We take time to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, for this great nation of ours! I'd also like to thank all Hambers who are presently in the service, for keeping us safe. God bless you all !
God Bless all the men and women who have served and are serving as we sleep tonight under the blanket of freedom. Most of all I salute all the warriors that paid the ultimate sacrifice. God Bless America.
thanks dad a brother two uncles three cousins and a brother inlaw for our families service. this family doesnt forget.
I had an uncle KIA in nov 69, there can never be enough support and respect given to our fighting men, both past and present
Memorial day is a day for those who gave their life. Respectfully we also honor those who have served and are serving. Short story for those who take the time to pause in remembrance. ''As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door open. The old man was looking at the engine. I put my groceries away in my car, and continued to watch the old gentleman from about twenty five feet away. I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his arm walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too, and took a few steps towards him. I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood and say something. The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new Cadillac Escalade. He then turned back to the old man. I heard him yell at the old gentleman saying: 'You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at your age.' And then with a wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking lot. I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief, and mop his brow as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine. He then went to his wife and spoke with her; he appeared to tell her it would be okay. I had seen enough, and I approached the old man. He saw me coming and stood straight, and as I got near him I said, 'Looks like you're having a problem.' He smiled sheepishly, and quietly nodded his head. I looked under the hood myself, and knew that whatever the problem was, it was beyond me. Looking around, I saw a gas station up the road, and I told the old man that I would be right back. I drove to the station and went inside. I saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of them, and related the problem the old man had with his car. I offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him. The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and appeared to be comforting his wife. When he saw us he straightened up and thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated engine), I spoke with the old gentleman. When I shook hands with him earlier, he had noticed my Marine Corps ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too. I nodded and asked the usual question, 'What outfit did you serve with?' He said that he served with the first Marine Division at Guadalcanal , Pelieliu, and Okinawa . He had hit three of the worst ones, and retired from the Corps after the war was over. As we talked we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the hood. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped by me. I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card. He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed had his name and address on it, and I stuck it in my pocket. We all shook hands all around again, and I said my goodbye's to his wife. I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to the station. Once at the station, I told them that they had interrupted their own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they refused to charge me. One of them pulled out a card from his pocket, looking exactly like the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then that they were Marine Corps Reserves. Once again we shook hands all around and as I was leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the old man had given to me. I said I would and drove off. For some reason I had gone about two blocks, when I pulled over and took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time. The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his name was written: 'Congressional Medal of Honor Society.' I sat there motionless, looking at the card and reading it over and over. I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled that on this day, four Marines had all come together because one of us needed help. He was an old man all right, but it felt good to have stood next to greatness and courage, and an honor to have been in his presence. Remember, as we approach another Memorial Day, OLD men like him gave you, and all of us, FREEDOM for America'' . Thanks to those who served and still serve, and to all of those who supported them, and who continue to support them. America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war. America is at the Mall. If you don't stand behind our troops, PLEASE feel free to stand in front of them! Remember, Freedom isn't Free. Thousands have paid the price, so that you can enjoy what you have today.
In a recent encounter It was a sunny spring morning just before Memorial day, I stopped in to the local grocery store to pick up some items, I paused briefly at the card table set up by the VFW, And said hi to some of the guys I knew selling Buddy Poppies We talked a little about who was doing what, who passed away, how things were going at the post .. And how sales were going .. As we were talking we could see the old man walking across the parking lot with a bag of soda and beer bottles he would collected everyday from the park, and all the garbage cans in town that lined the main street, and take them in for the deposit. One of the guys paused, he said hey look busy, Here comes Freddie the freeloader As he was known in town. Fred (If that really was his name) was the perfect example of the old Bum, A stained and frayed kaki jacket that looked three times to big, Dark trousers of indescribable color that hung over his small frame, gathered by a worn out belt. And shoes that looked like he found them while looking for bottles. As he approached, he gave a big grin exposing a lack of several teeth,.. A sparse growth of beard looking more like a molting bird with patches of feathers gone, as his shaving skills or his eye sight must be failing him. As he got closer, the faint aroma of dirty mildew clothes and old sweat followed. With a bright and chipper voice he greeted us Morning fellas !, beautiful day aint it ! (one of the guys said under his breath, but loud enough for all to hear, Well it was followed by laughter). Unaffected by the comment or the laughter like he was almost use to it, or was laughing along with the joke, Old Freddie said, Ill catch you on the way out for my poppy. As Freddie went inside to return his bag of bottles, The conversation turned to him, . Rude comments, Jokes, talk about what a worthless human being he is, . A waist of skin was one mans comment and anothers comment He is using up perfectly good oxygen that someone else could do more with,.. The insults continued and much to my shame, I stood there and laughed along with them, until the conversation drifted off to the next person that wasnt there, That they want to talk about. I talked for a while and made my way in to the store, with list in hand. With my small list complete and securely in my cart, I walked past the Bakery department, If you buy a doughnut, there are tables set up for you to have a free coffee. Sounded good to me, so I picked one out and found a seat, . There was about 3 or 4 other people sitting there as I found a seat, and I was immediately accepted and made part of the conversation. I just started to sip my coffee, when they seen Freddie walk up to the bakery counter, . Some negative things were said, And as they were all getting up and gathering there trash to throw away one man said, well Hes all yours !, and laughed, they all got up and left, Leaving My coffee and me with Freddie, .. Freddie came over toward me, got his cup of coffee, and sat down at the other table, knowing nobody really wanted to sit with him. He was silent for a few moments then blurted out Yep ! gonna get me one of them poppies on the way out !,.. Do it every year !. I kind of got a chuckle out of his abrupt attempt at starting a conversation. I replied,.. Yep ! I will too, My Dad was a member of the VFW , He was a WWII combat vet, so I like to support them, . His eyes lit up,.. I dont know if it was because of what I said,.. or that I was talking to him at all. He looked at me with his toothless grin and said Im a WWII Army vet too !, . Where did your Dad serve ? I told him the Asiatic-Pacific, He said I served in Europe ! It was almost like he didnt know what to say next, But he was starved for conversation and human interaction, . He looked at me briefly, then looked into his cup of coffee Followed by these words Yeah, The very first action I seen was on my 19th Birthday,.. Little did I know some of those guys that were wishing me Happy Birthday and slapping me on my helmet wouldnt live through that day . He never looked up, just stared deeper into the black coffee that he was holding with both hands. Without looking up he said I was born on June 6th. 1925, A chill went up the back of my neck as I herd him say that date, Knowing what I might hear next. I was with the 29th. He went on to say never lifting his stair from the coffee cup, I was just a kid, too skinny for my fatigues, or gear,.. Before the gate dropped on that LST you could hear the bullets hitting it When it did drop everything was shaking,. You were just pushing to get out, I hadnt even noticed that guys were falling into the drink, cause the gate dropped short. I got pushed into the water and started to sink,.. Then he chuckled, but my gear was so big on me I was able to wiggle out of it. When I came to the surface there was a body floating right in front of me and I held on, At first it scared me, but then I felt some bullets hit the body, When I looked back I seen bodies, in fact there were bodies all around floating, I worked my way to shore, but I was totally confused. It was like the first time I ever rode a Roley-Coster Everything shaking, you dont know what next, And you have no control . I sat silent having a hard time hearing what this frail old man was pouring out. As he never stop staring at his coffee, almost like he was talking to it, and not me. He continued When I got up on the beach I was exhausted, then I felt somebody throwing sand at me !, . But nobody was throwing sand at me, it was where the bullets were hitting the beach in front of me and the sand was flying in my face . Can you believe that ? He said. I was on the beach and it never occurred to me that somebody was shooting at me ! He chuckled for a second, .. But then his face lost all expression. Thats when I realized, I had no gear, nothing but a helmet. I found a rifle and didnt know what to do, . They were shooting at me but I was afraid to shoot back, I felt the concussion of a explosion and the air around me was black for a few seconds,.. That was the first time I heard the yelling and screaming. About ten feet away from me was a man that was pretty tore up, I seen him and ran over to him, I could see a bluff where he would be safe about thirty yards in front of us, . So I grab him and dragged him over to it, . But by the time I got him there he had been hit again and he was gone. Thats when I seen another guy that was hit, I ran out and got him back there, and then a few more. Thats when I realized I lost my rifle again, He chuckled for a second, I lost more rifles that day ! . I ran out to grab another one and got back to the position behind that bluff As much as I wanted too, I never even had a chance to fire a round that day. But over the next several months I had plenty of opportunity to shoot. Ya know most of those fellas lived that day, that was a Birthday Ill never forget. He broke eye contact with his now cold coffee and looked at me with glassy red bloodshot eyes, I knew what he was holding back inside,.. And thought to myself what a tough son of a gun ! Then he said They gave me a metal for that day, Reaching into his back pocket he pulled out a plastic sandwich bag wrapped up tight, opened it up carefully and pulled out a folded up handkerchief, Laid it on the table and began to unwrap it. As he got toward the center I could see the ribbon that was once bright red, white and blue, stained, battered, and thread barren, And beneath it a piece of Bronze in the shape of a star. I went over to him, shook his hand and thanked him for what he did and for his service to our country, He almost looked shocked I would shake his hand . I told him I would stop in again next Friday if he would be there, His big toothless grin looked quite appealing now, And I no longer seen a bum, I could see a young brave man putting it all on the line for Me and the greatest nation on earth . I would be proud to be counted his friend. On the way out, I ran across the same men that were there earlier selling Poppies, and kidding around they smirked and asked Did you enjoy your visit with Freddie the freeloader ? . I looked at them for a second and said, That Man is ten times the men we are, all put together. Just goes to show, . You never know when your in the presence of greatness !
The Jalopy Journal
