May 29, 2023, a Day of Remembrance

cj Sez:  Because I believe this info needs repeating . . . 

All sacrificed some; some sacrificed all.

   Many people confuse Veterans Day and Memorial Day and think of the two days as being interchangeably one and the same, but there is a difference between them. Do you know what it is?

   Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL those who served honorably in the military—in wartime or peacetime. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank LIVING veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all who served—not only those who died—have sacrificed.

   Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring those who died in the service of their country, particularly the military personnel who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. In England, it’s known as Remembrance Day.

   It wasn't always called Memorial Day…it was once known as Decoration Day. Then the name changed again and became Poppy Day. When I was little, we bought and wore little red, paper poppy flowers as a remembrance. I believe the flowers were made by disabled Vets back then. Whatever the name, it's a day to remember and honor all those heroic men and women who have died in service of the United States of America.

  Born of the Civil War, Memorial Day began as a holiday honoring Union soldiers. The date of the first Decoration Day, the 30th of May, 1868, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular Civil War battle. 

  Inspired by the rondeau poem “In Flanders Fields” (penned by Canadian physician Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae while still at a World War I battlefront), Moina Michael, a University of Georgia professor, came up with this simple idea: Sell poppy flowers to raise money on behalf of soldiers killed and injured in World War I--the red of the petals representing the blood of heroes shed on those fields of war. Michael was the first to wear one, and she sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need.

   In my original Lyrical Pens post a few years ago, Janie Delchamps Zetsch of Dauphin Island, AL, a veteran and member of AL Post 250, shared insights on how to honor our fallen heroes. Janie told me then that what follows here had been a Facebook repost and gave me permission to use the words. Please take a minute to read it all the way through. It says everything.

“Just a reminder of what we celebrate next weekend. I am but one of millions of proud veterans, however it is not about us. It is to honor those that made the ultimate sacrifice during battle, and to honor those that served and have now gone onto their eternal rest. The following, pointed, reminders are provided for your use, knowledge and perhaps to teach a child what we celebrate and honor on Memorial Day. 

Here's some ground rules:
1. Don't wish me a Happy Memorial Day. There is nothing happy about brave men and women dying.
2. It's not a holiday. It's a remembrance.
3. If you want to know the true meaning, visit Arlington or your local VA, not Disneyland.
4. Don't tell me how great any one political power is. Tell me about Chesty Puller, George Patton, John Basilone, Dakota Meyer, Kyle Carpenter, Mitchell Paige, Ira Hayes, Chris Kyle and any other heroes too numerous to name. Attend a Bell Ceremony and shed some tears.
5. Don't tell me I don't know what I am talking about. I have carried the burden all too many times for my warriors who now stand their post for God.
6. Say a prayer... and then another.
7. Remember the Fallen for all the Good they did while they were here.
8. Reach out and let a Vet know you're there, we're losing too many in “peace”. God Bless those who fought and died and served this nation for our freedom.”

   cj Sez:  I owe an awesome debt, one which can never be repaid, to the thousands upon thousands of heroic men and women who died so that my family and I live in freedom. I pray God’s blessings and comfort rain down on the grieving families and friends they left behind.

   That’s it for this week’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

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A little history about a solemn remembrance

cj Sez:  Because I think this information is important, this post is a repeat from 2018  . . .

All sacrificed some; some sacrificed all.

Q. What is the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day?

A. People often confuse the purposes of Veterans Day and Memorial Day. Veterans Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served—not only those who died—have sacrificed greatly and done their duty.   

   Memorial Day is a day that was set aside to remember and honor military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle.

   Today they are generally treated by many people as interchangeable opportunities to thank and honor all military veterans, living or dead, who served honorably in wartime or peacetime.

   It wasn't always called Memorial Day — it used to be known as Decoration Day. (cj Sez: When I was little, we called it Poppy Day instead of Decoration Day.) Whatever the name, it's a day of remembrance for all those who have died in service of the United States of America.

   Born of the Civil War, Memorial Day began as a holiday honoring Union soldiers, and some states still have separate Confederate observances. Mississippi celebrates Confederate Memorial Day on the last Monday of April, Alabama on the fourth Monday of April, and Georgia on April 26. North and South Carolina observe it on May 10, Louisiana on June 3 and Tennessee calls that date Confederate Decoration Day. Texas celebrates Confederate Heroes Day on Jan. 19 and Virginia calls the last Monday in May Confederate Memorial Day. (cj Sez: In this era of intolerance and cries to erase visible traces of our sad history, memorials respecting Confederate soldiers who died fighting for what they believed in may not exist much longer.)

   The date of the first Decoration Day, the 30th of May, 1868, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular Civil War battle.

   In 1915, inspired by the rondeau poem “In Flanders Fields” (penned by Canadian physician Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae while still at a World War I battlefront), Moina Michael conceived the idea to wear red poppies on Memorial Day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need.

///

   The thoughts below are from the Facebook of Janie Delchamps Zetsch of Dauphin Island, AL, a veteran and member of AL Post 250. It says everything. In 2018 Janie told me it had been a repost and gave me permission to use it. I repeat it again today. Please take a minute to read it all the way through.

   “Just a reminder of what we celebrate (this) weekend. I am but one of millions of proud veterans, however it is not about us. It is to honor those that made the ultimate sacrifice during battle, and to honor those that served and have now gone onto their eternal rest. The following, pointed, reminders are provided for your use, knowledge and perhaps to teach a child what we celebrate and honor on Memorial Day.

Here's some ground rules…:
1. Don't wish me a Happy Memorial day. There is nothing happy about brave men and women dying.
2. It's not a holiday. It's a remembrance.
3. If you want to know the true meaning, visit Arlington or your local VA, not Disneyland.
4. Don't tell me how great any one political power is. Tell me about Chesty Puller, George Patton, John Basilone, Dakota Meyer, Kyle Carpenter, Mitchell Paige, Ira Hayes, Chris Kyle and any other heroes too numerous to name. Attend a Bell Ceremony and shed some tears.
5. Don't tell me I don't know what I am talking about. I have carried the burden all too many times for my warriors who now stand their post for God.
6. Say a prayer... and then another.
7. Remember the Fallen for all the Good they did while they were here.
8. Reach out and let a Vet know you're there, we're losing too many in "peace". God Bless those who fought and died and served this nation for our freedom.”

///

cj Sez:  I owe a humbling debt of gratitude—one I can never repay—to the heroes who died so that my family and I live in freedom today. I pray God’s blessings and comfort rain down on their families.

   That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same, (Sending up prayers for your health and safety.)

cj

My short story, "Love is Immortal" is part of the Bienvenue to the Chateau Rouge anthology available now. (The ebook was still 99 cents at the time of this post…BUT the price will increase on Monday, May 25.)  The anthology is available through these fine sites: https://books2read.com/u/bpOMw9?fbclid=IwAR3R2NTI8nH5U8JhXwJynbxkbYQhlK4H-sbTFU5YRhGDB2CocTPkdf8TSEE

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