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CU Medallion [50349]
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Memorial Day means different things to different people
May 30, 2022, 7:55 AM
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Most difficult when you were the one who gave orders that resulted in the loss of lives- especially when they were your closest friends. This is an excerpt from the last letter I got from my Lt. in 1970- hope it will be readable. Chipp was his best friend & the Lt. sent his squad on a mission and they rode in a convoy to bring fuel to the fire base & the truck hit a mine and went up in flames with all the gasoline burning. The whole squad died a terrible death with some surviving long enough to make it to a field hospital - I met a nurse at Walter Reed who was on duty there and she said their burns were the most awful injuries she had to treat during her tour there - these words hardly describe the Lt.’s lasting regrets- I am most thankful that I never gave an order that got someone hurt
Click on bottom pic 1st - it is the beginning of the comments
Message was edited by: clover65®
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Orange Blooded [4180]
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Re: Memorial Day means different things to different people
May 30, 2022, 8:06 AM
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Too many treat this “holiday” as if it was the 4th of July. I’ll cook for my family and enjoy the time together but I’ll reflect back on losing 4 good friends during this same time(65-68). Few days ago placed flags on all my relatives graves who served and 1 of the 4 I mentioned above. No celebration day….just a day to give thanks to God and to all who served! Thanks Clover.
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Orange Blooded [3615]
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Re: Memorial Day means different things to different people
May 30, 2022, 8:09 AM
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Yeah hard to decide if it should be a somber day, a day of reflection, or a day to celebrate those soldiers.
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Orange Blooded [3615]
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Re: Memorial Day means different things to different people
May 30, 2022, 8:07 AM
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When you pass away one day, what will you do with all of your pictures and letters? Do you send to a government archive or what happens to them? Anyway, thanks again for your service. I was looking at some pictures of all the people buried in Arlington and the people crying at the graves and crying hugging the tombstones and laying on top of the graves. It was heavy. My Grandfather, who has passed was in WWII and my Mom went with him to the grave of his brother's and her Uncle's grave in France because he was killed in WWII. My Grandfather was still really emotional after all of those years. It's so heavy how we the basic public that never fought or eve knew anyone who died are so detached. Like I said, thanks again for your service and what will you do with all of your history that you have documented from your time in Vietnam?
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CU Medallion [50349]
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Re: Memorial Day means different things to different people
May 30, 2022, 8:14 AM
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My father never got to visit his brother's grave in Normandy but sent for a photo of his tombstone - just seeing his name on the stone was emotional for him. I only recently had my almost 94 year old mother give me all the letters I sent her from Nam & haven't even read them
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Orange Blooded [3615]
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Re: Memorial Day means different things to different people
May 30, 2022, 8:18 AM
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That's heavy. Will you read them? Crack open a beer or a few and read them after she passes. There will be some serious tears in you beers I would imagine.
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Oculus Spirit [90685]
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A crisp Clemson Military Salute to ALL who served..
May 30, 2022, 8:48 AM
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and sacrificed and died for us, America & the World.
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CU Medallion [64871]
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One thing Memorial Day will always mean to me. After I got
May 30, 2022, 9:36 AM
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my "Letter to the Editor" about the Wall That Heals experience published, I had two different widows of Viet Nam veterans whose names are on the Wall look me up via phone. Both of them told me how reading my account about visiting the Traveling Wall had helped them in some way. Not ashamed at all to say that I was humbled to the point of tears, both times. I gave them NOTHING, compared to what their families gave me.
So. now, whenever Memorial Day comes around, I have at least that smallest of personal connections to some people who truly did give their ALL for this country. I will always continue to salute them all.
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Orange Blooded [2064]
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Re: One thing Memorial Day will always mean to me. After I got
May 30, 2022, 10:12 AM
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76er, I’ve never been to the wall in DC but I did get a chance to visit the Traveling Wall when it came to Myrtle Beach a few years back. It sure gave me a somber feeling seeing all the names of the young men who gave everything for me and others they didn’t even know.
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All-In [46409]
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Love you brother! Thank you & ALL who sacrificed
May 30, 2022, 9:51 AM
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Words don’t do justice to the love an appreciation I have for All who sacrificed for our Freedom an their families, thank you all.
America would have never been the Greatest Nation Ever, the shining light on a hill, the example of Freedoms in all areas, the country that gives like no other without those who gave all and laid it on the line for the future generations. God has so blessed us and been with this country through it all.
Lord I pray you be with each and every family that has suffered loss helping retain the Freedoms you gave us and bring Joy, Peace and LOVE beyond our understanding in massive amounts to each an every one of them. Please continue to be with us and give us your forgiveness, strength, wisdom, Grace, comfort, favor, goodness, freedoms and love. In The Mighty Name, Amen
Hope you and your family have a great day in honor! Thank you ALL®
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Orange Blooded [2064]
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Re: Memorial Day means different things to different people
May 30, 2022, 10:07 AM
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Clover, thanks again for your service. One can only imagine the things you dealt with there and, probably still do today. Rest easy to the ones you lost and God bless you and all the others who lost friends and family giving the ultimate sacrifice for the country and people they loved but never knew.
Message was edited by: CUTig62®
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CU Medallion [50349]
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Ironic that his squad was killed on Veterans Day
May 30, 2022, 1:04 PM
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so he has a reminder each year
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