MEMORIAL DAY

“Staff Sergeant
David "Rosie" Rosenkrantz
82nd Airborne Division
504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
3rd Battalion
H Company
Born: Los Angeles, CA, October 31, 1916
MIA: Holland, September 28, 1944


He gave his all. I won't forget.

God Bless America.”

“On our tenth anniversary, we went to Oahu, and spent Memorial Day at the USS Arizona Memorial. I believe I remember that 500 brothers died that day. USS Arizona”

“usmemorialday.org

Virtual Wall

Say thanks to a serving member of the Armed Forces”

“Some gave all.”

“bacpac - was that a relative. It's a shame so many Americans lost their lives when Montgomery tried for glory with the flawed "Market Garden" offensive. If he'd spent less time to stop for tea, and more time killing Krauts it might have worked.

I'm assuming that man participated in Market Garden based on the time and place.

I was never in the military, but have the utmost respect for those who did, and for those who paid the ultimate price.”

“I think it's eminently possible to express our pride and gratitude for the service of so many fine people without indulging in Archie Bunkerisms. I just don't see the necessity of it.”

“That is Phil's Uncle Staff Sergeant
David "Rosie" Rosenkrantz”

“I remember reading about him now. He was in the "sister company" of the one profiled in Band of Brothers. I have read a good bit about WWII, but to see Band of Brothers and Private Ryan are unbelievable. No matter how I picture things in my minds eye, it is always indescribably worse when you see a semi-real depiction like those two productions. I came out of Private Ryan near tears.”

“I won't go see movies like that in the theatre because I know I will cry like a baby. I made it through The Thin Red Line okay, but Saving Private Ryan was too much.”

“Someone just alerted me to this thread. Thanks, bacpac!.

Yes, my uncle David was in Operation Market Garden (which the movie, "A Bridge Too Far" was about). He was in the first wave of paratroopers in the famous Waalcrossing (Crossing of the Waal River under heavy enemy fire). Then he helped capture the Nijmegen bridges. He was killed 7 days later while on patrol but listed as MIA because they had to leave his body behind to escape. Our family never knew what happened until a few years ago when I used the internet to find some veterans that were there when he died and could tell me what happened. He is memorialized in Holland at the Margraten Cemetary.

He also participated in the historic battles in Sicily and Italy (including Anzio).

My thanks to all veterans.

I am helping plan my high school 35th Reunion (Class of 67). As we started planning we realize that 4 of our classmates were casualties of Viet Nam. Three died in Viet Nam and one (my best friend) died of cancer from Agent Orange in 1986.”

“Who participated in a parade, memorial, or other ceremony? Since "mother guilt" got the best of me, I ended up at my parent's house and was able to see the program the retirees put on in their community. It was really quite moving. Many of the WWII and other vets put on their uniforms, marched in, sang military songs, read stories and poems, and there was plenty of military memoribilia to be seen. I was quite impressed.”

“I went with my Scout Troop and placed flags on the graves at the National Cemetary here in Houston.
Also took a little time to think about the Uncles I never met who were killed on New Guinea and Peliliu.”

“Thank a vet today.”

“At least once.”

“thank you, backpac and phaedrus”

“Thanks, birch and jerbear.”

“Thanks, all, but Veterans day is a better day to thank the living vets. Think today of those who've been lost.”

“gotcha.”

“true”

“Also remember that Sunday is the 60th anniversary of D-Day.”

“I covered events in two towns today. One where the speaker was back from Afghanistan (and he's the county attorney and a reservist); the other where a 92-year-old man walked from the wreath ceremony on the bridge up the hill a quarter mile to the cemetery program.

I never went to these events until I had to as a reporter. And that's a shame. I'm happy for those that show up -- and then remember it's really a small number of people in the town.

At the cemetery, two men read off the names of the vets while two children put poppies for each onto a 4x4 ft. piece of board. When the ceremony concluded, one man suggested I take a photo of the WW II vets present. Good idea! So I did. The 92-year-old man was included. There were just three there today, although I understand others were missing.

I wish more parents would take their kids to Memorial Day events. It's a good education for everyone and really makes you appreciate things. (In each of these towns, the scenic countryside serves as a backdrop to remind one what the effort of the vets has provided.)

And on a purely personal note, I was happy to time the digital shot today to capture the shells flying from the guns during the salute. Copies of all the shots will be sent to a vet who promises to print and distribute them.”

“All my animals got new flea collars for Memorial day.. I feel better...and hope they do to!”

“rox - way to cheapen some sincere feeling about an important day.”

“Thanks Lt and Steppenwolf!”

“I took Abby to the memorial day parade and ceremony in the town Birch and his friend who was killed in October grew up in. The honor guard salute was very difficult for me and thank goodness it was raining so hard I couldn't hear taps. I don't think Memorial Day will ever be just an extra day off work for me again.

Birch was in NC @Ft. Brag's parade ad ceremony. They had opened up the 82nd airborne museum and had soldiers wearing the old uniforms from WWI and WWII, had jumps and the Secretary of the Army spoke. He had the same problem with the honor guard salute and taps.”

“The 82nd Abn Div was such a part of WWII that most people forget it was the "All American" Division in WWI, hence the shoulder patch.”

“WTF??! I thought the Rox thing was a misposting, but I don't think so upon reading it again...... Guess she doesn't "get" Memorial Day.”

“I'm surprised at rox1's post about her animals.”

“It seems the older I get the more I appreciate the sacrifice so many have made for our freedom. I get teary and choked up so easily anymore. I was blowing my nose and wiping my eyes for much of yesterday just from walking through a veterans' memorial here and listening to the bag pipes or even watching a parade.”

“Why Skiracer?
I wanted to get something important done when I had time off.”

“I don't think that is cheapening any genuine feelings about the day.”

“I think it's a stupid and disrespectful comment for Memorial Day. Memorial Day is not about your damn pet. I think that's the point we're trying to make.”

“I think it's a stupid and disrespectful comment for Memorial Day.

What a load of cr@p.”

“Mutt - go play in the road.

My point is that this is a Memorial Day thread, not a "I found a penny" thread, or a "Look what I bought for Fluffy" thread.”

“It seems a "what I did for Memorial day" post seems appropos of this thread. Your faux rightous indignation isn't, however.”

“Let's not be hating. ;-)

Don't forget, this is TT.

You know, lizs and dayhiker can agree on something! ;-)
Kinda scary.”

“I think they are making too much of it... sorry I am not being politically correct for this post!

My day was good glad your was...I'm over it.”

“sorry I am not being politically correct for this post

Don't apologize. Dayhiker's just got that xtian insecurity complex. Any perceived slight results in him flying off the handle. It's typical.”

“Any perceived slight results in him flying off the handle. It's typical."
Mutt
11:06:33 AM
06/01/04

uhhhmmm... Mutt, uhhh.. you uhhh... oh nevermind.”

“faux? I thought that was some sort of painting technique they show you how to do on Saturdays at Lowe's and Home Depot.”

“Pot, kettle black, phaedrus? LOL - maybe you're right, but at least I don't spew ridiculous rightous indignation.”

“I think it has more to do with working all weekend and getting no sleep.

I still think the post didn't fit, but was probably too harsh about it. Don't know how honoring vets has anything to do with religion though”

“righteous! Jeez, I can't spell or write today.”

“I had the pleasure and honor of spending hours on end talking to a vet who has served all over the world from post WWII Germany to Desert Storm. Thanks vets! Even bacpac...:P”

“This Memorial Day, Honor the Fallen

By Paul Rieckhoff - May 25, 2009

Your weekend newspaper--assuming your town still has one--will be stuffed with pages of glossy advertisements for holiday sales. Your local TV news will do a story on the folks waiting in line in the dark for your local mall to open its doors. All weekend, people will be firing up their grills or spending a day at the beach.

Nothing's wrong with enjoying your three-day weekend. But I worry that, even after almost eight years of war, too many Americans see today as just another summer holiday. Memorial Day should mean much more than barbecues and clearance sales.

Today is a solemn day of remembrance for our more than one million American service members of all generations who, on the field of battle, made the ultimate sacrifice. For my part, I am honored to join President Obama and other veterans' groups in the wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery today. It is a humbling opportunity to pay my respects to the generations of American warriors who have given their lives in defense of our country.

This Memorial Day, please take the time to learn a little about a few of the men and women whom we are honoring this weekend. Each of these servicemembers is a recipient of America's highest military award for valor, the Medal of Honor.

World War I. Army Captain Marcellus Chiles and his men were near Le Champy Bas, France, when they came under heavy machine gun fire. Captain Marcellus picked up the rifle of a fallen soldier and led his men across a waist-deep stream to engage the enemy. Shot in the stomach by a sniper, Captain Marcellus refused to be evacuated until his team was under the leadership of the next senior officer. Soon after reaching the hospital, Capt. Chiles died.

World War II. On Dagami Leyte, in the Philippines, Private First Class John F. Thorson was an automatic rifleman on a team tasked with taking a heavily fortified enemy position. Under intense fire, Pvt. Thorson moved ahead of his team and single-handedly attacked a trench defended by several hostile riflemen. Seriously wounded, he fell a few yards from the trench; as his platoon reached him, an enemy fighter threw a grenade into the group of men. With his last breath, Pvt. Thorson rolled his body onto the grenade. Killed instantly by the explosion, he saved his fellow troops.

Vietnam. Gray Martini, a Private First Class in the Marine Corps, was conducting offensive operations with his company at Binh Son. Moving without cover over a rice paddy, the Marines in Pfc. Martini's platoon assaulted an enemy trench line under fire from grenades, rifle and mortar fire. Within minutes, 14 Marines were killed and 18 wounded. Pfc. Martini crawled from an area of relative safety to hurl hand grenades, killing several of the enemy. He then crawled through fire to rescue a wounded comrade. A fellow Marine had been killed in a previous rescue attempt, and Pfc. Martini suffered a serious injury. Nonetheless, he braved enemy fire again to rescue a second Marine. This time, he was mortally wounded. Using his final strength to move the second rescued man to safety, Pfc. Martini gallantly gave his life defending his fellow Marines.

Afghanistan. Operating in an enemy-controlled area, Navy Lt. Michael Murphy's team of four was discovered and assaulted by more than 30 Taliban fighters. The ensuing firefight killed one member of Murphy's team, and wounded the other three. The mountainous terrain was making it impossible to call for support, so Murphy fought his way to an unsheltered position where he could transmit a call. Exposed to direct enemy fire, Murphy was mortally wounded. But he fought on, reporting his coordinates to headquarters and requesting immediate support for his team. He continued to engage the enemy until he finally gave his life, having saved his comrades.

There are no words that can truly commemorate the heroism of these men. But one voice, in my opinion, comes closer than any other. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln had this to say about the men who had fought and died at the battle of Gettysburg:

"We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate -- we cannot consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Almost 150 years later, the words of Lincoln still resonate. But it doesn't take being Commander-in-Chief to honor the fallen. This Memorial Day, I hope you add your own words of remembrance for the brave men and women that have heroically served this nation, and perished on the battlefield. It is the duty of every American to ensure that they are never forgotten.
last edited: 5/26/09 4:35:27 AM”

“God bless America!”

“Here is a big thanks to all who have served and died to keep OUR country free.YO bear
US NAvy”

“My thanks as well. They don't call it "the service" for nothing, and I'll forever appreciate all the sacrifices.”

“amen”