Memorial Day

Totally agree there mate, not to is betraying all those who have gone before and given up their lives to ensure the free stay free!!

 

exactly mate!!

 

to all that have replied to this thread i would like to say well said and thank you
as a former Marine and coming from a long line of Marines i often think that all is forgotten but i have known to many that come home with a flag over there coffin to forget
Proud to have Served, Love my country, and Very Thankful of Gentleman Like YOU
Semper Fidelis
Tracy

 

Why thankee sir!! Proud to have fought alongside of you guys, even if you did mess up occasionally, we all did /still do, but the important thing is you were and still are there!! .....................Unlike some.............................never forget that!

 

this threads C&P,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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On Jeopardy the other night, the final question was How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the tomb of the Unknowns ------ All three missed it --

1. How many steps does the guard take during his walk across the




tomb of the Unknowns and why?



21 steps. It alludes to the twenty-one gun salute, which is the

highest honor given any military or foreign dignitary

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2. How long does he hesitate after his about face to begin his
return walk and why?

21 seconds for the same reason as answer number 1

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3. Why are his gloves wet?

His gloves are moistened to prevent his losing his grip on the rifle.
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4. Does he carry his rifle on the same shoulder all the time





and if not, why not?

He carries the rifle on the shoulder away from the tomb.

After his march across the path, he executes an about face
and moves the rifle to the outside shoulder.
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5. How often are the guards changed?

Guards are changed every thirty minutes,

twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.
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6. What are the physical traits of the guard limited to?

For a person to apply for guard duty at the tomb, he must be
between 5' 10" and 6' 2" tall and his waist size cannot exceed 30." Other
requirements of the Guard: They must commit 2 years of life to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink any alcohol on
or off duty for the rest of their lives. They cannot swear in public for the
rest of their lives and cannot disgrace the uniform {fighting} or the tomb in
any way. After two years, the guard is given a wreath pin that is worn on their lapel signifying they served as guard of the tomb. There are only
400 presently worn. The guard must obey these rules for the rest of their
lives or give up the wreath pin.
The shoes are specially made with very thick soles to keep the heat
and cold from their feet. There are metal heel plates that extend to the
top of the shoe in order to make the loud click as they come to a halt.
There are no wrinkles, folds or lint on the uniform. Guards dress for duty
in front of a full-length mirror.
The first six months of duty a guard cannot talk to anyone, nor
watch TV. All off duty time is spent studying the 175 notable people laid
to rest in Arlington National Cemetery . A guard must memorize who they are
and where they are interred. Among the notables are: President Taft, Joe
E. Lewis {the boxer} and Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy, {the most
decorated soldier of WWII} of Hollywood fame.
Every guard spends five hours a day getting his uniforms ready for
guard duty.
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ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington , DC , our
US Senate/House took 2 days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC
evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the
hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of
the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment. They
respectfully declined the offer, "No way, Sir!" Soaked to the skin,
marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding
the Tomb was not just an assignment, it was the highest honor that can be
afforded to a serviceperson. The tomb has been patrolled continuously,
24/7, since 1930.
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We can be very proud





of our young men and women in the service no matter where they serve.

 

Nice thread guys, but I have a lot of mixed feeling and a slightly different slant then most.
I'm a Vietnam Vet, 2 tours, '67 & '68-part of S.O.G. (U.S. Navy) Did walking tours through most of S.E. Asia including Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, and ended up as a counter-insergency instructor. In my lifetime I haven't seen a war worth dieing for (With the argumentive possibility of Bosnia and Afghanistan), but I have seen wars that have made many people rich at the expense of my friends. I can't wave the flag when I talk about my friends that had their lives taken, because non of us did it for nationalistic spirit. We did a job and looked out for each other. I can feel for the guys in the desert. No Matter what they say on TV they are not there because of any kind of nationalist spirit. They are there because they are professionals and they have a job to do.

So lets always remember our friends that are gone, but lets not ever forget that they are dead because a politician wanted to make points or because someone had a friend in a company that had defense contract, or they took orders from someone who just didn't have a clue.
Sorry guys, I guess I'm just a little bitter.

 

just like me hating boats,,,,,you did 2 tours,,you earned the right to be bitter of war,,,,,i didnt ever have to do that,,,,,but my dad was a P.O.W.,,,,i lived with the war for many years,,in fact that war almost cost me my life MANY times,,,i have NO good thoughts bout ANY war,,,,but have GREAT thoughts of the people that went through it
theres nothing wrong with your comment Kapt.,,,bet that same thought is shared by MANY of the people that went through what service "people" have gone through.

 

Kap'n, you ain't alone buddy! But **** mate don't get bitter about it! You did what you did, some of it wasn't pleasant! Others did what they did but they ain't bitter, sad yes, bitter no! We lost friends, buddies, mates call 'em what you will (brothers and ................... sisters) And none of us did it for any of that patriotic **** - we did it as you said - for the team (we didn't want to let anybody down). But on the right day we still attend those fcuking parades - to remember those who didn't come back! (we ALL left a little behind in each campaign no matter where. no matter who, no matter who we fought or why). Sure some make money out of it -didn't you? got paid didn't you? OK not much but you did! But hell YOU didn't do it for that! Remember by all means but do not regret! If you regret they have won!!

 

you guys have said it very well ,,longliner

 

Your right, I guess...but why are there still times that I still feel like fragen some--I better stop, some do gooder will think I'm a freekin terrorist.
You aren't totally correct, I was drafted and volunteered for SOG after they worked on my machismo, because I was a kid-a football player with a 178 I.Q. they needed Intelligence types, SEALS were too new, and not enough to go around, But I trained with team 2 on Coronado Island and also went to advanced military with the Marines at San Diego, I wanted to be the baddest guy on the block. It had nothing to do with Flag waving, that was the furthest thing from any of us. We just wanted to be bad-asses and wear neat pins and emblems on our uniforms

Walrus, Sorry, I am bitter, I use to be jewish now I'm nothing, I have seen too many people die in the name of organized religion, and false national pride. I raised 3 sons two are important people in the social welfare area, and the baby is a financial analysis for a defense contractor, (2 out of 3 ain't bad)
I get my therapy by sweating on my rebuild, and venting on this forum. Other then that I am a normal happy architect type guy. (No one besides you knows the bitter side, and you are in Cornwall)

 

Cap'n we all have a bitter side at times mate, surprisingly enough you ain't the only guy who's been through the mill who feels like that - there's many more like you -some worse than others! Me I just don't drink with fcuking civilians (Ok there's a few who are, but most all of them are service orientated anyway - you know service families etc - or just plain nutters) but hell you gotta get through life and being bitter don't help -plus I consider it a dishonour to them as didn't make it (you know the guy who took the bullet meant for you ,cos he was slower at ducking!)

As for religion - in some ways worse than money! It's all about power, they get inside your head and make you do crazy things you wouldn't normally do!! Best left alone, if you can!!

When I'm in that mood the wife just shuts the door and goes away and leaves me to it! with a bottle!! **** happens, we gotta deal with it the best way we can so hang on in there buddy, there's a whole lot of us out here that feel the same way (and not just in the States) - bugger we can do to help but just knowing that there are others DOES!! Heads up buddy your not alone!!

 

Just woke up---The sun is shinning, 76 Degrees, 7 knot breeze. I'm heading to the marina!!!
Thanks Walrus,
In the states when we meet a fellow 'Nam Vet the greeting is always "Welcome Home Bro", because we were welcomed home by people holding signs that said welcome home Baby killers, so to this day we welcome ourselves home.
Walrus, Welcome home Bro, I'll have a beer with you this afternoon when they get cold enough.

 

dammit Jer,,if it aint hot as piss ,,and taste like it ,,he wont drink it,,,longliner

 

Well he ain't drinkin--I am

 

Jer,

You've earned the right to be bitter. I remember being so eager to do my duty to my country, wanting to be the bravest and toughest. I remember those "Baby killer" signs and being asked when I returned to the US, if I was like Lt Cally, ready to kill babies and old people, since I was an Infantry officer (started out as E-1, worked my way up). More than the civilians who stupidly blamed the warriors who did a job, though, I remember the politicians who sent young men, and now send both young men and women, to die without the highest of reasons and the best of plans.

The only reason I'll ask you to put aside your bitterness is for your own sake, because it will corrode you from within. I remember and honor all those who have served, and especially those who died, because they deserve to be honored and remembered.

Longliner, Walrus, 1much, and all the others on this thread have said it well. The honor of the day is for our comrads no longer with us. My personal wish is that all future office holders will be worthy of those they have the power to send to war.