d3500ram wrote:
The dignity that I witnessed when my father, a WWII veteran who served in the South Pacific on Guadalcanal, was laid to rest at Fort Logan still wells me up. I do not remember much after hearing the words spoken by the Lieutenant Colonel of the Honor Guard: "On behalf of a grateful nation..." Still tough to reminisce about it, let alone type it.
I was never in combat in my time with the Corp, but my heartfelt respect goes out to all persons who saw battle. My dad spoke very little of what he saw and the only time I ever saw him tear up was the one time when I asked him if he ever had to kill. As serious as I have ever seen him was when he almost broke down stating that it "was either him or me."
I am so proud of my father, a child of the Depression who served with honor and dignity makes me proud with tear filled eyes when I remember him.
Any military cemetery, with is precision of markers wherever it may be makes me proud to be an American citizen.
...thanks for asking and letting me share this with you.
This! I cried and felt great pride when my Father who served in WWII was laid to rest at our National Cemetery and those words were spoken ("On behalf of a grateful nation") and the bugler played Taps. Also standing on the Arizona memorial and thinking of the souls lost there during the presentation.
Pride; Standing at the place of the battle of Successionville knowing my GG Grandfather and his little brother had just arrived there when the ferocity of war was thrust onto them after leaving the farm and enlisting in the 51st GA infantry to join the ANV to defend their homeland and in his accomplishments and sacrifices he made during that great conflagration as an honorable soldier in Gen. Lee's army. When he returned home nearly 4 years later he was scarred and disabled but lived out his life with no regrets and as a good productive citizen. His memory and his honor can never be stolen by political expediency and revisionist history of our time. We still honor him 6 generations hence for his sacrifices, courage and accomplishments.
Blushing/Sadness; Andersonville National POW Memorial, considering the great misery and depravation humanity is capable of.
