Dem
47
GOP
53
As we note above, we know exactly what the purpose of Memorial Day is meant to be. That is not to say we are entirely comfortable with that, however. It is a given that those who died in service of their country should be remembered, of course. But that overlooks those who may have made it out of their particular war or police action or other conflict, but whose life was nonetheless shortened, often by decades, by their war experiences/injuries. Think of the people like (Z)'s grandfather, whose legs being shot up in World War II wrecked his circulation and overtaxed his heart, cutting 25 years off his life. Think of the people like Ira Hayes, of Iwo Jima fame, who suffered from PTSD and took their own lives, sometimes by their own hands, or sometimes, as in Ira's case, by drinking themselves to death (see above for more on this).
Then there is also the problem that people who did not die nonetheless may have sacrificed a great deal while serving. Perhaps, like Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), they suffered debilitating injuries. Or maybe, like Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), they weren't hurt or killed, but they did uproot themselves and their families a dozen or more times, as they were transferred between duty stations. And don't get us started on all the civilians who did their part, like the millions of Rosies (like (Z)'s grandmother), who riveted airplanes together during World War II.
One might observe that there is a second holiday, Veterans Day, that exists for all those other people. Fair enough, but that one still overlooks the civilians, of course. On top of that, if Donald Trump gets his way, the holiday will be rolled back to being "Victory in World War I Day," which is what it was from 1919-1945.
And that brings us to the point of this item. When Trump was popping off about Veterans Day, at the start of this month, reader
C.C. in Dallas, TX, sent us a remembrance, along with this note: "This Pacific Theater veteran (a.k.a. Dad) is why Veteran's Day will remain as it is, out of respect for all who served:"
The caption on the photo is "The Lt. Colonel on Veterans Day in 2012 at age 90 in his 40-year-old summer Air Force uniform." And here is the remembrance, written in October of 2013, that went along with it:
Imagine walking off the plane in D.C.—many people organized to greet us at the gate, but probably a thousand people just waiting for their own flights—and everyone stopping to applaud your father and his new friends, to shake their hands, to thank them for their service 70 years before.
I had the honor and the privilege of escorting my Dad and 40 other World War II veterans to Washington in October 2013 through HonorFlightDFW, to visit the memorials and participate in placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
They also had the opportunity to dance to Big Band tunes at a private concert by the U.S. Air Force Band. The men in wheelchairs joined in too, as the women in the group took their arms and swayed with the music. I think the concert took them back to another place and another time more than any other part of the trip.
The flight home was highlighted by Mail Call, always an anticipated event during their deployment overseas. Letters were received from family and friends, high school students, and grade schoolers just starting to understand the meaning of honor, service, and sacrifice. The organizers were well aware that a package of tissues in each mail pouch was a necessity.
The trip took place during the first week of the government shutdown, which also closed the memorials in D.C. We didn't have to storm the barricades at the World War II memorials—the Mississippi chapter of Honor Flight had cleared the way a couple of days before. Both Mississippi senators and many of the state's representatives were there to greet us, along with the Daughters of the American Revolution and hundreds of well-wishers. At the time, access into the memorial itself was limited to the veterans and their escorts—all these people had come out just to welcome our group. A flight delay prevented us from running this gauntlet at the time, as the wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery took precedence. It was unfortunate to disappoint everyone that had taken their time to meet us, but the ceremony at Arlington was an important moment for the veterans, and this trip was all about them. The thin crowds and light traffic from the shutdown made it easy to get around. At the various memorials, we met other Honor Flights from Nevada, Minnesota, Oregon, and Montana.
With the Park Rangers furloughed, we weren't able to learn many of the design details of each of the memorials, which would have given us a better appreciation of them. And, of course, the water features were turned off. My personal favorite was the Korean War Memorial, particularly the etched faces on the marble wall, superimposed with the reflections of visitors, making an eerie and ghostly effect. Arlington National Cemetery is always a solemn, reflective, and contemplative place.
One vet in our group was one of my high school teachers. My mind drew a blank when I saw him because his name tag didn't say "Coach."
I sat next to a recipient of two Purple Hearts on the flight home—in the Solomon Islands he caught a bullet just below his jaw which passed straight through and out his neck. Other than a little muscle weakness, he was just fine. He was later hit by grenade shrapnel and his service to the country was fulfilled, but he's still in very good shape today. There were two days full of stories like this. Although many of the group did not see combat directly, they all had stories and memories worth sharing.
Many of the guardians who accompany each veteran served in the Vietnam era and had volunteered on previous trips. I can't describe what an amazing experience it was. The group were rock stars everywhere they went. I was a sherpa. And I loved every minute of it.
Thanks very kindly, C.C.
If other readers have stories, of their own service or of others, of military personnel or of civilians who pitched in, accompanied by a photo or not, we would like to run them in June. That might have been a little far afield prior to 2025, but now that the President is considering the change to Veterans Day, these stories will serve as the counter-argument. We are given to understand, and have even had the discussion on this very site, that "Thank you for your service" makes some veterans uncomfortable. So, as a title, we have instead chosen "Never Forget," which is not only a more appropriate substitute (at least in the eyes of some vets), it's also the problem that Trump seems to be suffering from right now, in overlooking the service of everyone who did their duty after May 8, 1945.
Anyhow, if you have something that seems fitting—a story like the one C.C. just told, a biography of someone who served, a personal reminiscence of your own service, etc., please send it to comments@electoral-vote.com with the subject line "Never Forget." We shall see what kind of response there is. (Z)