“In America, young men were enlisting in the military by the hundreds of thousands. Farm kids from the great plains who never expected to see the ocean in their lifetimes signed up for the Navy; brothers followed brothers into the Marines; young daredevils who were fascinated by the new frontiers of flight volunteered for pilot training.” Tom Brokaw; The Greatest Generation
If you haven’t read this book, it is a fascinating look at the World War II generation. Young men and women born and raised during the depression who persevered and went on to defeat Hitler, build up the U.S. economy, and make huge scientific advancements. My grandfather was one of these young men. He is pictured here doing the Honor Flight from Chicago to Washington D.C., where he and other WWII and Korean War veterans were honored and thanked for their service.
Where I live we have a Memorial Day tradition that I am grateful for. We have a small hometown parade followed by a remembrance ceremony at City Hall. From there we walk together to the cemetery where our local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post leads another short ceremony. We then walk to an open area set up with tents and tables for a big community picnic. It’s a great way for our town to come together to remember and thank those who served, and we look forward to it each year.
I hope you all enjoy this day with family and friends, and thank a military member in your own way for allowing us the freedoms we are lucky enough to experience!
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