1. The days when holidays of this importance were celebrated on the date that had been designated for their celebration by law. So, whether it was Monday or Thursday, if that was May 30, that was the day when normal activity stopped and the "celebration" took place.
2. The days when there was a parade in every hamlet of the nation in honor of those who had fallen in battle. In our town, this parade started over by the Carew Street School and Public Library area and proceeded down Bridge Street, left on to South Main Street, parallel to the Connecticut River, passed in front of the Honor Roll which stood proudly in front of the combination Town Hall and High school building, by the foot of Spring Street, where we were awaiting it, over to the entry to the Village Cemetery, and into the cemetery where the rites of remembrance would take place. We would walk alongside the parade to accompany it to the cemetery, some 200 yards down the street. Our favorite part was the 21 gun salute. I don't remember all the things that we did after that, but we never did miss the parade.
3. The Honor Roll, I said. I am going to presume that there are some of you who don't know what I mean. It was an ornate "wall" of very expensive wood, the face of which carried the engraved names of all the residents of the town who were presently serving in the Great War being waged in Europe and Japan. Many of the names had stars in front of them. They had given their life for the country. We all knew it and we never passed in front of the Honor Roll without offering up a little prayer for their souls and the well-being of their families. I and my dear wife try to go to this spot during our annual visit to Massachusetts. It is now marked by three massive granite markers honoring those who served in World War II, Korea and Viet Nam.
4. I try to go back there because a> I thank God that of all the first degree blood relatives of my our family who served in the military, not a one was taken away from us. b> I do have friends who didn't come back. One was among the very last, if not the last to die after the bell rang in Korea...I'll never forget Mike Barney. The other was among the first to die in Viet Nam. He had just graduated in the first class to go through the Air Force Academy in Colorado. His name, Valmore Bourque is on public display, engraved on the Wall in Washington D.C.
I am spending my weekend in a city where the military is an omnipresent influence and where there is an extremely beautiful military cemetery. There are also many rites taking place in various locations around America's Finest City [San Diego, CA] but I went to church today and prayed with a lot of memories dancing in my head. The final public prayer after the Holy Mass was a short video with a wonderful rendition of Taps. You could have heard the crash of a pin dropping. Now I have celebrated by entering into your lives with my reminiscences. When you get to be my age, you wonder where they all come from.
After you read and digest what is here, you will have a good idea why I keep saying that there should be No Crying at my Funeral.
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Point Loma, Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California (SD) |
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