REMEMBER OUR VETS.

[powderman]

In the next few days we will visit 2 graves, civil war graves. One from the North, the other from the South, a local boy. The Southern boy died at 19 years of age, a captain. I have not been able to find out how or where he died. They have been united in death and have the peace they both strove for in life. I feel it appropriate to honor both of these former brave Americans that fought for their beliefs and sacrificed so much. The local boy is buried in Garnettsville cemetary close to Ft Knox, just above Otter Creek. His parents and a sister are also buried alongside him. Some of the trees there were saplings or even seeds when he was buried. I can envision his coffin on an old buckboard wagon as it traveled the dirt road to his final resting place on that hill. I can picture an old man with a balding head and hat in hand standing alongside his wife as the body of their young son is layed to rest. My wife and I have formed an unusual bond with this young man, can't explain why. I'd really like to know how, and where he died, but have not been able to find out. Anyway, remember our fallen Americans, and thank God for them. POWDERMAN. 

[billy_56081]

God bless the American soldier.
His blood has fertilized the soil of our great land.

Thanks to all that have served and are serving now. Without them we all could not be doing the things we are doing now.

[TribReady]

AMEN       

[victorcharlie]

In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

[alsaqr]

May God Bless Our Fine Troops and Fallen Veterans on Their Day.

[Almtnman]

In the next few days we will visit 2 graves, civil war graves. One from the North, the other from the South, a local boy. The Southern boy died at 19 years of age, a captain. I have not been able to find out how or where he died. They have been united in death and have the peace they both strove for in life. I feel it appropriate to honor both of these former brave Americans that fought for their beliefs and sacrificed so much. The local boy is buried in Garnettsville cemetary close to Ft Knox, just above Otter Creek. His parents and a sister are also buried alongside him. Some of the trees there were saplings or even seeds when he was buried. I can envision his coffin on an old buckboard wagon as it traveled the dirt road to his final resting place on that hill. I can picture an old man with a balding head and hat in hand standing alongside his wife as the body of their young son is layed to rest. My wife and I have formed an unusual bond with this young man, can't explain why. I'd really like to know how, and where he died, but have not been able to find out. Anyway, remember our fallen Americans, and thank God for them. POWDERMAN.

If you have his and his sister's info from their markers, you might go to www.rootsweb.com and do a search there and maybe find out more about him.

[gypsyman]

In just a couple of hours, I'll take my 2 sons to my dad's grave, who died in 1982. And put some flowers around it, and they will wonder why I'll cry a bit. His discharge papers read, participation in Guadacanal, Vella Savella, Piva Yoke. I sometime's wondered when I was growing up, why he drank so much, sometimes broke down and cried. I can only imagine the horrors he had to go thru. He started to laugh one time, about a Friend who was running across a beachhead , and had a leg blown off, said the s.o.b. ran for almost another 50 yds, before he realized that he only had one leg. Then he just broke down and cried. Talked of using a flame thrower, but that conversation didn't last long. I believe that he took many,many ghosts to the grave with him.
Over the years, I met 2 crew members, one from the Enola Gay, the other from the plane,Boxcar. They were at gun shows selling books and autographed picture's. I thanked them for what they had done, as I firmly believe that there is a good chance, I might not be here, if those 2 Atomic bombs hadn't ended the war.
I'm not an overly religious man, I do believe in God and Jesus Christ. I will pray for him, and for our country. We keep trying peace, it usually doesn't work!!Remember(12/7/41)(9/11/01) gypsyman

[rockbilly]

victorcharlie.  I don't think I will ever forget that poem, my Grandfather made me memorize it many years ago.  What is funny, the poem is used by the VFW in the Lady's Auxiliary "Buddy Poppy Program."  My wife was chairmen this year for the Buddy Poppy's, as such, and me being retired military, I was called on to help.  I worked outside the Base Exchange at a local military base, taking donations.  I was really surprised at the number of people that had no idea about the VFW, or no idea about the Buddy Poppy Program.

What was amazing about this, they were of all ranks, from the lowest enlisted to several senior officers.  I took the time to explain how the poem originated, the Buddy Poppy Program, and that the proceeds from the donations went to help all veterans and their families.  After explaining, most were fairly generous in their donations.

I think next year I will scan the pamphlet that contains the poem and forward it to the Senior Enlisted Advisory and ask him to shotgun it out to all of the First Sergeants for their distribution to all of the troops.  Maybe we can educate them, and give them some history as to what Memorial Day is really about.

[powderman]

We went to the cemetary this evening and placed American flags at both graves. Someone had already put flags on the civil war gravesites. An American flag for the union, and an American flag, and confederate for the Southerners. The place is small but beautiful this time of year. There are hundreds of tiny wild strawberries all over that graveyard, from BB size, to about 22 cal size. The flags were new this year, we'd never seen them there before and we go every year.
ALMTNMN. I tried the site but got nowhere. I posted about him in the geneology section here quite some time ago. Mrs graybeard came up with a bit that might have been him, but I can't be sure. This is what she found.
Captain Joseph O Read
CSA.
6th regiment
Ky mounted calvary
Co B.
He is the son of Robert and Mary Read.
He was born on 2-22 1844, died 7- 13 1864.
I'd really like to know how and where he died. I found the family in the census reports through 3 moves they made but cannot find what I want to know. His name was taken from the tombstone, Mrs Graybeard found a J O READ. POWDERMAN. 

[Almtnman]

powderman, when you're digging back into ancestry stuff, sometimes it takes years to find just a tad of info. I do that a lot in my spare time when I'm not doing other things. You have his date of birth and when he died, his parents name so that's a lot of info to go on. You might want to try to trace out his parents names and you might find a bit of info in their records that says something about him. You might also do a search on the Co B. KY mounted Calvary and find a roster with something on it. More than likely, he died somewhere near where he's buried at as they didn't transport people very far for burial back then. A lot of troops back then died from yellow fever, so he could have been sick or killed in battle. He was probably popular with his other troops as I've heard that back then soldiers were given officer ranks by election from the troops they served with. If I get a chance later, I'll see if I can dig something out of rootsweb.

 In the meanwhile look over this site and see if anything sounds familiar.

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kycarol3/Military/CivilWar/4thKYCav/cav4_a.html

[wcf3030]

Good post.
God bless our troops.

[Cheesehead]

I think about and thank all American vets past, present, living, and dead, especially my father who marched across Europe starting on D-Day. The greatest hero I have ever known.

Cheese

[nomosendero]

Good post.
God bless our troops.

Yes indeed!!!

I think God first & above all for this great Country. But after that, I think the troops & all Vets who fought so that we have the freedoms
that we can express here tonight.

[NYH1]

I go to the cemetery ever year on Memorial Day to see my grandfather (my grandmother is right next to him). He was a WWII veteran. He was in the 14th Armored Division. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge. His Sherman Tank was hit by a German Panzer Tank. They had a four man crew. My grandfather and one other guy made it out. The other two guys died.

I pulled into the cemetery today and just about went through the roof of my truck! They didn't have "Old Glory" flying next to his headstone. They're supposed to put a US flag on ever veteran in the cemetery on Memorial Day. I came home got a flag on a stick so I could put it where it belonged!

[powderman]

I've spent hours just today trying to find out about that soldier. I found out that the Union soldier was mustered out in Lou after the war, don't remember when he died though. I found out that Joseph o Read was born locally and his family lived in at least 3 location not far from here. I know when he died, just don't know when or where.
My Dad was a ww2 vet, he was on a ship heading accross the ocean within a month or so of Pearl harbor. He was in the S Pacific on many of the island campaigns, all through the Phillipines. He never saw American soil til the war was over. Now they complain about doing 6 months to a year in combat. I thank God daily for all of our brave Americans in uniform, and pray daily for them. POWDERMAN.