doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Memorial Day 2026

Forever Young:
SSGT Thomas Henry Laird, "Air Apaches", 500th Bomb Sqdn, 345th Bomb Group, 5th Air Force, MIA/KIA October 16, 1943, Wewak, New Guinea
PFC Robert Hardeman, 2nd Marines, KIA July 2, 1944, Saipan.
Mom's oldest brother; mother-in-law's only brother.
To read how a small town in rural Georgia dealt with the deaths of three of its sons during WWII over 80 years ago; emotions repeated all over America.
https://tinyurl.com/2e3j3cnj
Over the years there has been a tendency to conflate gratitude to all who served with those killed in the line of service. This is not veteran's day. This is for remembrance of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service of country. There is and should be a difference. Gil

Remembrance indeed! After returning from Vietnam I went to visit my buddies while on leave. I was saddened when learning that some had not returned as I had. The shock of having their parent come to the door with that news was sobering.
I spend every Memorial Day thinking of them!
Karl

Well said, both of the comments are so appropriate. the other Gil...

Week after week as I delivered my paper route during the Vietnam war, the casualty list would come out. Every week, more were killed and wounded. But it took on a different meaning when the oldest son of my parents neighbor three houses away was killed in action when he covered a Viet Cong grenade with his body to save others on patrol with him. He came home in a flag covered casket, and his parents were devastated. My Mom told me and my next door buddy we should walk over there to pay a condolence call, and we nervously did, not really knowing what to say. I'll never forget the look on his mother's face.

I was in college when my Grandmother showed me a stack of post cards and letters she received nearly every week from her youngest brother while he served in the Army during WWII. Then the letters stopped, and were replaced by a series of Western Union Telegrams from the War Dept. At first, they informed her he was missing in action. A few more informed her he was still missing, and there was an investigation. No details. This went on for a few weeks as I recall. Then another telegram that informed her he was killed in action, and the investigation said eyewitnesses had seen his position obliterated by a direct hit from a bomb. No remains were recovered. There was no body to bury. So on Decoration Day, as Memorial Day used to be called, my Grandmother always went to the cemetery to put flowers on her family members graves. All but the one that wasn't there.

I knew my Grandmother's baby brother was killed during WWII, but didn't know the circumstances until she showed me those letters and telegrams.

Years later, when my nephew was in college, he was working the butcher counter at a local grocery store. An elderly lady customer often stared at him, and he didn't know why. One day, she finally spoke, and said he looked exactly like her fiancee, who was killed in WWII. When she said his name, my nephew recognized that it was his Great-Grandmothers brother.

Memorial Day is every day for some people who live with big holes in their hearts. The rest of us need to be reminded of it, and what it means.

Forever young. I had a chance to visit Punchbowl last week, a somber snapshot of the war in the Pacific.

Dwight Henry Ford, Iwo Jima ,23 Feb 1945, rests in the punch bowl. Thanks for visiting him, Craig.
Mike

https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/memorial-day-weekend.489513/

Pics of The Punchbowl post #12

One of the most touching tributes and account over the years here has been the story of Gene's family's loss. I expect to see his post soon. Gil

Friday, to begin this weekend, my wife and I spent some time at our local cemetery (the high plains can be a lonely land). While we were there a group made up of old and young (the VFW and the Boy Scouts) moved among the graves placing flags.

Today we went back with the grandkids. Our conversations were intentional as we talked with them about service and sacrifice, about those who gave their lives to protect our freedoms. We had immediate confirmation of the impact of our efforts. As we drove through the cemetery on the way out, from the backseat came, "Stop, Papa. Stop." One of them had spotted a casualty of the prairie wind. A flag was laying on the ground. The oldest hopped out and reset it. Then they saw another. Soon all three with picking up fallen flags and replacing them. I was one proud Papa.

When all was right, we finished our time at our local "Corridor of Honor".




“Many with their last measure of life.”

From generation to generation, may their sacrifice be never forgotten.

Will put up these posters tomorrow on the National Mall - the one to my father at the WWII memorial under the Airborne bronze and the other three to friends of mine at the Vietnam Memorial. It is cold in DC this year....58 degrees with a chill rain falling. Feels like Belgium or the Central Highland in the mountains in July. Hardly what you'd expect so I've wrapped the posters in plastic. Gene

Fall Creek Fan,
I know you are proud of the grand kids, I can see they were taught right.
Mike

May God bless all those who fell in uniform and their families.

I was sent this from a property manager where I have properties. I think a good one



HONORING HEROES: MEMORIAL DAY 2026

Dear friends,


I trust and pray that this message finds you and yours well in mind, body, and spirit.


As we approach Memorial Day weekend, we wanted to take a moment to pause and reflect with gratitude and remembrance. Memorial Day is more than the unofficial start of summer, or another day off, it is a tribute to courage, selflessness, and devotion.


Monday is not just another holiday. It serves as an important opportunity to honor and remember the brave men and women of our United States Armed Forces who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation and our freedoms. Let us remember in a special way, the fallen men and women in the Armed Forces who unselfishly gave it all for the sake of our freedom. We will never forget your sacrifice.


The next time you see a member of our Armed Forces, take a moment to thank them. Their service, and the sacrifices of those who came before them, are the reason we stand free today. May their courage inspire us to live with purpose and gratitude.


On behalf of our entire team, thank you for the trust and partnership you have extended to us. We value the opportunity to serve you and your community.


From our family to yours, we wish you a safe, meaningful, and peaceful Memorial Day weekend. God bless America.

It was a cold (60 degrees), dreary day today at the Mall - not the usual 90 degrees with rolling thunder motorcycles. But it was really pleasant and relaxed. Left the poster for my father at the WWII memorial-Airborne bronze and chatted with a couple from Bristol, UK. Ran into a group of 80 year old Aussie Vietnam veterans. Walked down to Lincoln Memorial - reflecting pool is being fixed up by our builder in chief - finally.

Put three posters down at the Vietnam Memorial - goodly amount of volunteers but I have to admit our VN veterans are aging now. There was a parade on Constitution Avenue, never seen before and saw the POTUS motorcade head out to Arlington Cemetery at 1215 hrs. Taps was sounded at 1200.

I was at the mall alone this time but really enjoyed talking to a number of people including a Vietnamese woman in an Ao Doi. Hard to believe it is 60 years since I landed in Saigon 25 July 1966!

(and for the first time felt my age...walking to White House, over to WWI memorial (grandfather lost an eye in a tank in the Somme), down to Washington Monument, over to WWII memorial, down along the reflecting pool to Lincoln memorial, several passes through the VN memorial (did not get to the Korean Memorial - had an uncle there who won a battlefield commission) and then back to the jeep. My walk had become a "stroll" - a Bataan death march? - by that time - a mere 2 miles.)

Edit: And by the way 31 fountains in DC are working again for the first time in 40 years? Why did it take so long? They are beautiful.

+ one to everyone's post

How are they celebrating Memorial Day in Minneapolis?

You would be surprised how many people in the last few years have mentioned to me they simply don’t go to Minneapolis anymore. We have electronic billboards along the major routes in and out that are begging people to come back, but, the impact of the riots, and continued lunacy, started a wholesale abandonment of the town. Commercial property values have dropped to record lows, and the sheer quantity of vacant space is, to use a favorite notion of the left, unsustainable.

It couldn’t have happened to a nicer group.

The National cemetery at Fort Snelling, is not far away, but, technically in St. Paul. That is where my mom and dad are buried. I long ago quit going on holidays, preferring the bit of solitude that a visit during the daytime on a weekday brings. In addition to my folks, my friend Karl, a WWII veteran who survived the sinking of the USS Gambier Bay in the battle off Samaar (read it, and be terrified-Karl told me he knew he could tread water for 4 days, because he did it) and the late husband of a friend and their 6 month old daughter, who died in a horrific car accident, and both of my uncles on my dad’s side are there.

Best,
Ted

_______________________________________________________________
St. Paul is mentioned in the bible, but, nothing is written about Minneapolis.

I celebrated the day by changing the oil in my car. As I get closer to 60 it gets harder to do my own oil changes. But it was something that had to be done. I don't celebrate holidays much anymore. Done that enough times. And I don't wait for a certain day to remember people. I think of memories every day.

I wish I could have seen this before the edits were made. On second thought... maybe not.