Memorial Day thanks to vets post

[JohnKleeb]

A thanks to my grandfather who served this country in the Korean War,
to my uncle who was stationed in Germany during Vietnam, to my great uncle who was a Seabee during the second world war, to another great uncle who was a truck driver during the second world war, to my great uncle who was a chaplain, to my distant relative Mike Strank who raised the flag over Iwo Jima and died there for his country and freedom everywhere, to my grandfather's relatives in Slovenia who fought back the Nazi invaders for their country, and to my friends who are serving and to all vets who served their country and to those who never made it home. You have my eternal thanks and gratiude.


Edited: Cuz I forgot Uncle Bill

[JI7]

1. thaks to all the vets

[beachmom]

2. I second that

With a salute to all the vets I know who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan and will be serving there in the future. May they not have to be honored on Memorial Day for a LONG time.

[blm]

3. You're a the real deal, JohnKleeb. Salute to all vets.

.

[JohnKleeb]

4. I forgot another veteran relative too

A relative on my dad's side who served in the 123rd Pennsylvania during the Civil War. We can't forget the sacrifices of our veterans, the ones of those who never got to go home and see their loved ones again or those who returned changed forever by what they saw, the people they met, the places they went to, and what they endured.

[ProSense]

5. To all those who most will

likely forget!

Sat May 13, 2:08 PM ET
Carlos Arredondo pulls a flag-draped coffin during a march against the war in Iraq Saturday, May 13, 2006 on the National Mall in Washington. Arredondo's son, U. S. Marine Cpl. Alexander Arredondo of Boston, Mass., was killed in Najaf by a sniper August 24, 2004. Carlos Arredondo is an immigrant seeking citizenship in the United States. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)

:patriot:


:cry:

[JohnKleeb]

6. Mr. Arredondo and I share something

Mike Strank that distant relative of mine I mentioned was a native of Slovakia and not a US Citizen when he signed up for the Marine Corps soon after the Germans invaded Poland. He quickly was promoted to sergeant and everything I haver read about him says he was beloved by the men he served with, sort of a real John Wayne so to speak. He died in February 1945 for his adoptive nation which he had sacrifaced so much for. Harry Truman once visited their town of Johnstown and told Mike's kid sister Mary that it was an honor to meet them.

[sandnsea]

7. How many immigrants have died

Is that number available anywhere? I think I'd like to make that a Memorial Day post.

[JohnKleeb]

8. A lot

The first guy KIA I heard was from El Salvador or maybe it was some other Latin American country. I think it's sad really that you have people who are citizens of other nations who are more willing to make the ultimate sacrfiace rather than our own citizens. I guess it's that kind of guilt that makes me still ocnsider enlisting.

[ProSense]

9. This is from April 2005

Although non-citizens represent a fraction of active-duty personnel, every recruit matters as casualties mount and more reserves are being called up than at any time since the Korean War. One recent study for the Defense Department, using statistics through 2002, found that non-citizens who enlist were less likely than citizens to leave within the first three years; nearly 20 percent of them left in that period, compared with 32 percent of citizens.

Some 142 non-citizen troops have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Non-citizens' casualty rates represent 8 percent of the total despite being less than 3 percent of active duty military personnel.

Bush pitched citizenship not as a selling point but as a reward for service. Last year, more than 7,500 people already in uniform gained citizenship through the military, the highest numbers since the Vietnam War.

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,FL_foreign_041505,00.html

[sandnsea]

10. Thank you

I'll think about what I want to say and try to find some individual people to include. I just think this is the saddest thing, for people to die for this country but not be allowed to become citizens.