Originally Posted by Hipshot
Saturday morning (May 26th - my Son's birthday), about 0700 MST, I worked with a bunch of volunteers putting flags on all of the graves at the National Memorial Cemetery. I don't know how many participated, but I can tell you that over 38,000 grave sites were adorned in less than an hour.
As I helped the Cub and Boy Scouts place the flags, I couldn't help but notice the names and branches of service represented. As to be expected in this part of America, we had a lot of World War 2, Korea, and some Vietnam veterans buried there. I even ran across some World War I vets.
After all the flags were placed and the workers were leaving, I stopped to take some time to reflect on what I had witnessed. I found a small bench near the final resting place of Fred Peters, a World War 2 Army Air Corps veteran laid to rest in 1996. He had been a Staff Sergeant during the war. From my work on a World War 2 web site for the 445th Bomb Group, I guessed that he had probably been a gunner on a B-17 or B-24. Knowing what he had lived through through my research, I wondered if anyone really understood the sacrifices that he and countless others, before and after, like him made during times of war.
Looking out across row after row of flags, like a sea of red, white and blue, I realized that most folks look on Memorial Day as a day off from work, no mail service, and a lot of old war movies on TV. I, for one, am glad that I decided to go up and help out. It made me appreciate what all of the vets have done for our Country. It was very humbling to be a part of that very select group of people. For me, Memorial and Veterans Days takes on a new meaning.
To all of the other vets out there - Thanks, guys and gals, for your service!
|