Free Republic

As our country struggles forward against economic recession and pandemic, we will look to the heroes of our past and present to show us the way forward. During Memorial Day, calls to suicide hotlines reportedly “surge” from veterans who find themselves overcome with war-time memories, or riddled with survivors’ guilt as they think of their fallen brothers and sisters in arms. This year, there is increased likelihood that some veterans will experience acute struggles on Memorial Day due to isolation, and constraints on cemetery visitations and social gatherings resulting from the coronavirus response.On Memorial Day, Americans are called to reflect...

This Memorial Day, Americans should take a moment to reflect on those serving in the military who made the ultimate sacrifice. Left behind are the families of the fallen who must cope with the loss of their loved ones. The Last Full Measure, written and directed by Todd Robinson, is a movie streaming on Amazon. It is a true story with few liberties taken and is based on the courageous acts of Vietnam War hero William H. Pitsenbarger, a U.S. Air Force pararescuer who saved over sixty men. The list of star power is incredible — a who's who. The...

President Kennedy once said, “A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers.” Thankfully, our Navy has always been blessed to have strong men and women with exceptional courage who are willing to serve and stand in the gap to defend America whenever our liberty is in jeopardy. Memorial Day is a special day for all Americans. It is where we, as a nation, as a military, and as a Navy, honor and remember those who gave their lives so that we might live in freedom. We...

“Thousands of trumpet and bugle players, and other musicians across the nation, are invited to play “Taps” at 3:00 p.m. from wherever they are on Memorial Day to honor America’s fallen heroes. CBS News’s Steve Hartman and retired Air Force bugler Jari Villanueva are joining forces to call upon American musicians to participate in “Taps Across America” as a way to keep the spirit of Memorial Day alive, even as traditional parades and other holiday events are cancelled due to the crisis caused by the Chinese coronavirus. Hartman and Villanueva invite musicians from every corner of America, including music teachers...

Today is Memorial Day in America. There is a day in November when we honor all those who have served in the uniform of the United States, but today is the day when we honor all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Among the fallen, most were laid to rest in the land they loved, others lie beneath white crosses in military cemeteries around the world, and others’ final resting place is known only to God. To all of them, we owe a debt of gratitude we can never repay, and this year especially, we feel the...

The past three months have been a period of extreme trial and tribulation for the people of United States. They are struggling to regain a sense of optimism and confidence in the face of what now appears to have been an unnecessary Wuhan Virus pandemic lockdown and the resultant dictatorial and unconstitutional behavior of many state and local politicians. Further, the citizenry is becoming increasingly aware of the Democrat party hierarchy’s illegal and unconstitutional utilization of the power of government to spy on and potentially depose a duly elected President. Despite this exposure, this same cabal has unabashedly and deliberately...

Editor's Note: This column is co-authored by Joseph P. Infranco, Senior Counsel and Vice President for Alliance Coordination at Alliance Defending Freedom.The German submarine struck in the wee small hours, and despite all the precautions of its captain and crew, the USS Dorchester was hit hard and deep, and went down like a stone. The torpedo destroyed the ship’s electrical system, plunging those of the 900-plus soldiers aboard still alive into near total darkness, even before it took them down into the icy sea. Only 230 would survive the sinking; many of them owed their lives at least in part...

The Puerto Rican Veterans Memorial in Boston's South End has been vandalized during a weekend dedicated to honoring service members. Authorities said they believe the vandals — who pushed over a stone pillar and threw the Puerto Rican flag to the ground — struck Saturday night. The city is investigating the incident, and Boston Public Works crews and Boston Parks and Recreation staff members are working on repairs. Boston Commissioner of Veterans Services Robert Santiago said the vandalism hits hard, especially on this weekend. "Any time is bad timing when a memorial is damaged or defaced, but being that this...

“If you ever want to sleep with a blonde again, you had better shoot down these bastards as soon as they come up” - a destroyer captain motivates his exhausted crew shortly before a kamikaze attack. The sea-battle toll for Okinawa that ended on June 21st 1945 was 36 U.S. warships sunk and 368 damaged. Almost 5,000 sailors were KIA and another 5,000 wounded. War naturally conjures images of courageous soldiers. Flanders Fields, Charge of the Light Brigade, and not the Coral Sea or Leyte Gulf. Too often forgotten are the heroic Navy, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine sailors felled...

Memorial Day Weekend is usually a time in which banner planes buzz up and down the Jersey Shore advertising drink specials, pizza deals or local businesses to the sun-seekers below. On Sunday in the Wildwoods, a few went political, apparently over the reopening of most Jersey Shore beaches from months-long coronavirus restrictions. One aimed at Gov. Phil Murphy said: “Murphy’s mom voted for Guadagno.” (Murphy ran against Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno in 2017.) And another said, "Tom Wolf likes to color” - an apparent reference to Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s color-coded reopening plan. Wolf was at odds with fellow Democrat...

As Americans reeling from coronavirus stay-at-home orders struggle to celebrate the nation's heroes on Memorial Day, The New York Times published an editorial over the weekend that claims the U.S. military celebrates white supremacy.On Sunday, The New York Times Editorial Board published the piece titled “Why Does the U.S. Military Celebrate White Supremacy?” The editorial made the argument that it’s time to rename military bases after “American heroes, not racist traitors.” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Rath Hoffman tweeted Sunday night in response: “On a solemn day for remembering those that have given their lives for our country fighting against tyranny and...

Join us for America's night of remembrance as we pay tribute to our fallen heroes and Gold Star families. This year's special presentation of the National Memorial Day Concert will be streaming live tonight, May 24, at 8 p.m. EDT - 5 p.m. PDT.

A group of military veterans out of Mount Airy, N.C., made a video to bestow a funeral honor guard upon departed service members who are unable to receive one due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. The effort was led by Rob Luffman, whose late father Bobby Luffman served in the Air Force. He said he saw a friend share a Facebook post asking for someone to play taps at her dad's funeral several weeks ago. The woman's father had served three tours in Vietnam. "That was the first time it occurred to me that veterans were not getting honors ceremonies...

Memorial Day activities, gatherings and parades may not be possible in your area due to the Coronavirus shutdown. We can still display the U.S. flag and honor the fallen at cemeteries. Two of my favorites films are The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) starring Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright and Harold Russell and The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1953) with William Holden and Grace Kelly. The he Bridges at Toko-Ri ends with the memorable line, “Where do we get such men?” What patriotic films do you enjoy watching?

Just a few thoughts on Memorial Day Weekend

Participants say government is overreaching, violating Constitution.. About 200 people gathered Friday evening in downtown Durango to protest public health orders ... The organizer, La Plata County rancher John Avery .. decried actions by the government as a violation to the constitution. “What have we become, to let ourselves be governed and treated like cowards?” Avery asked the crowd. “This is our time to be strong. Take a stand. Don’t be afraid. Don’t let fear rule your life.” The rally .. gathered without masks and not social distancing. Many people had “Don’t Tread on Me” flags and Trump 2020 swag....

COVID-19 has sent Americans reeling. We’ve seen things we cannot ignore: the sufferings of our most vulnerable and the understated heroism of our frontline health-care workers. This weekend our country recognizes heroes of another kind: the men and women who gave their lives to protect our country. Memorial Day is not a “holiday” but a sacred day, particularly for those of us who loved or served with people who “gave the last full measure of devotion.” What’s the connection between the heartbreak and havoc of the past two months, and Memorial Day? The pandemic and its global chaos have shown...

Baltimore Mayor Jack Young (D) is once again demanding President Donald Trump scrap his planned visit to the city on Memorial Day, arguing that he believes the trip is against the law, citing the city’s stay-at-home order still being in place due to the Chinese coronavirus pandemic. “We don’t need to be spending our resources for the president who’s coming here under our orders to stay at home. I think he’s violating the law,” Young said, according to CBS News Baltimore. The White House announced this week that President Trump and first lady Melania Trump will travel to Baltimore to...

Judicial Watch Lawsuit Forces Release of Infamous FBI Memo Used to Launch Obama Administration’s Spy Operation on President Trump’s 2016 Campaign Judicial Watch Sues to Stop Governor Newsom’s “Vote by Mail” Mandate UN’s U.S.-Funded COVID-19 Response Promotes Abortion Trump’s Big Bet on Virus Drug Gets Personal Memorial Day – Why We Fight Judicial Watch Lawsuit Forces Release of Infamous FBI Memo Used to Launch Obama Administration’s Spy Operation on President Trump’s 2016 Campaign In a major development, Judicial Watch forced the declassification and release of an FBI memo or “electronic communication” (EC) that officially launched the counterintelligence investigation, termed...

President Donald Trump on Friday greeted bikers gathered for the “Rolling to Remember” tribute to America’s veterans. The president spoke to the small group of bikers from the portico of the White House on the South Lawn. Actor Robert Patrick, from the film Terminator 2 also attended. The gathering this year, organized by AMVETS, will be held primarily held virtually, due to the Chinese coronavirus pandemic. Organizers of the event traveled to meet President Trump at the White House, continuing a long-standing tradition of bikers riding through the nation’s capital to highlight veterans and soldiers missing overseas.