution. U.S. Navy photo by Airman Nick Lyman (Released)

OUR TROOPS ROCK!!!!!!!

[radu]

Howdy there, PRO!

Still trying to see through leaky eyes after seeing the images you posted.

I saw last night that you had a grand time yesterday. Glad nothing happened to postpone your sister’s visit and that you’ve been able to have some fun times together.

The weekend’s gone well so far. Spent several hours at the museum yesterday cleaning more uniforms. Had a lot of young folks stop in throughout the day to check out the place.

Laid low today since the ol’ back isn’t too happy. Got a little grab in it as I carried an armload of cleaned and bagged uniforms upstairs. It’s reminding me now not to carry so many at once. Sux gettin’ old. LOL!

[luvie]

U S Military Academy~Mansions Of The Lord

Mansions Of The Lord
Ronan Tynan

To fallen soldiers let us sing
Where no rockets fly nor bullets wing
Our broken brothers let us bring
To the Mansions of the Lord

No more bleeding, no more fight
No prayers pleading through the night
Just divine embrace, eternal light
To the Mansions of the Lord.

Where no mothers cry and no children weep
We will stand and guard though the angels sleep
Through the ages safely keep
The Mansions of the Lord.

NEVER FORGET THEM!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Remember the Fallen!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

[radu]

Howdy, LUV.

We never forget them!

[radu]

Howdy howdy, MS.B (since it posed twice. hee!)

Was this pic taken up there during Memorial Day activities?

[ConorMacNessa]

MEMORIAL DAY, 2018



Flags In At Arlington

Our National Colors stand today in front of every grave in the Hallowed Grounds of Arlington National Cemetery in memory of our Fallen.

"ECHO TAPS"
USAF Band
(Click)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Pro....Memorial Day is upon us.

Remembering those who have given their all to keep us free.

[radu]

Howdy do, Conor! *HUGZ*

I hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend and not been flooded by rainfall. I saw on TV a few minutes ago that some areas up there were flooded badly. :-(

[Kathy in Alaska]

Late, but.........

Permission Granted!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

No, ‘Du.
That was taken at the Funeral of Corey Dan.
He was killed in March of 2006.
The Westboro Baptist Church threatened to disrupt his funeral.
That pic was the response they got from the PGR and the people of Maine.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

“(since it posed twice. hee!)”
Nope!
It was two different pics of the same event!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, my.....we remember!

[ConorMacNessa]

MEMORIAL DAY SPEECH
President Ronald W. Reagan
26 May 1986
(Click)

[PROCON]

Ugh, getting old is NOT fun, LOL (I think), I feel your pain!

We did have a slight cool down over the weekend so the temps weren't too scorching.

Sounds like you're getting the museum in shape, good on you!

Howz your weather?

Kittehs behavin'?