Thoughts On Memorial Day

DennisArrow · May 27, 2012

A fellow Vet sent me this the other day. I think a few of my Brothers here might appreciate this.......God bless OUR country........Dennis

As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door open.

The old man was looking at the engine. I put my groceries away in my car, and continued to watch the old gentleman from about twenty five feet away.

I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his arm walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too, and took a few steps towards him.

I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood and say something. The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new Cadillac Escalade. He then turned back to the old man. I heard him yell at the old gentleman saying:

'You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at your age.' And then with a wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking lot.

I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief, and mop his brow as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine.

He then went to his wife and spoke with her; he appeared to tell her it would be okay. I had seen enough, and I approached the old man. He saw me coming and stood straight, and as I got near him I said, 'Looks like you're having a problem.'

He smiled sheepishly, and quietly nodded his head. I looked under the hood myself, and knew that whatever the problem was, it was beyond me. Looking around, I saw a gas station up the road, and I told the old man that I would be right back. I drove to the station and went I inside. I saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of them, and related the problem the old man had with his car. I offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him.

The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and appeared to be comforting his wife. When he saw us he s! traightened up and thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated engine), I spoke with the old gentleman.

When I shook hands with him earlier, he had noticed my Marine Corps ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too. I nodded and asked the usual question, 'What outfit did you serve with?'

He said that he served with the first Marine Division at Guadalcanal Pelieliu, and Okinawa .

He had hit three of the worst ones, and retired from the Corps after the war was over. As we talked we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the hood. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped by me. I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card.

He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed had his name and address on it, and I stuck it in my pocket. We all shook hands all around again, and I said my goodbye's to his wife.

I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to the station. Once at the station, I told them that they had interrupted their own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they refused to charge me.

One of them pulled out a card from his pocket, looking exactly like the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then that they were Marine Corps Reserves. Once again we shook hands all around and as I was leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the old man had given to me. I said I would and drove off.

For some reason I had gone about two blocks, when I pulled over and took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time. The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his name was written: 'Congressional Medal of Honor Society.'
I sat there motionless, looking at the card and reading it over and over. I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled ! that on t! his day, four Marines had all come together because one of us needed help. He was an old man all right, but it felt good to have stood next to greatness and courage, and an honor to have been in his presence.

Remember, as we approach another Memorial Day, OLD men like him gave you, and all of us, FREEDOM for America .
Thanks to those who served and still serve, and to all of those who supported them, and who continue to support them.

America is not at war. The U.S. Military is at war. America is at the Mall.

If you don't stand behind our troops, PLEASE feel free to stand in front of them!

Remember, Freedom isn't Free. Thousands have paid the price, so that you can enjoy what you have today.
LET'S DO THIS: JUST 19 WORDS:
GOD OUR FATHER, WALK THROUGH MY HOUSE AND TAKE AWAY ALL MY WORRIES; AND PLEASE WATCH OVER AND HEAL MY FAMILY; AND PLEASE PROTECT OUR FREEDOMS, AND WATCH OVER OUR TROOPS, WHO ARE DEFENDING THOSE FREEDOMS. AMEN

phiferpharm · May 27, 2012

Amen and thanks for sharing. We should all take a few minutes to put down the BBQ and remember all of the ones that can't be here to share time with the folks they left behind.

Marveltone · May 27, 2012

My wife's father died before we met. A farmer, folk musician and country preacher, he was a good twenty years older than his wife. When my wife and her parents walked down the road, it looked like a little girl was out walking with her mother and grandfather.

This humble, unassuming man was also an army medic in WW2. He never spoke much about the war to his family, as he felt there were some things that were best left unsaid. He did tell them that he was there when they liberated Auschwitz. I think the horrors he saw there haunted him the rest of his life.

Pvt. Gustav Nordvall, you have my deepest and most heart felt gratitude for your selfless sacrifice and the horrors you've endured to save others.

After his passing, my wife's mother (still before we were married) married another WW2 vet. This time, a business teacher who flew Catalinas in the
Pacific theater. He was an officer and a gentleman all his days; a very persnickety chap who put the spit and polish on every aspect of his life. He proudly gave his stepdaughter to me in marriage.

Once a couple girls from the local high school asked to interview him for a school project. He ended up pulling out maps, charts, logbooks and pictures from boxes that haven't been open for years. He then donned his dress blues and had his picture taken with the girls. The project took a couple months to complete, and the girls learned about service, sacrifice and commitment through their visits, and they became very close friends by the end.

Lt.Col. Levern Mellstrom passed away four years ago, but he is greatly missed, as are his stories, his service and sacrifice.

All other veterans who have served this country have my profound gratitude for all they do.

Joe

Western · May 28, 2012

Great storys:thumbsup: I have known one Medal of Honor recipient, Desmond T. Doss. He was a friend of my dads when I was a youngster. One of the most humble and patient men I have ever known. Saved allot of his fellow soldiers on Okinawa as a medic. He also gave me a book he had written, I need to locate that book! Found this on Google, internet is so "cool"
Desmond Doss - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

phiferpharm said:
Amen and thanks for sharing. We should all take a few minutes to put down the BBQ and remember all of the ones that can't be here to share time with the folks they left behind.

!00% agree with you Doug, It is because of the fallen we have the "option" to grill out and enjoy many other things we take for granted.

Here is a letter written my President Lincoln to "Mrs Bixby" Which is almost poetic to me.

Executive Mansion, Washington, Nov. 21, 1864

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts, that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle.

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save.

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom. Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

Abraham Lincoln

MossflowerWoods · May 28, 2012

ONe of my best friends started out as just my next door neighbor, an old guy with a very sick wife. We rarely saw him, he was always tending his wife.

One day when I was mowing he was outside doing something and I chatted him up. I asked about his wife and she had died over a month ago.

When I tild my wife about it later that day, she said we need to befriend him so he does not just fade away like the grandfather had when grandma died.

So we started sharing Sunday dinner with him. At first delivering it in a pie tin, what ever we were having, we shared. One day I went over and told him Sunday Dinner would be at 6, wear a shirt...

That was years ago. We moved from California to Virginia back in 2004. Frank has been one of the best friends of my adulthood. He was a SGT in the 33rd infantry and landed on the beaches of Luzon in the liberation of the PI. He worked in avaition until he retired in 1982. When I was working in CA from June 04 to Oct 06 I crashed in his spare room every week. We went out to dinner every night (my treat). He is an awesome friend.

We've flown him out here twice a year until recently when money was too tight, and we miss him. He will be 90 this October...

You never know who that older guy might be...

I would have helped the older guy in the OP's story. Just because...

God Bless our troops and their families. God especially bless the families of the wounded, fallen, lost, and POW (and our snipers, and special forces).

David