The AM Forum

Let us remember all those who served - living and dead. The haunting poem below is why red poppies are worn on this day in all the British Commonwealth countries. They call it Remembrance Day. Let us remember.


In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae, May 1915


In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Wake up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Lest we forget those who have given everything from their time to their lives -

Through the centuries, love of and service to our country has been the foundation upon which all else has been built. Freedom and liberty would be short-lived if not defended.

Thank you to those who have served or continue to serve. If not for you, the world we enjoy would be a far worse place.

Please also hope the best for Frank Buckles, 109,
The last surviving U.S. veteran of World War One.

It was the Armistice signed today ending that war, that later became Veterans Day.

The former U.S. Army corporal will turn 110 next February.

As the "last man standing" to represent his comrades, he hopes to live to see the signing of legislation making a DC memorial on the National Mall a National Monument to his comrades.

http://www.takepart.com/news/2010/11/10/109-year-old-frank-buckles-the-last-wwi-veteran-in-the-us

Every Veterans' day, we decorate my old 5-ton up and roll in the big Phoenix parade.  The two vets in the shot are members of the in-Country Viet-Nam Veterans group here in town.  I'm on the left. 

I lost friends and family in 'Nam, and I really like to show up help these folks out.

My personal and heartfelt thanks to all vets, every day of the year!

73DG

ps...the truck is obviously a vet as well, has rebuild tags from Sagami, Japan after Nam, then Nurnberg '89 before going into Desert Storm with the 1st Armored.  When it came back to the states, I bought it from Uncle Sam back in '93.

..everything stops here, at 11am....11th hour, 11th month, 11th day... 2 minutes of silence...everyone wears a poppy...i wear one, year round...McCrae was a doctor, in the Canadian army...sadly, he was killed....his house here in ontario is a shrine...

  thanks steve...

"...lest we forget..."

..sk..

Some of these veterans are now up in years to the point they're willing to talk about their war experiences like never before.

The stories are compelling.

Go find a vet, any time, and sit down with them a while.
You'll come away better for having learned what they went through.

You are welcome! Michael D. Sawyer, DS2 USS America (CV-66), "My ship, my country!"

Thanks for remembering.  Retired as a Master Sergeant, US Army.  Too many people now have no idea what Armistice/Veterans Day is about.

That is a nice looking 5-ton there. My dad used to ride in my M35, but he can't get up in the 5 ton's cab, he is getting up in years. Our parade is in Richardson, TX. The Dallas parade is huge but I prefer the small-town stuff, and Richardson's parade route is about 2 blocks long. Knights of Columbus, an antique car and several convertibles with veterans riding in them, some of the younger veterans go on foot. It goes right past a school and all the children are lined up, it's a big thing for them. At the end of the parade, some of the veterans go into the auditorium and some of them tell what they did in the service, etc. I'm grateful for everything the veterans have done.