Rememberance - veterans and current service personel
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From: Rayleigh, Essex
Rememberance - veterans and current service personel
Now up-dated with all the pictures I received in the e-mail.... IMHO very moving - I guess an alternative title would be "lest we forget"
Thinking of all the Canadian
American
and British Soldiers
A Prayer chain for our military...
The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.
'Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you ?
Have you always turned the other cheek ?
To My Church have you been true?'
The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
'No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.
There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
'Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell.'
Author Unknown~
It's the Military, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It's the Military, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It's the Military, not the politicians that ensures our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It's the Military who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag.
Thinking of all the Canadian
American
and British Soldiers
A Prayer chain for our military...
The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.
'Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you ?
Have you always turned the other cheek ?
To My Church have you been true?'
The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
'No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.
There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
'Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell.'
Author Unknown~
It's the Military, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It's the Military, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It's the Military, not the politicians that ensures our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It's the Military who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag.
Last edited by waylander; Nov 12, 2009 at 05:16 PM.
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From: Rayleigh, Essex
Re: Rememberance - veterans and current service personel
There are some poigniant photos to go with this but I screwed up when posting... I'll up-load to photobucket and finalise this this evening if I can
Last edited by waylander; Nov 12, 2009 at 05:13 PM.
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From: Savannah
Re: Rememberance - veterans and current service personel
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/l204/uksvt/24.jpg
How true this is.
Our military men and women continue to willingly cede the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. As welfare becomes more 'sanitary' and technologically 'mechanized', I wonder how the rising generations can ever truly understand the carnage of past wars. Six hundred thousand dead during our own Civil war. Nearly two million slaughtered needlessly in the trenches of WWI France ... 100,000 Americans, countless allies and three million Russians dead fighting Hitler in WWII. The Pacific, Korea, 'Nam ... the list is too long.
Will we remember?
Thanks, waylander, for your time posting this up.
How true this is.
Our military men and women continue to willingly cede the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. As welfare becomes more 'sanitary' and technologically 'mechanized', I wonder how the rising generations can ever truly understand the carnage of past wars. Six hundred thousand dead during our own Civil war. Nearly two million slaughtered needlessly in the trenches of WWI France ... 100,000 Americans, countless allies and three million Russians dead fighting Hitler in WWII. The Pacific, Korea, 'Nam ... the list is too long.
Will we remember?
Thanks, waylander, for your time posting this up.
Last edited by bluedog; Nov 12, 2009 at 06:28 PM.
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,123
Likes: 1
Re: Rememberance - veterans and current service personel
While it talks of the American service member, I feel this is just as appropriate for our allies. Thus I post this again with the deepest of respect for all those who served in a common cause with we Americans.
The air was so fresh and crisp up there. My only companions were the fluttering butterflies, the gliding birds, and the soaring eagles that circled gracefully above me. With each new breeze I stood straight and proud. My red and white stripes pointed to the horizon. My majestic blue field, once sprinkled with thirteen stars, shown brightly with stars now numbering fifty. As I looked down upon the people below, it was an honor to know that I was their symbol – the banner of their freedom and determination.
Then one day I felt the tug on my lanyard. I had an uneasy feeling as I drifted limply toward the ground. Halfway down the pole, I stopped for what seemed an eternity. Then I continued my descent, fluttering into waiting, white-gloved hands. With somber precision I was freed from the snaps that held me.
Soon, I found myself draped over a cold, gray-steel box. I was surrounded by men and women in full military parade dress, but somehow it didn’t feel like a parade. I think it was an honor to be chosen for that special duty, but it was hard to feel good as I looked at the grief-stricken face of a young woman veiled in black. Three confused young children stood beside her, the smallest inquiring, “Where’s Daddy?” If fabric and stitches could shed tears, I would have flooded the ground around me.
A kindly looking man, dressed in black, talked of things like the body sleeping in death and a great day of resurrection. I realized then that I would be the last blanket to cover this fallen soldier before that blanket of sod would guard and keep him until an angelic bugler would call assembly.
Suddenly, three volleys of shots shattered the silence. As taps played, with a more final tone than I had heard so many evenings before, white-gloved hands again picked me up. With compassion and respect, I was folded one last time and presented to the devastated widow. Words of honor, duty, and sympathy were spoken by an officer who choked back his own tears as he spoke. I had felt so sad and alone, when suddenly a flight of my eagle friends flew overhead. But they flew so fast and so loud, unlike the eagles I had known. As quickly as they had appeared, one of them broke off from the flight and veered out of sight.
Now I hang, still folded, in an oak case with a glass panel protecting me from dust and the elements. I don’t hang alone, though. On one side of me is a portrait of the man I had enshrouded. On the other side is a medal commemorating his devotion and gallantry.
How I long to again fly unfurled and free so far above the ground, but I know it can never be. I have found my permanent duty station, here in this tribute to a man who valiantly gave his life for the country and people he loved. My only prayer is that the sacrifice I made will mean that no other American flag will ever again have to leave its place flying proudly with the eagles.
Rev. Paul E. Goddard
July 28, 1991
Permanent Duty Station
The air was so fresh and crisp up there. My only companions were the fluttering butterflies, the gliding birds, and the soaring eagles that circled gracefully above me. With each new breeze I stood straight and proud. My red and white stripes pointed to the horizon. My majestic blue field, once sprinkled with thirteen stars, shown brightly with stars now numbering fifty. As I looked down upon the people below, it was an honor to know that I was their symbol – the banner of their freedom and determination.
Then one day I felt the tug on my lanyard. I had an uneasy feeling as I drifted limply toward the ground. Halfway down the pole, I stopped for what seemed an eternity. Then I continued my descent, fluttering into waiting, white-gloved hands. With somber precision I was freed from the snaps that held me.
Soon, I found myself draped over a cold, gray-steel box. I was surrounded by men and women in full military parade dress, but somehow it didn’t feel like a parade. I think it was an honor to be chosen for that special duty, but it was hard to feel good as I looked at the grief-stricken face of a young woman veiled in black. Three confused young children stood beside her, the smallest inquiring, “Where’s Daddy?” If fabric and stitches could shed tears, I would have flooded the ground around me.
A kindly looking man, dressed in black, talked of things like the body sleeping in death and a great day of resurrection. I realized then that I would be the last blanket to cover this fallen soldier before that blanket of sod would guard and keep him until an angelic bugler would call assembly.
Suddenly, three volleys of shots shattered the silence. As taps played, with a more final tone than I had heard so many evenings before, white-gloved hands again picked me up. With compassion and respect, I was folded one last time and presented to the devastated widow. Words of honor, duty, and sympathy were spoken by an officer who choked back his own tears as he spoke. I had felt so sad and alone, when suddenly a flight of my eagle friends flew overhead. But they flew so fast and so loud, unlike the eagles I had known. As quickly as they had appeared, one of them broke off from the flight and veered out of sight.
Now I hang, still folded, in an oak case with a glass panel protecting me from dust and the elements. I don’t hang alone, though. On one side of me is a portrait of the man I had enshrouded. On the other side is a medal commemorating his devotion and gallantry.
How I long to again fly unfurled and free so far above the ground, but I know it can never be. I have found my permanent duty station, here in this tribute to a man who valiantly gave his life for the country and people he loved. My only prayer is that the sacrifice I made will mean that no other American flag will ever again have to leave its place flying proudly with the eagles.
Rev. Paul E. Goddard
July 28, 1991
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 13,959
Likes: 1,288
From: Fort Worth, Texas
Re: Rememberance - veterans and current service personel
Thanks, Waylander. So many give so much.
Others give some:
My dad served in WWII and two of my mom's brothers. One was there when one of Hitler's concentration camps was liberated. And my son has been in the Navy for nine years now.
(I was rejected for service in 1979 when they listened to my heart. Told me to go home!)
Here is something to watch... if you have little time, just watch the LAST one at the BOTTOM!
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/40324
Others give some:
My dad served in WWII and two of my mom's brothers. One was there when one of Hitler's concentration camps was liberated. And my son has been in the Navy for nine years now.
(I was rejected for service in 1979 when they listened to my heart. Told me to go home!)
Here is something to watch... if you have little time, just watch the LAST one at the BOTTOM!
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/40324
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