United States Navy Band plays taps – a 24 note melody, 150 years old – honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of freedom -- especially remembered Memorial Day.
"This version of taps was recorded by the United States Navy Band at the following locations: Display Ship Barry, Washington Navy Yard U.S. Navy Memorial, Washington, D.C. Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.”
The first war in my lifetime, WWII which began when I was a child, is forever imbedded in my memory. I believe that without a doubt the existence of this country, free, as we know it to be, depended entirely upon our forces prevailing in that war's outcome. Fortunately, allied forces did prevail.
Our challenge is to safeguard those freedoms with balanced powers among the branches -- executive, legislative, judicial as described in our constitution -- needing to be monitored by public support of a dedicated to truth non-partisan Fourth Estate press.
My only still living cousin who served as a Wave is 96 years old. My older brother who served in the U.S. Navy submarine service survived the war, but like increasing numbers of aging veterans died in recent years.
My only brother and sibling focused his later years on Internet searches for reports of naval subs, ships and crews who had been lost at sea during the war. Some vessels with their occupants had begun to be located in the ocean depths those many decades later and some yet today.
My brother was well aware he could easily have been one of those lost at sea. The enemy fleet had been alarmingly spotted streaming through the Pacific Ocean in the direction of Australia. At the last minute his commanding officer determined his communication skills were most needed ashore, so reassigned him from the submarine he had expected to be aboard. That submarine with crew stealthily launched but was never heard from again.
Regrettably, we have had more wars, more lives lost. A PBS News Hour special report reveals by clicking on that link how many Americans have died in U.S. wars. We pay tribute to them all.
I have been where that statue is and it is so compelling. I do love it.
ReplyDeleteThis is the home of the brave because of the brave. That was so sad about your brother's submarine. I can see why he searched so diligently. He was fortunate but survivor's guilt is a heavy burden.
ReplyDeleteWe have had enough strife thanks to a hostile neighbour who keeps sending terrorists into our territory after having lost three wars with us. we have been losing our soldiers as well as one submarine to that hostility. I have lost one cousin and two friends in the army and one of my closest friends was hurt in two wars and is a much handicapped retired veteran today.
ReplyDeleteSorry for your losses, and those of your nation. So many lives forever altered. We honor them all.
DeleteWar is a terrible thing and there are no real "winners" but trauma and loss all around. Leaders who never see a battlefield but play these simple men and women like pawns in a chess game. Here there was a whole generation of men wiped out in WW1, some as young as 16.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
Perhaps if leaders were required to be on the battlefield they might make other decisions in so many of these wars.
DeleteYou point out the folly of our "all volunteer" military services, Joared. The elite no longer have skin in the game; although, truth to tell, even during days of the draft many of the then-elite found ways of subverting the system. (Some, no doubt, had bone spurs.)
DeleteMy mother's brother went missing in action while he was flying a Spitfire in WW2. I don't think she ever stopped grieving for him till her dying day at 96. Will there ever come a day when wars have been superseded by diplomacy, I wonder?
ReplyDeleteSorry about your uncle— am sure there were thoughts of her brother throughout her life especially given the MIA circumstances.
Delete