Memorial Day

[Newport 66]

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[Kippy]

This weekend every year for around the last ten years I call my beloved cousin's husband. His dad was KIA in Cambodia 1970,May22. He was 6mo old when his dad was killed, mom was only 24.
His dad was a West Point grad and was a captain and helicopter pilot. They were hit with a rocket on takeoff and the helicopter crashed. It was a fierce firefight going on and troops were able to remove the severely wounded young captain. The co pilot was on the side that was hit and he was killed instantly.
His dad was carried to the shelter of a bomb crater and medics tried to stabilize him. The captain was unable to be medevac due to heavy fighting and died of his wounds.
The reason my cousins knows the details is over the years he has and still is a active member of the Gold Star family, in addition he is friendly with many vets in the local VN association. In addition he knows many of his dads classmates from West Point. It was through these connections he met the solider who rescued his dad from enemy soldiers who were trying to get to that downed chopper. This brave vet now fighting cancer told the young man via a phone everything and told him his dad did not die alone. I was told it was a very emotional phone call.... I told my cousin when I heard this story a few years ago, I hope her husband can find some clouser now and was at peace with the loss of his father.
Memorial Day growing up was always a special day and there was a lot of activities.
It started out with mourning mass that members of the local American Legion attended, the only once a year time dad was in church. After mass there was a ceremony in the grotto next to the church and a breakfast in the church hall. Later on in the day every family seemed to be having a barbecue. Every house flew a flag. We had a cookout at my grandfathers house, himself a immigrant who served in WW1
Of course I was really to young to fully grasp the real meaning of the day.
Every memorial day except this year due to the outbreak we here have a parade, I always have walked down the street to see it and support it. Sadly the attendance is dwindling. It picked up in the years after 9/11 but now is again down. Seems many are more concerned with Memorial Day sales and foret the meaning of this day.
I served stateside and marched in a few of those parades when they were still a big event. I served with many VN vets who reenlisted and was honored to be among them. I drove a M48 and later a M60 tank in three of those parades. The M60 was never racking as the brake pedal was hard and I was never comfortable as we were on a hill, I was constantly looking for anything to crash into God forbid I couldn't stop. Was so happy when I got to flat road way.
At the end of the parade I would meet my dad who had marched with his American Legion post. I was in uniform and he always made a point to take me over to see his buddies.
Later not long after 9/11 ago I was at the parade as a spectator with my wife when the grand Marshall of that years event, a VN vet who I worked with and was friendly with was marching down the street. Everybody was cheering and shouting, waving flags. He spotted me and stoped came over and hugged me, thanking me for attending.
Today there will be no parades, my elders who served are gone. My cousins husband takes his daughter as he has always done to the grave of the grandfather of his little girl's and he honors his dad a man who he never really knew who gave his life for this country
To member Patrick. Your post didn't go unnoticed by me. God bless your family and God bless this country.

 

[65sporty]

This weekend every year for around the last ten years I call my beloved cousin's husband. His dad was KIA in Cambodia 1970,May22. He was 6mo old when his dad was killed, mom was only 24.
His dad was a West Point grad and was a captain and helicopter pilot. They were hit with a rocket on takeoff and the helicopter crashed. It was a fierce firefight going on and troops were able to remove the severely wounded young captain. The co pilot was on the side that was hit and he was killed instantly.
His dad was carried to the shelter of a bomb crater and medics tried to stabilize him. The captain was unable to be medevac due to heavy fighting and died of his wounds.
The reason my cousins knows the details is over the years he has and still is a active member of the Gold Star family, in addition he is friendly with many vets in the local VN association. In addition he knows many of his dads classmates from West Point. It was through these connections he met the solider who rescued his dad from enemy soldiers who were trying to get to that downed chopper. This brave vet now fighting cancer told the young man via a phone everything and told him his dad did not die alone. I was told it was a very emotional phone call.... I told my cousin when I heard this story a few years ago, I hope her husband can find some clouser now and was at peace with the loss of his father.
Memorial Day growing up was always a special day and there was a lot of activities.
It started out with mourning mass that members of the local American Legion attended, the only once a year time dad was in church. After mass there was a ceremony in the grotto next to the church and a breakfast in the church hall. Later on in the day every family seemed to be having a barbecue. Every house flew a flag. We had a cookout at my grandfathers house, himself a immigrant who served in WW1
Of course I was really to young to fully grasp the real meaning of the day.
Every memorial day except this year due to the outbreak we here have a parade, I always have walked down the street to see it and support it. Sadly the attendance is dwindling. It picked up in the years after 9/11 but now is again down. Seems many are more concerned with Memorial Day sales and foret the meaning of this day.
I served stateside and marched in a few of those parades when they were still a big event. I served with many VN vets who reenlisted and was honored to be among them. I drove a M48 and later a M60 tank in three of those parades. The M60 was never racking as the brake pedal was hard and I was never comfortable as we were on a hill, I was constantly looking for anything to crash into God forbid I couldn't stop. Was so happy when I got to flat road way.
At the end of the parade I would meet my dad who had marched with his American Legion post. I was in uniform and he always made a point to take me over to see his buddies.
Later not long after 9/11 ago I was at the parade as a spectator with my wife when the grand Marshall of that years event, a VN vet who I worked with and was friendly with was marching down the street. Everybody was cheering and shouting, waving flags. He spotted me and stoped came over and hugged me, thanking me for attending.
Today there will be no parades, my elders who served are gone. My cousins husband takes his daughter as he has always done to the grave of the grandfather of his little girl's and he honors his dad a man who he never really knew who gave his life for this country
To member Patrick. Your post didn't go unnoticed by me. God bless your family and God bless this country.

Well said, tell you cousins husband thank you for his fathers service. I am very fortunate that I went to Desert Storm and returned home safely(I was on a flight line in Spain though) A lot of people take for granted the freedoms we have in the USA, lest they never forget the sacrifice men and women gave because freedom isn't free.

 

[barnfind]