Enjoy Yet Honor Memorial Day
May 29th, 2023
Joe is never comfortable with the greeting, “Happy Memorial Day.”
It’s not meant to be a happy day.
Joe adores summer. Women wear less and the beer tastes better. Most important, it’s not cold. It’s all good.
It also helps that the summer is traditionally bookmarked by three-day weekends, with America’s birthday right smack dab in the middle.
If you are like Joe, at some point today you will grill raw meat and crack open many Big Storm Brewing beers. If you are fortunate, then you are watching glorious bikinis from a boat in the Gulf or at the beach. If so, saluto!
But please take a moment today to remember the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice to allow us to guzzle beer, ingest mass quantities of meat and throw (digital) rocks at each other when discussing our beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A U.S. flag, small or large, on your property or apartment deck is a great touch, too.
Remember that heroes didn’t come home.
(Here is a fitting story for today. A fallen Marine’s medals somehow wound up on an online auction. and fellow Marines found a way to get those medals back to the family. Seems Marines don’t forget Marines.)
Yes, our day at the beach is brought to you by their day hitting the beaches of Normandy, Iwo Jima, Anzio and so many, many more.
May 29th, 2023 at 1:30 am
I concur.
My favorite cartoon to symbolize this day. – Just click my name.
And regardless of your political leanings. I think we can agree on the following.
Q: Who is the largest holder of American Debt?
A: Throw your pie charts & graphs away. It’s the American Soldier.
May 29th, 2023 at 4:31 am
As the video states at the end: Thank you to all who have served.
May 29th, 2023 at 6:35 am
Amen.
May 29th, 2023 at 6:42 am
The gripping melancholy has lifted but it is always a somber few days of reflection….
May 29th, 2023 at 7:53 am
Unfortunately these days most have zero skin in the game…….didn’t serve…no other public service….and, of course didn’t give all. The least that can be done is to take a moment to recognize those that did.
Thanks so much Joe for bringing this message.
May 29th, 2023 at 8:04 am
We are a great nation because of them
May 29th, 2023 at 8:27 am
Thank you for helping to put the proper perspective on this day
No matter what your opinion or position, they paid for it.
May 29th, 2023 at 9:34 am
As a fifth generation soldier, I was raised that this is a solemn day but you do want to enjoy it as a thank you to the fallen. As you eat, play and have fun, you remember those who have their lives so that I and my family could have this moment. It’s a bit tricky. You want to pay respect but enjoy the freedom we have in their name. Well that’s how my grandfather who fought in WW2 and my father who fought in Vietnam choose to “remember but celebrate” this day. Thanks for posting this Joe.
May 29th, 2023 at 9:50 am
Thank you for the post. Thank you for all that made the ultimate sacrifice to maintain our freedom.
May 29th, 2023 at 11:03 am
The ultimate sacrifice? Lol there hasn’t been a draft since Nam and I don’t think those invasions are what lets us go to the beach. You don’t need to do the corny fake patriotism anymore buddy. Let’s salute all the homeless vets and children killed so some idiot can drink a beer.
May 29th, 2023 at 11:47 am
Max needs a history lesson on World War II, obviously.
May 29th, 2023 at 12:03 pm
As someone who never served, and who would have made a terrible soldier, my respect to all the Veterans that peruse this website. I have represented a lot of clients who served and are now 100% disabled, many with PTSD. Joe, you are correct, “Happy” Memorial Day is totally inappropriate. I tell people, “have a safe Memorial Day.”
Again, I salute all our Veterans, and especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice, including a good buddy of mine who lost his life at 29. As you enjoy a day of vacation, we can all take at least a little time out and reflect what this day is all about.
May 29th, 2023 at 1:11 pm
Let us not ever forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this great country. And may God continue to bless those soldiers like myself who have seen war close up and survived.
May 29th, 2023 at 1:47 pm
We/I salute the people who served. But today is for those that gave their lives for the rest of our nation. So much respect for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.
I will always remember.
May 29th, 2023 at 1:57 pm
Have a solemn Memorial Day.