Please remember

[M. D.]

please take a few minuets and click http://www.usmemorialday.org/speeches/other/army1999.htm

"It is the Soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us Freedom of the Press.
It is the Soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us Freedom of Speech.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us the Freedom to demonstrate.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer,
Who has given us the right to a fair trial;
And it is the Soldier--who salutes the flag,
Who serves the flag, and
Whose coffin is draped by the flag--
Who allows the protester to burn the flag."

 

[kspifldorf]

God Bless America

God Bless America

A great big salute goes out to all our HEROES!!! Thanks as always.

 

[crossman]

Thank you, M.D.

 

[billsnuff]

i salute those who serve, and those who served

i salute those who serve, and those who served

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. A.L.

 

[charlie]

I attended the Memorial Day service on the "circle" today and listened to several speakers including our governor and mayor. A portion of the service was recognition of the families of those that lost someone in a war or conflict. There was a flag draped casket on a caisson with a riderless horse that passed in a procession and then a "missing man" flyover with F16s.

After all that, I had the honor of meeting and talking with three Congressional Medal of Honor recipients. I can't put into words how proud I am to be an American and to have served my country in the US military.

 

[crossman]

Thank you Charlie.

It makes me sad to know that as each year passes, there are fewer and fewer who realize, understand, or even care about the magnitude of the endeavors of those who served in WWII. Consider the American cemeteries in Europe. There will come a time when very few even know why those graves are there. The sacrifices will have been forgotten. Very sad indeed.

And my deepest respect, honor, and gratitude for all who have served, whatever era it may have been.

 

[480sparky]

Does Our Flag Make A Difference?​

It was a good lesson.

Of course, it was all the more special to me because it was a lesson taught to me by my father. For you see, those lessons are the best kind.

And it was hot. You could feel the heat ricocheting off the concrete as the police cars drove by with sirens screaming. You could tell the people inside the antique cars were suffering, as they drove their pride and joy that was built before air conditioning. And the farmers driving their tractors.... well, they got a little relief from what breeze there was since they were perched atop their old tractors. Machines that hark back to a simpler time. Machines that once were the envy of farmers for miles around. Machines that had been painstakingly restored to their former glory, and lovingly stored away, only to be brought out for special occasions such as this.

They were followed by the town's only fire truck. The volunteer fire fighters had spent the better part of two days getting her polished and ready for the 4th of July parade. I loved the trucks bright red paint... you could see your face in it. And the shiny silver carriage holding the long ladders with neatly folded white hoses stacked across the back.... it was the neatest vehicle I had ever seen.

Then came the American flag, flanked by an honor guard from our local 45th Artillery Division. Everyone stood and took off their baseball cap or straw cowboy hat. One by one, the right hand of every man, woman and child moved in rhythm, like a wave slowly moving along the crowd that was hugging the street, until each person's right hand rested on their heart.

Several old men in overalls and some young men in uniform saluted with their right hand against their forehead. Old soldiers remembering; new soldiers bound for duty. But we all saluted. It was a ritual everyone knew. And it happened time and time again, year after year, parade after parade.

I was so impressed with the sense of pride the people in my town seemed to have for the flag. But I wondered why it was so important. What made it such a revered, universal icon for the generations before me? I know it was a symbol for America, but why was it more important than, say, our state flag? We never saluted that! Yet I was just as proud to be an Iowan as I was to be an American!

So, later in the day, after the parade, and after my family had enjoyed the wonderful picnic feast of cold chicken, potato salad, baked beans and homemade ice cream down at the city park, I determined to ask my dad why that flag was so important to everyone. And it turned out to be one of those magical moments between a father and his son.

He said, "Son, that flag tells the story of America. Every time I see it, I think of my heritage and my freedoms- of your heritage and freedoms. I think of our house. It is ours. We can own it because of that flag. And I think of our church, and of all the other churches in here in town. We can go to any of them because of that flag.

"I think about where we live. Your mom and & I choose to live here because we were born and raised here, and it has been our family's home for three generations now. We love it here. But we are free to move anytime. And when you grow up, you can live anywhere you want to in America- as long as that flag waves over every state capitol, hangs in every school room, and is carried in every parade.

"It's a reminder that we are all Americans first. We each share a unity as Americans that is first in importance. Every one of us has an undivided allegiance to be Americans first- even before we are Iowans, or Virginians, or Oklahomans, or wherever our place of residence may be. That's what the word United in United States means. We have a special duty to understand and preserve and defend our country first, above everything else."

He went on, "And when I see that flag, I think about my father and my grandfather. You see, to be free was just as important to them. I guess I realize that you and I are free partly because of them. Because they served their country as soldiers when it became necessary to devote their time to an interest greater than themselves. It's the same thing we would do if it were ever required of us. And it will be the same for your children and grandchildren.

"The flag tells of great struggles, of people with such valor and courage that the ideals and honor of our country were dearer to them than their own lives. Think about that! Your grandfather was just such a man. He died when your mom was just three years old. He died fighting in a country he had never heard of, against a people he never knew. And he did it willingly, for America. Think about what that means to be willing to give up your life because the freedom of others is threatened. Surely, there can be no greater virtue!"

And then he made it come home so clearly to me. He said, "Son, there is something that you must also understand about being an American. You cannot be saved by the valor and devotion of your ancestors. Duty is required of every generation. If the times ever comes, the hope of America rests upon your willingness to sacrifice and endure the same as those before you have sacrificed and endured. That's what it means to be an American. That's what it means to be patriotic. That's what it means to revere the great names in our history, and to keep them before every generation in our schools and in our government.

"And that's why we doff our hats and salute the flag. In its threads rests the inspirations of a free people. We are standing on the shoulders of giants."

Looking back on it now, I have to admit that I wasn't sure I understood all that my dad told me that afternoon. But I did know this.... it was all of a sudden a lot more important to me that I was an American.

That was 35 years ago. And I still can't watch a parade without placing my hand on my heart when our flag is carried by me.

 

[Lcdrwalker]

I'm sure that those that have walked before us are greatful for all of the sentiments expressed. Remember, since you are reading this, thank a teacher. Since you are reading this in english, thank a soldier.

 

[Bob Kraemer]

God Bless to our fallen hero's who gave there life protecting our rights and freedoms.
God Bless to the hero's still protecting our country.
God Bless to all the hero's that protected our country.

 

[480sparky]

In Honor and Memory...

In Honor and Memory...

We have a short, simple ceremony honoring all veterans, both those who can be present and those who gave the untimate sacrifice, at the local cemetary here.

I took my camera this year and took these images.

MC Mark Wiedenhoff hosts the ceremony in Cival War-era clothing.

First of two cannon salutes by Cobb's Battery, Confederate States of America

National Anthem, sung by Brad Hovey, Lynn Swinger and Spencer Meyer

Mayor of Adel Jim Peters reads General Order #11

Mark W. welcomes everyone to the 18th annual ceremony, and introduces the guest speaker

Speaker LTC Todd Jacobus, Battalion Commander, Iowa Recruting & Retention Command, Iowa Army National Gurad speaks about the over 1 million Americans who placed their lives between this country and her enemies.

The Honors Ceremony, with Presentation of Colors: American Legion Post 464

Formation of Veterans​

 

[480sparky]

Pg. 2

Pg. 2

Lowell Wagoner, USN (Korea), and William Mitchell, USCG (WWII), place a wreath at the base of the US flag.

Salute to Old Glory

Post 464 Honor Guard performs Rifle Salute

John Short plays Taps

Taps is concluded by Cody Wiedenhoff in the distance

Dismissing the Veterans

Second cannon salute

Bill Sandquist prepares to retire the Honor Guard​

 

[480sparky]

I would also like to point out that the "Does our flag make a difference" essay was not written by me, but by Robert G. Davis. I finally took some time to track the author down.

 

[charlie]

Veterans: You Can NOW SALUTE The Flag!

Veterans: You Can NOW SALUTE The Flag!

Salute to Old Glory​

This is from the American Legion website http://www.legion.org/national/americanflag/flagcode (The PDF file, Section 9 starts at the bottom of page 5.) You might note that this is for the raising, lowering, or passing of the flag and not for the Pledge of Allegiance which is covered in Section 4 on page 1. I was amazed at the number of veterans who have started to salute the flag.