“When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today”
Epitaph on the Memorial to the dead of the British 2nd Division at Kohima
War is a curious part of the human condition. It is a summary of the worst that Man is capable of: violence on a massive scale, cruelty, greed, hatred, and the magnification of every human vice. Few of us are more “anti-war” than those who have had the misfortune to fight in one and witnessed all the folly, loss and endless pain produced by the inability of men to frequently resolve their differences without resort to the sword. Yet, in war we also see men rise to the heights of what we are capable of at our best: self-sacrifice, courage, love and the magnification of every human virtue. War as the direst of human institutions is to be bitterly regretted, but we must ever pay homage to those who find themselves in this terrible maelstrom and acquit themselves with honor.
And so on Veteran’s Day we honor all those who took time out from their regular lives to stand between the rest of us and danger. We especially remember those silent heroes who paid the ultimate price for us and who never came home. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) Our gratitude, praise and thanks is small enough compensation, but it is the poor best we can give. We are creations of a loving God, and when we return love for love we demonstrate that.
“Greet them ever with grateful hearts.” Chapter Heading, The Doughboys by Laurence Stallings
Our soldier drove in from Fort Benning, GA (Uncles Sam’s School for Wayward Boys) at about 0400 hours this AM.
He (CIB, airborne ranger infantry) spent 2009 in Afghanistan. It was hard year for his Mother, too. “They also serve who only sit and wait.”
The POG’s at #OccupyFail talk about the 1%. These heroes are the 0.45% that deserve our blessings and gratitude this day and every day.
That reflection on the two sides of war was first written thousands of years ago: Homer’s Iliad.
Thank you veterans.
We are all indebted to you and the sacrifices you made are not made in vain. Not as long as we stand up most vulnerable. Speak up for the voiceless. Protect the innocent.
Feed, clothe and give shelter to those in need. Your lives have given us time to become friends of God. Your service has taught us what service is about. Sacrificial love.
This holiday celebrates the most unnecessary, useless and wasteful of wars in history. The Americans who served and were the linchpin of ending it and are the necessary heroes of that debacle.
In memoriam: Cpl. Ralph James Parrish, my dad, now dead 16 years. A farm boy, whose grandfather’s wore the gray, Patton’s Army, 35th Infantry Division, participant in the invasion of Normandy, fighting to the Elbe River in Germany. Hardly ever spoke about, but I will always remember that when I, as a young kid, spoke glowing about the Vietnam War, he made one statement, “You don’t know what your talking about “. Further, he said not.
This holiday does not celebrate any war. Not even close, Mr Link.
It is in memory of all veterans, living, wounded and deceased. Yes, this was the 11th hour, 11th day, 11th month Armistice which finally ended the fighting. But where did you ever get the idea this solemn day is a celebration of that war?
Ironic that a needless contention would emerge over this subject.
MRKM: It was obviously a celebration of the end of that war. Sorry for my shorthand use.
That so called useless war led to the re emergence of the Republic of Poland, for which I am grateful.
As November 11 is Veterans Day in the US and Remembrance Day in the British Commonwealth, it is also Independence Day in Poland, often commemorated by a citizen parade through Warsaw.
Bog
Honor
Ojczyzna
Was disappointed that the minutes silence at 11am for what we call Remembrance Day was not observed by the general public. From
personal observation, I was in a variety store and stopped when the intercom announced the Ode of a Rememberance. I stopped in the aisle, but some just continued to shop – oblivious. I really wanted to say something. I didn’t. I blame the wave of immigrants from Asia, India and ME who come as adults and aren’t taught the meaning behind these days and don’t know the value they hold. For this reason I don’t know how long these traditions will hold into the future.