No, America's Memorial Day could never be like that. The nearest comparison I can make is the day that the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was officially dedicated in Washington DC: November 13, 1982. I was serving in the Army Reserve back then and my section chief, like me, was a Vietnam veteran. His brother lived in DC and could put us up, so Paul and I drove down from Indiana to be there for the dedication. As serving soldiers, we wore our green service uniforms. Thousands of our fellow veterans were there; I suppose I shook two or three hundred hands. President Reagan gave the keynote address. I still get a lump in my throat when I recall those few hours. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But in Israel, it happens every year.
I imagine things were different in the years after WWII. Its a shame America as a whole does not honor its veterans in a better way. I have a copy of a speech my father gave to the Spanish American Veterans on Memorial Day, in Saratoga Springs NY in the mid-1950's (he was the Rabbi of the local synagogue there). It spoke of "freedom, patriotism and humanity" as what they fought and died for.
We could use some more of that a bit less "sophistication" these days.
Well, I was born in 1949 and things were different when I was growing up. The war was close behind us and all around us, really, for most men of my father’s age were veterans. I remember that our mailman was a former Marine who’d fought and been wounded on Guadalcanal. One of Dad’s coworkers had served in the Army Air Corps as a B-25 gunner. Dad’s brother, my Uncle Bob, had served in the Navy aboard a destroyer escort in the Pacific. Dad himself had served in the Coast Guard, first aboard a cutter on antisubmarine duty of the East Coast, then aboard a CG-manned troop transport. So it went. And yes, Veterans Day and Memorial Day were more of a thing back then.
This year everyone is observing a particularly somber Memorial Day. Who would have thought that seven months following 10/7, over 100 captives would still be held by the Gazans, fighting would rage in Jabaliya & rockets would continue to strike the north. Please excuse my resemblance to Sen. Schumer as I too call for new Israeli leadership during this very difficult time.
No, America's Memorial Day could never be like that. The nearest comparison I can make is the day that the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was officially dedicated in Washington DC: November 13, 1982. I was serving in the Army Reserve back then and my section chief, like me, was a Vietnam veteran. His brother lived in DC and could put us up, so Paul and I drove down from Indiana to be there for the dedication. As serving soldiers, we wore our green service uniforms. Thousands of our fellow veterans were there; I suppose I shook two or three hundred hands. President Reagan gave the keynote address. I still get a lump in my throat when I recall those few hours. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But in Israel, it happens every year.
I imagine things were different in the years after WWII. Its a shame America as a whole does not honor its veterans in a better way. I have a copy of a speech my father gave to the Spanish American Veterans on Memorial Day, in Saratoga Springs NY in the mid-1950's (he was the Rabbi of the local synagogue there). It spoke of "freedom, patriotism and humanity" as what they fought and died for.
We could use some more of that a bit less "sophistication" these days.
Well, I was born in 1949 and things were different when I was growing up. The war was close behind us and all around us, really, for most men of my father’s age were veterans. I remember that our mailman was a former Marine who’d fought and been wounded on Guadalcanal. One of Dad’s coworkers had served in the Army Air Corps as a B-25 gunner. Dad’s brother, my Uncle Bob, had served in the Navy aboard a destroyer escort in the Pacific. Dad himself had served in the Coast Guard, first aboard a cutter on antisubmarine duty of the East Coast, then aboard a CG-manned troop transport. So it went. And yes, Veterans Day and Memorial Day were more of a thing back then.
This year everyone is observing a particularly somber Memorial Day. Who would have thought that seven months following 10/7, over 100 captives would still be held by the Gazans, fighting would rage in Jabaliya & rockets would continue to strike the north. Please excuse my resemblance to Sen. Schumer as I too call for new Israeli leadership during this very difficult time.
Yes. We especially need a new Defense Minister and Chief of Staff - NOW!
Elections in the Fall.
A change in US leadership wouldn't hurt either.
As far as the US, it depends who.
Nikki, Pence or Pompeo would all be fine.
or all 3