A sailor walked into the whirling tail rotor of a helicopter on the flight deck. Somehow he lasted another 45 minutes or so.

Four men in a Huey perished when their helo slammed into the Pacific. It was cruising along, but lower and lower. We thought that the pilot just "lost the horizon" and flew it right into the ocean.

A tank crew died on Camp Pendleton when their tank plunged off the dirt road into a deep ravine.

A Marine was crushed aboard ship when a 5-ton truck broke free and ran over him.

A Gunnery Sergeant died when he was shot by one of his own men, accidentally.

A friend never made it back from Panama during the Noriega affair.

A Marine Officer, a friend of mine, gave up all hope and shot himself. I was assigned the investigation and had to witness the autopsy of a fellow with whom I'd enjoyed jokes and beers.

And on, and on, and on...

Ya, sometimes I have a drink a little early in the day, and sometimes there are tears in my eyes that I just don't feel like explaining. Every one of those men was a good person, a good man, and died serving their nation. Most of the above were what I think of as stupid, useless deaths, few were combat related, but instead happened during routine training.

God Bless them.

Indeed, let us remember all those who signed that blank cheque, some of which were not collected on foreign shores, but all of which spoke of courage. My brother-in-law didn't die in Vietnam, but Vietnam killed him almost fifty years later. My wife and I each shed tears today as we reminisced while watching the National Memorial Day Concert. Our thoughts turned to the tortured thoughts that plagued Russ to the very end. May God comfort the hearts of all who knew each of these men and women, and may God bless America.

My wife's brother did not make it back from Korea, he died in an attack while on his way back home. REMEMBER THEM ALL EVERY DAY, NOT JUST TODAY.

I was lucky, a number of good friends never made it home from Viet Nam standing up. I had the opportunity to visit the wall two years ago and the faces and names are etched in your mind forever.

Amen


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I am so sorry that you have those burdens to carry. Know that at least one person recognizes that you did and I do not have to. This year of course is different and some how hard in its own way. I cannot be home to visit those that I wish to honor, or even check (in person) on my mother.
The last several years have given me a clearer perspective about what memorial day means for so many. My best friend from college and his wife lost a son to an IED in Afghanistan. Todays conversation with him was tough. Nothing compared to carrying it every day. CL