Today is Memorial Day, the day we honor those that died while in the service of the United States. Unlike Veteran’s Day which is intended to honor all those that served, not just those that died. My parents were married on Memorial Day. My father had us kids believing that the parade we saw every year was to celebrate their anniversary.
When we lived in Michigan, on Memorial Day Lise and I would go over to Fort Custer National Cemetery to pay our respects to those that served. Not all interred there died while in the service, but all served and deserve respect. Not having a National Cemetery close by we went to the Indiana Soldiers Home cemetery instead. The home is only a few miles from where we live. It was established in the 1890s to care for the aging Civil War veterans, as well as their widows or spouses. The home and cemetery are still open to veterans of any service branch. Almost 3,000 are interred there. We found graves of those that fought in the Mexican War up through Vietnam.
Indiana Soldiers home.
Mexican War veteran.
I spent six years in the U.S. Navy. During that time four people I directly served with died. None as a result of war or combat, but they died while they were serving in the U.S. military. One was a close friend. He died when he fell as we were rappelling down a cliff. I know of others that died but I directly worked with these four. Three of them I supervised at one time or another.
So, I raise a toast to Perry, Fred, Brian, and John. Rest in peace and thank you for serving. And may you always be remembered.
Ed's and Lise's Biggish Years 