Memorial Day 2012

Memorial Day has always been a day of remembrance for us.   My husband is a Viet Nam Vet and served his country for 8 years.   He was very proud of his  service.   He did two tours of Viet Nam in his 8 years of service in the Air Force.   When we married in 1975 in March he was getting out in June.  When he got out of the military, he was treated poorly by so many, for so many different reasons.  The most significant being that Viet Nam was not considered a "real" war.    He didn't let that ugliness deter him.  He went on and became a useful member of society.



We decided to teach our children the true meaning of Memorial Day......its not just picnics and sales you know................    When our children were very small we started taking them to the Viet Nam Memorial in Kansas City.   It's a nice small park with a large stone and all the names of those who served in Viet Nam who had passed.   We would walk up to the stone all holding hands and Danny and I would cry.  Keep in mind that we knew none of the names.  But they were lives that were lost.  We tried not to but the tears would come anyway.  It was so sad to think even if for a few moments, of those young men who so selflessly had given their life for others.   I remember looking around and seeing some of the older vets in military garb sitting in the trees over the memorial........as if standing watch......  There was always an honor guard and presentation of the colors.   We learned the true meaning of Memorial Day and to this day my boys.......my young men......remember the true meaning of Memorial Day.