All Gave Some...

Memorial Day weekend. 2008

Amidst all the barbeque's, parties and "big box" store sales, almost in spite of the 4-day weekend most Americans get to take, there is a holiday that is meant to commemorate the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have died while answered their country's call to arms.

Officially, the holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who perished while in military service to their country. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was expanded after World War I to include casualties of any war or military action. Over time, it has come to also honor all those who marched off to war, and maybe even to a larger extent, those who served in any capacity to support a war effort. To be sure, all the "Rosie the Riveters" who manned America's assembly lines when the men went off to fight can take justifiable pride in their accomplishments, this weekend more than most. Freedom's fought for and won in numerous ways.

But to be sure, the holiday is first and foremost about those who died in the defense of America and America's freedoms.

Growing up, even in the midst of the Vietnam conflict, when I thought of Memorial Day, I thought of WWII's veterans. The greatest generation. I forget how old I was, but I'm sure not too old, when I realized with some amazement that my own father was among that generation, among that cohort. The man whom I knew as a fairly nondescript salesman and manager, father, husband, golfer and bowler... braved the flak-filled skies over Europe as a tail gunner in a B-26 medium bomber.

As most of that generation, he didn't (and doesn't) talk much about the war. Even getting small tidbits out of him took years. He preferred to be known for his accomplishments after coming home: college, family, sending his only child off to college. But, I'm sure also that the war experience defined him as much as anything he did, before or since.

Official reports from the Veterans Administration, among other agencies, tell us that the WWII veterans, once so many, are leaving us at the rate of 1500 each day. WWI veterans are all but gone, perhaps one or two still alive in America. Korean and Vietnam War vets are still plentiful, but they too are creeping toward old age. Grenada, Panama, Operation Desert Storm; these veterans too answered America's call and while fairly small in number, still represent the notion that America is worth defending.

Of course, we are currently growing a new cohort of war casualties and veterans. Citizen soldiers who have marched off to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are now joining their fathers, grandfathers, uncles and older brothers in the ranks of those we should memorialize this weekend. Sadly, over 4000 have joined the heroic ghosts of Arlington National Cemetery and other cemeteries around the country.

Anti-war protesters naively protest against particular wars, or any war. The City of Berkley, California, and others, make it nearly impossible for military recruiters to do their all important job of gaining new recruits for our all-volunteer military. College campuses around the nation happily take federal grant dollars, even in some cases to work on military-related projects, but steadfastly refuse to allow recruiters or ROTC on the campus. The underlying belief seems to be that if America doesn't have a military, it won't get into any wars.

How naive.

To paraphrase a common quote, "these people are free to carry on their silly protests, are free to go to the Memorial Day sales, free to picnic and party with their friends and take Monday off from work, because patriots still stand ready to visit violence upon those around the world who hate us for our liberties and tolerance." And make no mistake: there is no shortage of those who viscerally hate the USA and all we stand for. The only thing that keeps the hounds at bay is the fear of our military. If we ever loose that, we loose all.

Canadian singer-song writer Terry Kelly put together a great song, and video, several years ago that really cuts to the point. See the video here. Read the back story to why he wrote it, here.

Happy Memorial Day my fellow citizens. Sleep well.

CP