Memorial Day (UPDATED)
Rochester Veteran sent this link last night to a post he wrote about attending a Memorial Service in the Rochester, NY War Memorial commemorating his father among other veterans who had passed in the last year. It reminded me that this weekend is Memorial Day Weekend – one of my favorites here in DC.
In 1868, General Order No. 11 of The Grand Army of the Republic declared the first Memorial Day observance at Arlington National Cemetary (formerly the Robert E. Lee plantation) with these words;
Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and fond mourners. Let no neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten as a people the cost of a free and undivided republic.
If other eyes grow dull and other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain in us.
If you can’t be here, a good way to show that you keep our fallen brethren in your heart is to contribute to the Memorial Day Foundation which lays bouquets of flowers at every memorial in the city on Friday night.
The first event we have in DC is on Sunday – the Rolling Thunder Ride to the Wall. It starts at about noon from the Pentagon parking lot across the Potomac River to the Vietnam Memorial.
Then on Monday, at 11:00 is the President (or Vice President – I never know which shows up) laying the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, and then at 1PM is the wreath-laying at the Vietnam Memorial. At about two o’clock the National Memorial Day Parade down Constitution Avenue starts.
If you’re going to be in town, email me and we’ll hook up (I even have a cell phone now). If not, check back here this weekend because I plan on having pictures and videos of all of these events, depending on how good my access is.
Update: I almost forgot this from my buddy Laurie at Soldiers Angels New York;
The Alpha Co 2-108 Family Readiness Group (FRG) will be taking 7,000 steps –each step representing 1 mile – to raise awareness of our deployed soldiers, as well as funding that will enable us to send care packages and have a “Welcome Home” party & formal banquet for the men, upon their return.
WHERE & WHEN
Date: Saturday May 24, 2008
Time: Check-In 10am – 10:45am (*Pre-Registration Required)
Walk begins at 11am (Rain or shine)
Place: Geneseo Armory, 34 Avon Rd. Geneseo , NY
So all of you guys up there near Geneseo go say “Hey” to Laurie for me.
Category: Support the troops
I am planning on making it to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers Monday and would love to meet up with you Jonn or any of the others from this site. Looking forward to seeing you all!
Jonn wrote: Like I said, email me. My address is on the “Contact” page – just click the “Contact” button in the header.
“and would love to meet up with you Jonn or any of the others from this site.”
Except me of course, being the cretinous bastard that I am!
Nonsense TSO- I would love to meet up with you too. Sometimes its hard to remember that nothing said here should ever be taken personal. We’re all “brothers in arms” first and foremost. It would be good to put a face with the name. What do you say?
Seriously guy, I take nothing personal even a little, and would meet anyone not named Geoff Millard, Luis Montalvan or Ted Rall. I think those are the only three. And believe me, I hold nothing against you for sparring with me. Now, whether I will be there or not is an open question right now, but will be talking to Jonn later.
Either way, first beer, whenever that is will be purchased by me for all in attendance, and drank to the everlasting glory of the United States Infantry.
Jonn wrote: OK, but no marathon suds soaking like Saturday night, though. I think that drinking beer from 4 to midnight was my limit.
My Dad’s church is having a Mass that’s dedicated to our fallen warriors and afterwards, there’ll be a blessing of the graves and the church cemetery. My Dad’s stone is supposed to be placed sometime this week, hopefully in time for the blessing on Memorial Day.
Thanks Jonn for posting this!
Was there LAST year with GoE. RTXX was no less than amazing! It did make getting to Arlington a bit interesting though if I remember correctly.
The weather over there is looking good so you folks have a wonderful time. I’ll settle for a small cookout here, but I’ll raise a beer in your direction.
I was there last year too…Ponsdorf rescued a starving exhausted Eagle with pizza and good company!
Wish I could be there again this year but with a trip to Berkeley coming up something had to give 🙁 So you all have a wonderful weekend!