Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

**Liz** · 05-27-2005, 05:31 AM

God bless all those men and women who serve or have served our Country as we honor them in a special way this weekend

The image of the sailor is soft because I was walking backwards as she was walking forward. But I love this picture - it's from last year's fleet week.

Please post some pics!

Any plans? I'm going to Fleetweek today - and maybe another day.

Liz

**Old Timer** · 05-27-2005, 05:39 AM

Originally Posted by Liz

God bless all those men and women who serve or have served our Country as we honor them in a special way this weekend

The image of the sailor is soft because I was walking backwards as she was walking forward. But I love this picture - it's from last year's fleet week.

Any plans? I'm going to Fleetweek today - and maybe another day.

Liz

Nice images Liz. Have a great weekend. We should see a lot of red, white and blue photographs here by Tuesday morning, I hope so. I'm off to TN to check on little Jack and I'm sure I'll come home with a couple of CF cards full again.

**Gerry Widen** · 05-27-2005, 06:46 AM

Liz,very nice shots. I especially like the New Yorker Hotel and of the flag on the house. I'm going to the city Sat for some street shooting. Hope the weather holds up.

If you don't mind I'm posting a photo of a flag that factory workers put up in the only window they have right after 9/11. I find some irony that it was taken with a Fed-3 camera made in the Soviet Union in 1971 and a Leica German lens manufactured in 1946 right after WWII.

**Liz** · 05-27-2005, 07:00 AM

This is a great shot, Gerry - and I love the history! Interesting.

I love anything patriotic.

Have a great weekend.

Liz

Originally Posted by Gerry Widen

Liz,very nice shots. I especially like the New Yorker Hotel and of the flag on the house. I'm going to the city Sat for some street shooting. Hope the weather holds up.

If you don't mind I'm posting a photo of a flag that factory workers put up in the only window they have right after 9/11. I find some irony that it was taken with a Fed-3 camera made in the Soviet Union in 1971 and a Leica German lens manufactured in 1946 right after WWII.

**Chunk** · 05-27-2005, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by Liz

God bless all those men and women who serve or have served our Country as we honor them in a special way this weekend

Thanks for posting this thread Liz. Sailors sure have changed in the 25 years since I got out. As always, I love your flag shots.

Memorial day is a whole lot more personal for me this year. Here is what I'm sending off to Iraq this morning. Mike says the flies are getting bad and the fly paper seems to be effective. We share an interest in science fiction and I think these books include a couple new authors for him. The poppies I got are in memory of his great uncle, a WWII vet who usually arranged the Memorial Day programs here in Jefferson and passed away last week, and two men from Mike's platoon and sister platoon who have given their lives in Iraq.

**paulnj** · 05-27-2005, 12:46 PM

With that package.... send my THANK YOU !!!!!!! and I am sure plenty of others would gladly add their name too!

Serving one's county in the military is about the most SELFLESS patriotic duty one can take on , and that I why I will always back my countries military whether I agree with it's PRESIDENT or not.

**mjs1973** · 05-27-2005, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by paulnj

With that package.... send my THANK YOU !!!!!!! and I am sure plenty of others would gladly add their name too!

Serving one's county in the military is about the most SELFLESS patriotic duty one can take on , and that I why I will always back my countries military whether I agree with it's PRESIDENT or not.

I'll second that!!

**Liz** · 05-27-2005, 03:02 PM

Hey there Chunk,

Thanks so much for sharing what you're doing for Memorial Day. Could you share more about who Mike is......maybe you shared something previously and I missed it. I'd like to include him in my prayers. We pray for soldiers, sailors, etc. in a special way in our Chapel.

Your post touched my heart.

Thank you.

Liz

Originally Posted by Chunk

Thanks for posting this thread Liz. Sailors sure have changed in the 25 years since I got out. As always, I love your flag shots.

Memorial day is a whole lot more personal for me this year. Here is what I'm sending off to Iraq this morning. Mike says the flies are getting bad and the fly paper seems to be effective. We share an interest in science fiction and I think these books include a couple new authors for him. The poppies I got are in memory of his great uncle, a WWII vet who usually arranged the Memorial Day programs here in Jefferson and passed away last week, and two men from Mike's platoon and sister platoon who have given their lives in Iraq.

**ken1953** · 05-27-2005, 07:29 PM

As with Chunk...I am a USN VietNam Vet...Come Sept. 27th I'll have been out 30 years...sheeesh...has it really been that long. Anyway...I've noticed something this year that I haven't really noticed in past years....people are more appreciative of our military and our veterans...a case in point...at my VA doctors appointment a few weeks ago in Madison, WI...one of my "doctors" and a couple of nurses and technicians I deal with there...all made an extra point to say "Thank You" to me...My doctor was the first one who said it...and in the thirty years since I've been out...it was the first time anyone had said it to my face!!!! So...I'd like to use your thread just to say my own Thank You to all those who do appreciate us and go out of their way to say or do something to prove it!!!
Thank you for this thread!!!!
Ken

**Liz** · 05-27-2005, 08:18 PM

Dear Ken,

Thank you for telling us that you're a USN VietNam Vet. Reading your post brought tears to my eyes. My parents and grandparents served in the armed services - even my grandmother was a "warden" during WWII. Consequently I'm very patriotic and have tremendous respect for anyone who has served our Country. I would like to personally express my gratitude to you for your service. I also want to say how sorry I am that it has taken us so long to recognize the great service and many sacrifices that you and so many other men and women have given for our Country.

God bless you!

Liz

Originally Posted by ken1953

As with Chunk...I am a USN VietNam Vet...Come Sept. 27th I'll have been out 30 years...sheeesh...has it really been that long. Anyway...I've noticed something this year that I haven't really noticed in past years....people are more appreciative of our military and our veterans...a case in point...at my VA doctors appointment a few weeks ago in Madison, WI...one of my "doctors" and a couple of nurses and technicians I deal with there...all made an extra point to say "Thank You" to me...My doctor was the first one who said it...and in the thirty years since I've been out...it was the first time anyone had said it to my face!!!! So...I'd like to use your thread just to say my own Thank You to all those who do appreciate us and go out of their way to say or do something to prove it!!!
Thank you for this thread!!!!
Ken

**Chunk** · 05-28-2005, 03:58 AM

Thanks Liz. Mike's my 22 year old son who joined the army last year and has been in Iraq since January. He's in the Baghdad area and carries an M240 machine gun in an infantry company.

**mjs1973** · 05-28-2005, 05:59 AM

My Dad is a Navy Vet also. I'm currently working on a surprise photo project for him for his birthday in August, but after reading this post, I wish I could have it done for him for this weekend. A couple of weeks ago, I dug out all of his old slides from the 60's and 70's. I didn't know it at the time, but he has a bunch of shots from his days in the service, 60-64. I'm going to have them scanned, and printed and put together a scrap book for him. This thread has made me decide that the cover of the scrap book is going to say "Thank You".

**another view** · 05-28-2005, 07:03 AM

Originally Posted by paulnj

With that package.... send my THANK YOU !!!!!!! and I am sure plenty of others would gladly add their name too!

Me too!

This shot is from Fort McPherson National Cemetary in Nebraska, from my road trip out west a couple of weeks ago. This shot was taken for a post like this, to think about what Memorial Day is really all about. Sure we're having fun with family and friends but take some time and think about all the people that have served their country over the years. You probably know someone personally, but how much do you know about their time in the military - where they've been and what they've done?

The concept of the Unknown Soldier is pretty amazing when you think about it. Here's a guy who we'll never know anything about - maybe the cemetary can tell us when he was buried but likely little else. He lived his life - long or short, and gave it to his country. We can't even thank or honor him because we don't know who he is. Having never really given it much thought before, I found it pretty overwhelming.

**jar_e** · 05-28-2005, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by another view

The concept of the Unknown Soldier is pretty amazing when you think about it. Here's a guy who we'll never know anything about - maybe the cemetary can tell us when he was buried but likely little else. He lived his life - long or short, and gave it to his country. We can't even thank or honor him because we don't know who he is. Having never really given it much thought before, I found it pretty overwhelming.

Very true. Though I'm always hesitant about any patriotism from a country, whether it be American, Canadian, what not, I think we can all respect the people who've served and died for their own country. Truly remarkable,

Jared

**mjs1973** · 05-28-2005, 07:14 PM

I almost forgot that I had these. I shot these while on vacation last month. My girlfriend and I saw this in an email, and googled it to see if we could find it. Turns out it was only a mile off the highway were were going to be on, so we stopped for a few quick snaps. Here is a link to the rocks official website. The artist repaints this 56 ton rock every year for Memorial Day. There are pics on the website of the rock from past years.

**megan** · 05-29-2005, 01:42 PM

I'm avoiding Manhattan like the plague! Soooo many tourists in for fleet week - but I've always loved to see all the different uniforms walking around. I saw some Pakistani sailors as I left work the other day - I didn't even know Pakistan had a Navy! So cool....

I did make a donation to a WWII veteran selling the little poppies. I'll put a flag out tomorrow.

Megan

**Chunk** · 05-30-2005, 06:42 AM

With a second shot borrowing Gary's can series setup.

**Liz** · 05-30-2005, 08:48 AM

I love the first one - this image is beautiful. It would be a great image for a background during the playing of "Taps."

Have a Happy Memorial Day Chunk. I said a prayer for your son Mike today.

Liz

Originally Posted by Chunk

With a second shot borrowing Gary's can series setup.