Folks Of Interest Take them for a ride in your Hot Rod,.... (Memorial Day)

Well Guys,

That weekend is coming up again,.. The one that a number of guys get kind of quiet and a little melancholy over,....

It's a long weekend full of Car Shows, Sales, picnics, family reunions, parades and all kind of activities... As your driving in your Hot Rod, feeling the acceleration, the breeze, the sound of the exhaust,... hands firmly wrapped around the steering wheel, feeling the road before you vanish under your wheels,...When your in your "zone" or element and your truly enjoying life, When you have that sensation of "all is right with the world",....

Please take a second to think of those that would love to be riding "shotgun". the ones that paid the price for that feeling of freedom,.. the ones that will never grow old,.. but remain forever young in our minds eye.

Honor them by taking them on a ride with you,.. Don't leave them standing on the curb this Memorial Day,.... The best part is they can all fit in the car with you,.... just dig deep enjoying every sensation your feeling, and feel it for them,... bring them all home for just one moment and share with them the wonderful gift your enjoying, That they paid for. And don't forget to take a moment and tell the kids what this holiday is about,.. and who it is to honor.

Sorry for rambling,.. But I can still see faces of some of those lost (some right before my eyes) And as the years go by and I see my sons, now older than these men when they gave up there last breath,.. Not only do I feel older,.. But these brave men seem younger and younger.

So please,.. In everything you might be doing this Memorial Day Weekend,.. take just a moment and say Thank You.

The Bottle

Most of you that know me know I'm not a drinker,.... (But there was a time),.... However there is a old bottle of Crown Royal I know of that has been with the 'Last Man" on and off for a little over 40 years,...

There was a small group of men that worked together for Uncle Sam, That was fortunate enough to have procured a 1957 dated bottle of Crown Royal,.. It was on a Memorial day a long time ago in a land far far away that that the label was broke for the first time, and the bottle opened.

Those Six young men all took a shot from that bottle, Remembering comrades lost. That day that bottle of booze took on a special meaning,... They all shared in it, and we were a team. Four of those original six men returned to "The World" and one of the guys from Tampa Fla. ended up getting it back home.

As the years went by,... Those four remaining men vowed to get together and finish up that old bottle,... And one time in 1976 they were able to all come together,... Four more shots were consumed,... but everyone was thinking of the two empty shot glasses.....

That Bottle was in S.E. Asia, Michigan, Florida, Virgina, North Carolina, Washington, Alaska and Texas,.... The four men mostly lost contact with each other and the bottle was never finished.

One of the men received a phone call out of the blue in 1982 from the one that was "The keeper of the bottle". He was going to be in Michigan and wanted to stop by for a visit. With all the time that went by, the meeting was just a little uncomfortable,... catching up on civilian life,.. but realizing other than what they did in the service (the stuff they really didn't want to remember),.. they really had very little in common.

The keeper of the bottle told the other guy,... that one of there old team was killed in a car accident. and the other died of a burst appendix. It was just the two of them................

Then came the big shock,.. when the keeper of the bottle looked his old team mate square in the eyes and said,.... I have lung cancer,... Doctor said I have a pretty good chance of beating it......... Then he gets a box out of his car, brings it to his old team mate and hands it to him,....

"I want you to hang onto this for me until I get better" said the keeper of the bottle,....... Then we'll get together sometime and Chase the Dragon.
"But" said the keeper of the bottle,...... "If I don't make it,... it's all up to you........ "Take us with you" he said,..... whenever big events happen in your life, Have a shot for us,.... take us with you through your life,... don't forget us,.........."

There is a creed in Force Recon that you never leave a man behind,.... But that's exactly what happened. But That last man filled a shot glass and had a toast on his wedding day,... when his first son was born, when his second son was born, when his son was married,.. when his first grandson was born,.. and his second grandson........

The Keeper of the bottle was a pretty smart guy,... as the last man advances in years, and he has been "taking them along with him",.... on big events in his life, one shot at a time... the bottle, like years left in his life gets a little less all the time.. And it looks like it might just come out even.

Every time that last man has a shot,... he remembers that day a long time ago in a land far far away,.. and five friends lost in the night.....


Honor all those lost to protect our freedoms,....... Take them with you.


The "last man" let me take a picture of that bottle,.........

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Thank you for writing and posting this. If you don't mind,I think I will print this and keep it.

 

Thanks sent.

 

I lost my best friend this year. We shared a friendship for thirty five years. He passed while driving his new 57 fairlane. I'm cryin like a baby.

 

Got a lump in my throat, H.W.

 

Our Memorial Day is 25th April (Anzac Day). Your words are well thought. Even though, I live in a different country, we both have young men lying together on foreign soils so that we could lead the lives we do. Will be taking a few for a ride in the Dodge tomorrow......."we will remember them"

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=20461&pictureid=299168

 

Wow....Thank you for that story....

 

great story, I will have to take a shot of Crown this weekend to thank and remember those that have allowed to enjoy our freedom.

 

My wife asked me today if I was going to take the day off for Memorial Day....and I instantly told her "no, untill you brought it up I had forgotten about it and would rather forget....it's easier that way..."

I instantly felt bad that I had said that....but see, every year I get older, Memorial Day gets a bit harder for me....

And as much as I hate to say this as I write this I hadda tear roll down my cheek....and I know in my heart of hearts that I cannot forget about my friends that I buried and flew back to the ship with, though I find it increasingly difficult, I must carry on their story of their service, life and death for others to hear, tell their story of how they were heros before they died, not because they died....

RIP John, Drew, Frank Leon and Tim....I am truly sorry I said that...

 

Great story, great sentiments, great tradition. Well said. Gonna be hard to pour that last drop!

 

You Sir are a man of honor. Thank you for sharing that with us and "THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE".

Also thank you to all who have served.

 

Just Wow!! Im speechless

 

That changed my whole outlook on the w/e. Thank you.

 

ive got tears in my eyes.thank you for the reminder, that we must give them their due.

 

now that my eyes are clear enough to see the keys, i belive that the ol lady and myselt will pull that old dusty bottle of crown out and toast to those that gave all. if you don't mind i would like to copy that story.

 

I can't find the words...except thank you and God bless you. As another poster said, you are a man of honor. I will always remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice with gratitude and will do my part in this life to ensure it was not in vain.

 

Thanks much for the kind words guys,... defiantly the hardest thing I ever had to write,.. Do with it whatever you want... But I can't express to you enough that this has NOTHING to do with us left behind,.... And everything to do with "them",......
All of them, our True Hero's.

 

Nice. Thanks.
Slim

 

I remember a quote fromMajor Richard "Dick" D. Winters:

While I have never served I am very thankful to those who have. Tom to you and all who served past and present Thank You for your service.

 

Thanks for the post and to all who served!

 

THANKS Six times.

God Bless you all...

 

Thank you !!

 

I am kinda lost for words and a little misty, Even though I never saw combat I was in throughout the late 80s to 96 . I have lost friends in the middle east and somalia. Like you I have kinda forgot the meaning. I have a friend in afghanastan removing IEDs to try and keep the roads safe for our men and women . I 2 will have a drink for the friends and countrymen lost and will send an e mail to my friend of 30 years over seas to say thank you and come home safe.
Thank you from the botoom of my heart sir . Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful weekend

 

I'm thinking about a comment I heard by a survivor of the Normandy Invasion in a documentary about it: "Thousands of fallen Marines lying there....Bodies all FACING the Germans". And let's remember the living dead too. My daughter has a friend whose husband just lost ALL his limbs, as well as his hearing on one side and manhood to a roadside bomb. 23 years old & 6 mo. old baby girl. These guys don't get some big insurance check when they are permanently disabled. It's part of the risk they take for our freedom.
Chuck

 

Thank you for the story.

Though thanks is not near enough to say to all who have paid for my freedom, I will take them with me tomorrow......

 

Thank you!

 

thank you for your post. As a father of 2 (3yr and 6yr) I find it important for them to know the meaning of the holiday, and not just a day off from school or day care. God bless....

Freedom is not free. Thank you to all who served..

 

i let my grandauther (15) read the story and she understood, on the other i had to explain it to my grandson (11) he said no one had ever told him why we have this day. i feel bad that i never told him it's meaning, but feel good that now he knows.

 

Great story, got me tearing up a bit... I think abut those guys every day, about everythiung they sacraficed, and how scary and shitty it must have been, and they kept going, and kept advancing. I have so much respect for everyone that has served.