The White Falcon - 28.05.1993, Blaðsíða 2

Thinking about a Memorial Day from the past
By CAPT Gerald S. Vintinner
Command Chaplain
I was a tenderfoot scout when
I marched in my first Memorial
Day parade. I will never forget
that parade in Hardwick, Miss.
We gathered to honor those who
had died in America’s wars. I
found out our town’s people
fought in every war from the
colonial Indian uprisings to the
Korean conflict.
As we gathered, I saw a variety
of uniforms from the first and
second World Wars. I was sur-
prised to see women in uniform.
I knew them as mothers, teach-
ers, and nurses, not as veterans,
but there they were marching with
the men. The president of the
school board wore a high-col-
lared Army uniform from WWI.
I remember his grandson told me
of the coughing spells he still had
from a mustard gas attack at
Verdun, France.
The baker and the insurance
man wore Marine uniforms. Both
had served in the South Pacific.
Some local farmers wore their
Navy crackerjacks.
Two brothers who owned the
local garage wore Army uniforms
with ribbons from North Africa
and Europe. One of the brothers
still limped with difficulty. Our
scoutmaster, the town grocer,
wore an Army officer’s uniform
with ribbons from the Korean
War.
Some obviously had to struggle
into their uniforms. Others left
their jackets unbuttoned and
another group just wore their mili-
tary hats and medals.
The honor guard was made up
of younger men who had served
in Korea. Their uniforms were
newer, orders crisper and move-
ments sharper than those of the
older men.
The honored guest was old Mr.
Bames. I remember many con-
versations with him after school
as he rocked on his spacious front
porch. His older brothers had
fought in the Civil War. He was
a veteran of the Spanish-Ameri-
can War. He wore his
old rough rider hat and
waved at the towns-
people from a ‘56
Chevy convertible.
As we made our way
to all the markers, stat-
ues and cemeteries, I
grew tired, but the vet-
erans still held then-
heads high. A former
Marine sergeant called
cadence.
At each marker they
gently placed a wreath
and rendered a snappy
salute. At every ceme-
tery they stood at at-
tention, while a cler-
gyman would pray,
and a squad would fire
a rifle salute while a
lone bugler played
“Taps”.
As I looked around,
my young eyes saw
grown men bite then-
lips and old men and
women wipe tears
from their eyes.
I found I was in-
volved in something
more than a parade.
They were remember-
ing family members and friends
who had died, some were lost at
sea, others were buried in far-
away places and the rest lay at
our feet.
When I was a tenderfoot scout,
I did not know what death meant,
nor did I understand liberty or
freedom. I knew I felt sad. I
knew these men and women trav-
eled to faraway places to protect
me and the others in my home-
town.
Many years have passed since
that day. Most of the old foH
have died and new names tufl
been added to the town memotP
als.
When I think of that particular
Memorial Day, I still get a tear in
my eye and a lump in my throat
because I learned more about
American history that day than I
ever learned in school. It is a
legacy worth passing on to our
own children.
Memorial Day Message
From the President
Each Memorial Day we pause to remember that our
freedom has been secured by the blood of patriots. On
Lexington Green and in battles around the world,
Americans gave their lives in service to their country.
Today we honor them for that sacrifice.
We must all rededlcate ourselves to upholding the
freedom such sacrifice has earned us. The men and
women of today's armed forces have a special role in
protecting the liberty our forefathers worked so hard to
preserve. You stand in the first line of America's defense,
and your daily efforts help promote the peace and
stability that allow freedom to endure.
The tradition of placing flags and flowers on graves
across the world illustrates that the deeds of Americans
buried there are still fresh in our memoiy. Inspired by
those brave men and women we honor on this occasion,
let us all renew our commitment to protecting the ideals
for which they gave their lives.

Bill Clinton
nieWhite Falcon
Commander, Iceland Defense Force
RADM Michael D. Haskins
Public Affairs Officer
LT Joseph L. Quimby
Deputy Public Affairs Officer
Fridthdr Kr. Eydal
Chief Petty Officer in Charge
JOC Terry J. Bamlhouse
Draftsman
DM2 Danielle J. Kim
Editor
J02 Carlos Bongioanni
Journalists
J02 Colleen “Ghostwriter" Casper
J03 (SW) Andreas Walter
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