All Comments on 'Remembering the Fallen'

by HLD

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  • 26 Comments
AnonymousAnonymousalmost 16 years ago
Great

Well written!

AnonymousAnonymousalmost 16 years ago
THANK YOU

You are right times have changed since 97. Two years ago

while touring the south by motor cycle. I was approched and

thanked by people I met , Who noticed the patches on my vest

in remeberance of the 58,235 brothers and sister who never

returned from Vietnam. And it still happens on almost every

ride I take. I was proud I served . All who served before,

and are serving now,will like this paper.

michchick98michchick98almost 16 years ago
Outstanding!

And I'm sorry to say that things haven't changed much since 1997. Maybe in the year or two after 9-11 they did, but this year, all my co-workers were discussing what they were going to do with their time off. Not one of them seemed to care what the day was really for. They chuckled when I said I was going to a church on Memorial Day (today) to light a candle for a soldier who died fighting for his country. I've done that every year since I graduated high school. Let them laugh because it's something I won't ever stop doing. Very thought provoking story, HLD. I'm curious, what grade did you get on this paper? Happy Memorial Day!

AnonymousAnonymousalmost 16 years ago
From Small-Town America

For the most part, your observations are correct ... there is no "Memorial" any longer in Memorial Day. But in small town America ... today I will gather my Granddaughters and go down to Main Street to watch the parade go by and we will show the proper respect when the Flag passes in review.

My mind will return to the ones who could not stand and watch that red, white and blue ... the many who drew their last breath on a forign field of battle, wheather it be the Jungles of Viet Nam or the sands of some far off desert Kingdom.

We owe them a moment ... even if we take a minute to hoist the same colors that continue to grace their returning bodies ... let us not forget!

AnonymousAnonymousalmost 16 years ago
very sincere thanks

you have my very sincere thanks for putting into words what has been a reality far too often in our own nation's history . . the attitude of inconvenience at a holiday to commemorate those who really did give the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country . . .

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I myself am a veteran . . my time in the military started during the Viet Nam era . . so I am much more than passingly familiar with the "baby killing rapists" label pasted on us by clueless fuckwits like Joan Baez and Hanoi Jane (Fonda)

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while I was in the navy, on shore duty . . the officer in charge of the unit I was part of was a survivor of WW2 . . he had enlisted in july 1941 . . the USS Lexington CV-2 was the first of three aircraft carriers sunk underneath him during the war . . he was comissioned an officer in 1954 . . he had to get a 26 day extension on his career . . so that when he retired in july 1981 he had 40 years day for day . . .

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I finished my time in the military as a member of a national guard unit that had been mobilized to get sent to Desert Shield/Storm . . . I was on a bus heading out to our base of operations when the airwar started . . I can still remember the deathly silence that swept through the bus after I yelled out for everyone to keep quiet so I could hear what was being said over the little speakers I had connected to the tiny radio I had with me . . and everyone heard the news report that we were now at war . .

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during my time in the military I have been in units who lost members . . it does not matter if it was peacetime or wartime . . when you have spent days . . weeks . . months . . and even years training together . . sweating, swearing, getting on each other's nerves, and looking out for each other . . it hurts to lose someone . . even if it is not people in the same unit . . .

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I was in germany in an armored cavalry unit when I was in the army . . a collective shudder went through our unit when we heard that in a sister cavalry unit 11 or 12 soldiers had been killed during some training with a live landmine . . that was in peacetime . . . . . it did not matter that they were from another unit . . they were our brothers . . and we felt the loss . . .

************************************************************

more recently . . many years after I finally left the military . . when I moved back to this area after being gone for several years . . I found out that a kid I used to know when he was around 12 or 13 . . had gone in the army after he graduated from high school . . . he hadnt been in irag very long before an IAD hit the vehicle he was in . . . he is now wheelchair bound much of the time . . it blew off the lower part of both of his legs . . . . he was all of 19 . . he did survive . . unlike many who have been through the same horror, he was able to return to his family . . .

************************************************************

All of those who have been killed or maimed in service to their country deserve much more than the callous attitude so prevalent in this nation . . .

************************************************************

you have my very sincere thanks for putting into words something has needed to be said . . .

AnonymousAnonymousalmost 16 years ago
From the UK

Well said. I remember taking part in the Rememberance Ceremonies each November for the fallen. My late father served with the RAF during WW2, my uncle was with the Black Watch and my godfather was in the US Navy.

They all came back but they are all now gone. It is up to us younger ones to remember what they did and to keep that memory alive.

AnonymousAnonymousalmost 16 years ago
to many years and to many tears

To day I read the story of Remembering the Fallen that was sent to me from a friend who was in Nam and in the tank corp.

We have chatted about some of his experiences and I have my own memories as well.

Mine differ in that I was an adopted kid raised by loving parents and all that good stuff.My journey started when I learned that adoption ment not an origional.....

I grew up wondering who was I and vowed that when both my parents were dead I would search out my history.

After 20+ years of looking I learned that my grand father was in wwI and I was able to retrieve his history c/w medals.

More reciently I was able to find out my dad was a pathfinder pilot who went down over Berlin on Jan 20/21 from a fighter attack. He is one of those unrecognized heros who also paid the ultimate price for MY freedom as well as all of you who read this.

Now I look at my son and thank God he is still to young to pay that price.

I carry the scars of looking down the barrel of a gun as well and wondering why am I still here some times.

ALL of the memories are part of what my memorial day thoughts are about.....oh yes there are more of my friends that went to Nam as well.....but their thoughts are still full of horror.

To bad the dam polititions are so heroic sending us guys out to do their dirty work.

God Bless ALL vets.......we dam well deserve it

Have a nice day

Hal

DesertPirateDesertPiratealmost 16 years ago
Outstanding!

Thank you for a well done story. I think in some parts of the country there are more "Memorials" than others. The south is still doing things right. A week ago I was in NM and very little happened there. I went to the cemetary and place my own flag on Dads grave. WWII was a radioman for the beachmasters at N. Africa, Sicily, Italy, and Southern France, nothing like being in the first wave of 4 invasions.

I like your style and thank you for sharing your talent.

AnonymousAnonymousover 15 years ago
THANK YOU IS NOT ENOUGH

LONG AGO JERRY LEWIS SAID DURING A TELATHON THAT IF YOU UNDERSTAND, NO EXPLANATION IS NECESSARY AND IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THEN NO EXPLANATION WILL SUFICE. MY GREAT GRANDFATHER FOUGHT DURING THE CIVIL WAR, MY FATHER WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO ENLISTED FOR WWII. THE REGRET OF MY LIFE WAS THAT I DID NOT ENLIST FOR NAM. THE YEAR I WAS ELIGABLE FOR THE DRAFT WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF THE LOTTERY. I HAD A HIGH NUMBER AND WENT TO COLLEGE CARRYING MY 1A CLASSIFICATION AND THOUGHT IF THEY NEED ME I'LL GET THE LETTER. I WAS NOT DRAFTED AND NEVER APPLIED FOR A STUDENT DEFERMENT EITHER. I DID LOST FRIENDS IN NAM. BACK TO THE TITLE OF THIS NOTE. SAYING THANK YOU IS SO INADEQUATE. TODAY I AM NEARLY BLIND DUE TO A STROKE AND JUST YESTERDAY A SOLIDER IN UNIFORM HELPED ME FIND THE DOOR TO A QUICK TRIP. I DON'T KNOW HOW OLD HE WAS OR IF HE HAS BEEN IN COMBAT OR WILL BE.....BUT I TRIED TO THANK HIM NOT FOR THE HELP, I COULD HAVE FOUND THE DOOR, BUT FOR SERVING. IT WASN'T ENOUGH, BUT THEN I DON'T KNOW OF ANYTHING THAT IS ENOUGH. AMERICAN'S TAKE SO MUCH FOR GRANTED THAT WAS BOUGHT AND PAID FOR WITH THE BLOOD AND SACRIFICES OF THOSE WHO SERVED. MY BEST FRIEND SINCE JUNIOR HIGH WAS USAF AFTER HIGH SCHOOL......THEN WHEN WE WERE COPS TOGETHER HE ENLISTEDE IN THE ARMY. WAS WITH THE 2ND CAVALARY IN GERMANY AND SAW THE WALL COME DOWN AND THEN SERVED IN IRAQ DURING THE FIRST GULF WAR. TODAY HE IS DISABLED DUE TO POST TRAMATIC STRESS. HIS OPINION IS THE ONLY WAY TO REALLY THANK THOSE WHO FOUGHT AND DIED IS TO REMEMBER THEM AND SUPPPORT THOSE WHO CAME HOME. THIS ESSAY DOES THAT. FOR ANYONE WHO READS THIS, THANK YOU !! AND I KNOW THAT IS NOTENOUGH. I WISH I COULD REALLY THANK YOU IN SOME MEANINGFULL WAY.

OH AND MY FATHER SERVED IN THE ATLANTIC DURING WWII AND NEVER SAW COMBAT UNLIKE HIS BROTHER IN LAW IN THE PACIFIC WHO HAD SIX SHIPS SUNK UNDER HIM., WELL MY DAD WAS A HERO!! HE WAS CONSIDERED MEDICALLY UNFIT FOR SERVICE BUT FINALLY GOT THE NAVY TO TAKE HIM. HE DIDN'T KNOW WHEN HE WAS FIGHTING TO GET IN THE SERVICE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO HIM. THAT IS A TRUE HERO. THOSE WHO NOT KNOWING THEIR FATE STILL GO WILLINGLY.

sharkjcw1sharkjcw1almost 15 years ago
THANK YOU

Having had relatives serve on both sides of the civil war,

a grandfather that served in ww1 and uncle that served in ww11, father in korea, brother in law in vietnam, a cousin in desart stom, and a neice in iraq and afganastain.

THANK YOU FOR AN AWSOME READ AND REMINDER OF WHAT MEMORIAL DAY STANDS FOR.

AnonymousAnonymousover 14 years ago
Remember the dead, yes

but we should also remember why. Not all wars, even in this country's history, are worth while. Some times our youth have been asked to make sacrifices that are totally unjustified. That is not to say that they should be discredited for holding up our honor, but the fact that a mistake has been made should not be ignored, but learned from.

trojan5678trojan5678about 12 years ago
Thank You

What I loved most about reading this was it was PRE-9/11. Thank you for the insight you had back in 1997. It's sad that it takes a major tragedy for most of us to appreciate what we have. I wonder how those same old men feel about every annual Memorial Day inconveniencing them now.

AnonymousAnonymousalmost 11 years ago
Thank you

In reality things have not changed all that much. Vietnam Vets welcome home the new crop from the sandbox and Afghanistan, just as the WWII vets welcomed home the Vietnam Vets. The public "thank you for your service" is appreciated, but the Vet knows that the only ones who really understand are other Vets.

Our brotherhood has increased. The women have joined us (there are 7 women on the Wall and God knows how many perished in the "conflicts" since then.) and 9/11 let us all understand that the term Vet includes the Cops and Fire Fighters.

I am now well into my 60s having served for 30 years, 2 of them in Vietnam and several others in a few other not so nice places. My father is in Arlington. he served for over 30 years having spent a few lifetimes in Normandy in June 1944.

We know that we are something different from the rest of the Nation. We are proud of our service but we know that we live only because some of our buddies "took a bullet" instead of us. We are in their debt and always will be.

My God Bless them and the United States of America.

AnonymousAnonymousalmost 11 years ago
thank you

I remember the mist in the morning rising up from the lowlands, the heat and the smile of a friend. The gulp of water warmed too long by the heat, tasting different. A thousand memories that came back , good and bad.

THANKS FOR REMEMBERING

Gary13Gary13almost 11 years ago
Wonderful story

Hello, HLD,

I read your great Spring Break series a couple years ago, and really enjoyed it. I’m not sure if I wrote to you at that time, but I’m glad to see you’re still producing good reading material.

I don’t find many great stories on Literotica – they must be well written and if not true, they should be believable. Yours are among the few.

Today I thought I’d give McKayla’s Miracle a try, but noticed Remembering the Fallen, and read it first. You have a special insight that I appreciate.

Wonderful story, and so appropriate today as I make preparations for Saturday’s parade.

g

AnonymousAnonymousalmost 11 years ago
Thank You

For understanding.

My wife and her Family do not understand why I am quiet and do not enjoy the family cookout that day. I did my enlisted career starting at the tail end of 'Nam. I was still active thru Desert Storm, served in both the sandbox and the rockpile.

Yeah, Been there, Done that, got both T-shirts, wore them out.

Lost way too many friends.

As I Age now, I look about and am sorry for the generation still in their youth.

What have we let this country become?

How could we be so blind as to let politics become so entrenched in power struggle.

Thomas Jefferson was right. We now have 11 states with more people on welfare than working! And Welfare & all the add ons now pay more than the minimum wage full time. We are doomed to fall as Rome did.

AnonymousAnonymousabout 10 years ago
The OTHER 1%

Less than 1% of the population "Protect & Serve" the rest of us. Only those who have been there truly understand the sacrifice of those who 'Have given their all' so that everyone can enjoy their playstations, social media and all the other meaningless toys in their lives. The Veterans Holidays have morphed into a reason to eat, drink and party instead of remembering the sacrifices of those 'Fallen Heroes'.

thalt992000thalt992000almost 9 years ago

It's so true so many people have forgot what the day stays for I have always been alter appreciative of the military it come formy heritage I found out I had great grandfather's on both sides of WWII. Both my grandfathers served my father served I would have served if both for my medical issues I have had friends go off to war and they aren't the same anymore. It's not just the dead that should be honored those who still living one thing I love is the fact a band like five finger death punch trying to bring more awareness to those vets who can't get them help they need.

Dragonfire14Dragonfire14almost 8 years ago
Very Moving

As I write this comment Memorial Day is fast approaching. When I was young, my parents would always take us to the cemetery to honor our grandparents. It was a day to reflect on those we lost. When I got older, like one other reader's comment, I started my day by going to a special mass at my church in which the name of parishioners who had passed away were read. Strangely, I found it to be one of the more peaceful times in my life. Every so often I will come across a veteran who is set up selling hats and other remembrance items. I find it strange that almost everyone passes him by without comment. I make it a point to stop and talk with each of them, to learn about their experiences and to thank them for their service. Usually, I'll purchase a U. S. army hat because that is the branch of the service my father served in. I don the cap and end our conversation with a thank you and a salute. It is hard to put into words the way I feel after such an encounter. Thankful, proud, and most of all honored to have learned what a true patriot experienced. BTW, that cap, I present it to my neighbor who suffered horrific injury from a roadside bomb in Iraq. It cognitive functions are mostly gone but I know that he appreciates that someone outside his family is grateful for his sacrifice.

AnonymousAnonymousover 6 years ago
Achingly Poingent

Absolutely on point! Excellent writing; thanks.

Viet Nam Vet

royz56royz56over 5 years ago
Great essay and very important for the future generations

I think this should published and run in newspapers and any other media available every Memorial Day. I have no idea how to do that, but it's important. Peace time, War time, any time..... soldiers give their lives for the rest of us, we need to remember them all.

TarnishedPennyTarnishedPennyalmost 5 years ago
Thank you

Poignant, almost painful.

*****

AnonymousAnonymousalmost 4 years ago
Thanks is not enough

So true, and it hurts so much. When my Dad was alive we would visit the WWll Vets of which he was one. When I got older and became a vet also vietnam 31 months I understood why. My children visit veterans homes or hospitals snd I am so proud of them. This iis the only way we can assure that it is done the right way. We do cook out also.

AnonymousAnonymousalmost 4 years ago

My comments are looking at this purely from a compositional standpoint.

This is two different papers, for me. The parts where you describe actual battles, and the soldiers involved, are absolutely beautifully written. Really well done, there. Looking at it as an editor, there was almost nothing to correct.

But. The flip side is that the observations of restaurant patrons and workers reads like a college student paper. If you were ever to revise this, try to find a way to make your point about lack of appreciation for Memorial Day without the judgy student paper clichés about middle-aged business men (fish in a barrel) and young people at a summer job. The veiled snark really detracted from what was otherwise a beautifully done paper.

AnonymousAnonymousalmost 4 years ago
12 years on

It's a Tuesday morning. This upcoming weekend will be Memorial Day weekend, and my social media will fill up with pictures, memes, memories, and remembrances. I have my own memories of friends, and strangers. Memorial Day is very somber and bitter for me. Not just because of what it is and what it means, but also because of the broken trust it represents. I have almost 20 years of service and I'm looking forward to retirement. I have memories of the young Marines, Sailors, and Soldiers driving and trudging through the crazy that was Anbar Province, Iraq in 2004-5. The 2nd battle of Fallujah, with brutal close combat, random IEDs, gruesome discoveries, and untold acts of valor and sacrifice. Memories of more hours than I can count of mission over Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Mali, Afghanistan, and other places. Both as a military member and a DoD contractor. The struggles of British, Australians, French, Polish, Lithuanian, Kurdish, Iraqi, Afghani, and United States servicemen and a few women documented on video and radio.

The military has made immense sacrifices since 2001. We have been asked to do the impossible over and over again. We have done it, over and over again. Defeated the Taliban in a few short weeks, crushed the Iraqi military in a month and a half, bringing Iraq back from the ashes and to the brink of stability, only to have politicians who never wanted us to succeed in the first place throw it away. The same thing happened in Afghanistan. We poured out Marines like water in places like Marjah and Sangin. We drove the Taliban into the hinterlands in fear. Their own radio cans tell of shock, fear, and awe of Marines who wouldn't run and attacked them with ferocity when challenged. The Army made some mistakes in the eastern part of the county. None so grave as COP Keating. A small, isolated outpost in a valley that never should have been there. When it was recognized how badly placed it was, the Army wisely decided to withdraw. The enemy waited, and when the last company was getting ready to leave, they struck. Taliban had been gathering from all the surrounding provinces and bringing in extra fighters and supplies from Pakistan for this moment. They overran the outer perimeter and drove the outnumbered Americans into last ditch positions.

Two men were awarded the Medal of Honor, and there are at least two more who may yet have their awards upgraded. Two-thirds of that company would be killed or wounded. But they held.

Then we again withdrew, and more chaos followed in the wake of that. All the blood we poured out was poured out once again in vain. The people of Afghanistan, who have not known peace in my lifetime, were left to suffer.

ISIS arose in Syria, enabled by our own government and the power vacuum we left in Iraq. Libya is a failed state. More of a name on a map now rather than anything you could reasonably call a country. Syria is not much better.

I ask you to not only remember tha fallen, but honor them. Learn about why we have gone where we went, (hint: bumper sticker catchphrases and memes are wrong) what happened, and shape our country to do better in the future.

We will still go. Some of us will still die. Try to make those deaths matter.

AnonymousAnonymousover 1 year ago

I would have to say that your essay prompted many thoughts.

I am a veteran, but was fortunate enough to serve in the 80’s during the Cold War so saw no “action”.

In Australia we have 2 major days for commemoration - Anzac Day (April 25) and Remembrance Day (Nov 11).

Up until a few years ago both days here in Australia were as you described above. Thankfully now both days have had a renaissance and are commemorated in a dignified manner by all generations. It was feared a few years ago that the memories and commemorations would die out.

Thankfully that is no longer the case.

Finally to all who served and those that made the ultimate sacrifice “Thank you for your Service”.

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