Memorial Day 2025

 We remember those who died while fighting for our freedom.

My Dad's brother Arthur died on May 20, 1944 and is buried overseas in the Sicily Rome American Cemetery.   

I wonder when my Grandparents received the news...was it before or after Decoration Day in 1944?

My Grandmother is a Gold Star Mother.   She had 12 sons and 2 daughters.  Five of her sons would serve in the military...one died and two carried wounds for the rest of their lives. 

We visited the cemetery where my grandmother is buried.  Someone moved her Gold Star Mother marker over onto my grandfathers grave.  Well you can bet I moved it right back when it belongs. 

My Dad does still not have a Veteran's flag holder but someone left him a flag. 

Far Side

Remembering

 Remember those who never came home. 

My Uncle Arthur ( my Dad's brother) was killed during the invasion of Italy.  His body remains at the Sicily-American Cemetery and Memorial.

Far Side

Memorial Day 2022

 We made it to a few cemeteries to put out some flowers. 

My Paternal Grandmother is a Gold Star Mother, the flag and the red white and blue flowers are hers.  Her son Arthur died May 20 1944 during the Invasion of Italy...that would have been 78 years ago.  

Far Side

Decoration Day

 I grew up hearing Memorial Day called Decoration Day.  It was to honor those who never came home from the Wars. 

My Paternal Grandmother is a Gold Star Mother, her son Arthur was killed May 20 1944 he never came home, he is buried in Italy.

Far Side

Memorial Day 2020

Like so many things in this Covid-19 world we now live in Memorial Day has changed...although maybe for the better...gosh did I just say that?  More people have had time to reflect on those who have died...hopefully taking a bit of time to reflect on those servicemen who died in the trenches.

My Uncle Arthur  was killed during the invasion of Italy, he died May 20 1944.  He is buried in The American Sicily-Rome Cemetery In Nettuno Italy.  He was 23 years old when he died.

If he had made it home to be buried he would have been buried on this hill in Minnesota.  The first flag in the photo is on my Grandmother's grave because she is a Gold Star Mother.  My Paternal Grandmother was mother to 14 children; 12 boys and 2 girls.  Hugo  and Arthur were in WWII, my Dad, Andrew and Arnold served during the Korean War.  Hugo was injured and spent a long time in Military Hospitals and Arthur never came home.

It is the soldiers that never came back that are honored today.
Far Side

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a day for remembering those who died while fighting for our freedom.

This is a photo of my Dad's brother Arthur before he went in the service.

Arthur was in the Army.

His grave  at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery in Nettuno, Italy.

Arthur Edwin was born November 6, 1920. He died May 20, 1944 during the invasion of Italy.

I have a file upstairs, knowing that he was in the 340th Infantry the 88 Division I researched troop movements until I gave up on that project.  I always hoped for more information.  It was rumored that my Aunt Marie had all the letters that he wrote...but  they were never found.  ( I think he was wounded and spent some time in a hospital someplace before he died...just from the battles that were fought and the dates they were fought. )  Perhaps someday I will have more time to research some more.

Arthur would have been just 23 years old when he died.  Some family records have him born on November 5, 1920 but his Birth Record says November 6, 1920.
Far Side

From my brother:
The 351st faced heavy fire on 18 May 1944 in its attempt to take Monte Grande, while the 349th and 350th advanced from Roccasecca to the Amaseno Valley, which they cleared on 28 May. After breaking out of the mountains, the 88th Division was thrust right back into combat. They were headed towards the Eternal City.

During Operation Diadem on 11 May 1944, the 349th Infantry attacked Mt. Bracchi, Mt. Cerri, Mt. La Civita, and the town of Spigno Saturnia after a tremendous artillery barrage. By the morning of 15 May, they had accomplished these objectives against strong enemy resistance, and managed to capture numerous enemy prisoners and even a German Panzer. The regiment was attached to the 85th Infantry Division for its attack on Hill 490 on the night of the 15th, and again encountered stiff resistance, but took the hill.^[6]

• First Entered combat: Advance party on night of 3–4 January 1944 in support of Monte Cassino attacks.^[4]
• First Organization Committed to Line: 2nd Battalion, 351st Infantry Regiment plus attachments^[5]
• First combat fatality: 3 January 1944
• Began post war POW Command: 7 June 1945. Responsible for guarding and later repatriating 324,462 German POWs.^[6]

The 88th Infantry Division was one of the first all-draftee divisions of the United States Army to enter the war. Ordered into active military service at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma, the division, commanded by Major General John E. Sloan, arrived at Casablanca, French Morocco on 15 December 1943, and moved to Magenta, Algeria, on the 28 December for intensive training. Destined to spend the war fighting on the Italian Front, the 88th Division arrived at Naples, Italy on 6 February 1944, and concentrated around Piedimonte d'Alife for combat training. An advance element went into the line before Monte Cassinoon 27 February, and the entire division relieved the battered British 46th Infantry Division along the Garigliano River in the Minturno area on 5 March. A period of defensive patrols and training followed. The 88th formed part of Major General Geoffrey Keyes' II Corps, part of the U.S. Fifth Army, under Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark.

After being inspected by the Fifth Army commander on 5 May, the 88th Division, six days later, drove north to take Spigno, Mount Civita, Itri, Fondi, and Roccagorga, reached Anzio, 29 May, and pursued the enemy into Rome, being the first unit of the Fifth Army into the city on 4 June, two days before the Normandy landings, after a stiff engagement on the outskirts of the city. An element of the 88th is credited with being first to enter the Eternal City. After continuing across the Tiber to Bassanelio the 88th retired for rest and training, 11 June. 

Decoration Day

My grandparents and Far Guy’s grandparents called it Decoration Day.

It was called Decoration Day until 1967 when it was offically declared Memorial Day and became a Federal Holiday.  After World War II many people began to call it Memorial Day it was just not official yet.

At any rate it is a day that we set aside to honor those who died in war.

It has evolved into a day when we remember all those that have died…perhaps the cemeteries should look nice when people come to visit the graves of the war dead.

We only visited two cemeteries this year.  There just doesn’t seem to be enough time to get to all the cemeteries I would like to visit.

Decoration Day 2017

When I was growing up it was called Decoration Day.  Now a days it is called Memorial Day.  Times change but we should not. 

Sometime during the day could you stop and remember the soldiers?  They are not just a name on a tombstone. They were sons, brothers, husbands and fathers.

They fought for you and for me and their graves should be decorated.

 

Uncle Archie

Far Guy’s Uncle Archie was the speaker at the Memorial Day Service in Park Rapids Minnesota.

His career spanned 23 years in the United States Air Force. He was a Air Policeman, Personal Clerk,  Navigator Bombardier and a Plans and Operations Navigator. He had many Temporary Duty Stations: Spain, England and NATO Countries.  He served nine months in Vietnam.  He went into the Air Force a Private and retired a Major.

He says “God was my navigator!”

He gave a fine speech.

I won’t share every story he told….but a few.

As a small child he recalls going to the cemeteries on “Decoration Day” with his Mother and flowers she had gathered. (No doubt Lilacs, Iris and Peony as that is what is blooming most years the last Monday in May.)

December 7, 1941.  The family had a small Coronado radio that kept them updated on the events of the war.  The batteries were as large as the radio.  Soon his oldest brother would be working at the B26 Bomber Plant in Omaha Nebraska, another brother was in the Army stationed in Kodiac Alaska, his other brother was his eighth grade teacher.

About his time spent at Bien Hoa AFB in Vietnam…he was never so glad to get out of anyplace in his life.  When he returned to San Francisco, he was the only Air Force Soldier, the other soldiers on the plane were Marines and Army that had busses to pick them up.   Arch had to go through Customs and the Terminal.  Outside on the street he was confronted by college age protesters asking how many babies he killed. He told them when they got a little older they would understand. 
When his speech was over he got a standing ovation.

There was a ceremony at the Rusty Bridge Park(Red Bridge) and a wreath was thrown into the waters of the Fish Hook River.  I heard the gun salute and Taps being played but I never saw the splash of the wreath landing in the water.

Far Guy said “Years ago it was a large wreath and they threw it off the bridge on Hwy 34.”

Soldiers/Decoration Day

My Dad was in Korea, in fact he was there when I was born.  He found out about me through a Red Cross Telegram.

My Dad and my Mom  in 1950.

Dad was injured by shrapnel and he has photos taken in Korea that substantiates his injury.  All the records burned in St. Louis so he never received his Purple Heart.  I won’t say he came back unscathed, because he has nightmares often especially in the winter.  From what I have heard he didn’t even have an extra pair of socks or winter clothing yet was sleeping in foxholes in sub zero weather.  He survived conditions that are unimaginable to me.  Dad is 88 years old.

*****

These are my father’s brothers, my uncles;

Uncle Hugo was wounded, sent back to the States, endured surgeries and therapy and lived out his days with bullet fragments in his body.

Uncle Hugo and Mia never had any children together.  Mia had children from a former marriage.  They had a Grandson that they raised as their son.  I take flowers here because no one else does…and because I held his hand many days up in the VA Hospital before he died.  He died of Prostate Cancer.

Uncle Andrew

I had not been to Uncle Andrew’s grave in a few years.  Two of his children are dead now…there are a few children left but I wonder if they visit…perhaps a granddaughter visits.  She would have been the apple of his eye.  He was a wonderful man, I still miss him…he lived with us when I was little.  He died of Bone Cancer and Lung Cancer.

Uncle Arnold in Havana Cuba

My Aunt Sharon is still alive and she will take flowers there. Uncle Arnold was another wonderful Uncle taken from us too soon by a swift heart attack in the night time.  He died in the house where he was born.

Uncle Arthur

Died in the Invasion of Italy in 1944.

*********

On a personal note I want to thank my husband for the 26 years he spent in the service.  My baby brother for the time he served in the Navy and my nephew Ben who is currently serving.

Years ago Memorial Day was known as Decoration Day.

WWII Hero

A long time ago Far Guy lived across the street from a widow and her children, two boys and a girl.  Their father was a hero…a war hero.

The war hero died in 1953.  He received the Medal of Honor in 1945 for rescuing two of his fellow soldiers that were injured.  He drug them to safety under heavy fire, he was wounded, his hip was shattered and his arm dangling..yet he never gave up.

It took 67 years to get a memorial in the cemetery to honor this man’s courage.

 

  Finally May 18, 2012 a flag ceremony was held to dedicate the memorial.

The flag was handed to the hero’s daughter Charlotte.

She is the only living child, her brothers have both died.

You can read the Medal of Honor citation here.

Far Guy and I were both very good friends with one of the war hero’s sons Danny Hawks. If he were alive today I am sure he would have been pleased that the people of Park Rapids Minnesota finally gave credit where credit was due.

Thank you to all the soldiers who have fought for my freedom:)

Decoration Day

Before we called it Memorial Day..it was Decoration Day. It was always May 30th and it began in the South with women decorating the graves of those soldiers that died during the civil war.

It should always be the day that we pause to think about all the soldiers that died during their service to our country:)

Avenue of Flags

The Avenue of Flags is on display every Memorial Day and Veterans Day at Oak Grove Cemetery in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.

This project began in 1991 with 43 Veterans Burial Flags. As of Veterans Day 2009, 737 Veterans Burial Flags were being displayed.

Each Flag has a gold tag with the name of the Service Member and which branch of service and which War Era they served.

I learned of this display of flags from another blogger last year, she visited and had many wonderful photos to share with her readers. Thanks! Livin' It Up Country for sharing!

Far Guy, Madison and I went over yesterday. It is a site to behold, I have never seen so many flags in one area. It is hard to focus on just one flag when there are so many to see.

I saw flags, but I also saw burials and flag covered caskets, the slow ceremonial folding of the flag, taps being played for the last time and a family receiving a flag. There comes a time when there is no one that wants the burial flag anymore..and this project is a perfect place for those long ago service men and womens flags to fly for a few days each year..so that they are never forgotten:)