Showing posts with label Memorial Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Memorial Day. Show all posts

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Memorial Day 2019

Military funerals are a common sight around the Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.  Many times the San Antonio Patriot Guard Riders are there to escort both those who have died on active duty and veterans.

Requiem for a Soldier

Mansions of the Lord

The procession is always a special event like having our local version of Rolling Thunder.



 


Forming a wall of flags around the family is part of the service.



As you enjoy your Memorial Day holiday and our freedoms take a few moments to remember the service of so many who sacrificed.

Monday, May 28, 2018

Remembering Memorial Day 2018

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day and traditionally celebrated on May 30th.  Gradually the date became known as Memorial Day and a time to honor those who died in military service.

Today there are flags on the graves at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery placed by volunteers from the community.

On other days decorations are poignant reminders that those buried here were sons, brothers, husbands, uncles, and increasingly, daughters, sisters, wives and aunts. 


There are many different ways grave sites are decorated at the cemetery and this sweet display caugh my eye last fall.


Not everyone buried here died in battle or during their active service but they all served.  I drive past this cemetery at least once a week and there's almost always something interesting to see.

The best way to honor their sacrifice is to celebrate Memorial Day while remembering those who made it possible for us to enjoy our freedoms on this day.

Monday, May 29, 2017

On the door for Memorial Day


Blue Salvia, White Zinnia, Red Penta are all great plants for a South Texas summer.  They grow quickly so I might need replacements by Fourth of July.  We have rainy day and a rainy week ahead so I'll enjoy a day in the garden to finish up with transplanting and adding new plants before the hot, dry summer sets in.

Monday, May 30, 2016

Memorial Day 2016: The Traveling Wall

It's been 33 years since The Vietnam Memorial Wall was dedicated on the Mall in Washington, DC.  We visited just a few weeks after it opened and standing in front of all those names on the wall for the first time was a somber experience so very different from the usual carved statue or plaque.  Sculptor Maya Lin's controversial design had forever changed the way we experience memorials.



My other striking memory was of all the memorabilia left by family and friends.


For those who haven't seen the memorial in our Nation's Capitol, there is a traveling wall which was on display at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio last fall and the photos in this post are from that exhibit.


As an 80% replica there are differences--the names are smaller and you won't see your reflection among the names as you do at the permanent memorial made of granite.

Visitors to the traveling wall leave mementos just as they do at the original in Washington, D.C.


So many things are left that a warehouse in Maryland catalogs and stores over 400,000 items.  A virtual tour of some of the items is available here.  Of my visits to the wall some of the things I remember most are the notes, also beer, dogtags, and there are always candles.  The most expensive item in the collection is a custom Harley-Davidson motorcycle left by a veteran's group from Wisconsin.


If you have a chance, the Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall is currently on display this week in New Braunfels, just a forty minute drive from San Antonio.  The wall is open 24 hours and veterans are there to assist in finding names.  A wreath laying ceremony is planned for this afternoon.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Memorial Day Remembrance

The World War II Memorial in Washington, DC marks its 10th anniversary this Memorial Day weekend and the news had me going back through my photos to remember our visit there.  We lived in the Northern Virginia suburbs for a number of years and in April 2005, just a year after the WWII Memorial opened to the public, we headed out early one gorgeous day to see the famous cherry blossoms and explore the newest memorial.

A wreath is placed in front of the wall of gold stars.  There are 4,048 stars circling the memorial and reflecting in the pool with each star representing 40 lives lost in the war.