What comes to your mind this Memorial Day?

On both Veteran's Day and Memorial Day I mostly think of my godfather. He served in the Pacific under Admiral Spruance.

He made it back. Was drunk as a skunk, passed out in a phone booth when he returned stateside. But all of his stories.

Little things. Like we could never grill chicken around him because it smelled like burning people. None of us never knew what happened. He never said. He spent his service delivering huge calibre naval ordinance to the coordinates Marines called in.

He told the story of a friend of theirs (he and my father). They went to school with him. He came back a war hero, piloted a very important bombing mission over Europe targeting German petroleum. Got the parade, the whole thing. He went home and blew his brains out, still in uniform from the parade.

So I think of those for whom we have graves. Those who died and we don't know their names. Maybe an extra in a story we know. Those who died just a little. Like my godfather. And those who took their own lives. Grief, trauma, survivor's guilt.

I think of an uncle I never met. His first name was the same as mine (and the name of his father, my grandfather.) He volunteered for the US Navy in WWII, and he was killed when his ship was hit.

What gets me is my father's reaction. He generally expresses pretty conservative views, proudly displays the flag, is very big on honoring the military, etc. But when a military death hits close to home, his reaction is not what I would have expected from him. Not once have I ever heard him talk about how he and his family were proud of his brother, or anything along those lines. Instead, he keeps saying, "Why did he have to enlist? He was so talented! He could have done so much. What a waste!"

I don't think of my family, although I do honor them and I remember their service almost every day.

Instead, I think of the pride with which some of our military men died for their country. Their letters to their family, and the love they felt for a cause, tells me that their hearts were great, and their souls were greater.

I think, also, of the men and women who were wounded, both mentally and physically, and who still fight today just to try to live normal lives. Their service to us will never end.

The raising of the flag at Iwo Jima in WWII.

[i]The Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial in Belleau, France[/i]

The sacrifice made by all the men and women for our freedom.

I try but I don’t know anyone who has served.

Those that never made it back

I have always been confused by why the US has multiple holidays to remember vets from various wars. Seems like having Remembrance day several times a year.

People who died in service for the country. Stories of people who died in the wars.

I gotta set up a dentist appointment

Lives that were sacrificed

All the cruise holidays I’ve had.

Why am I at work?