esrosedotblog

When I was a kid, Memorial Day was a serious business.

You have to put yourself in the setting of the time.

World War II was just over. Perhaps three years when I first got to participate.

Then there was the Korean War. More dead.

In reality there were just two soldiers from our town who were killed. Their names adorned the American Legion Post.

One was buried in one graveyard, another in another. Word was that there wasn't much to bury in the one but they went through the forms.

So people would meet at the Consolidated School where I went for twelve years.

Then a lineup. A color guard. My Dad carried for the Navy one year.

Then vets from all the wars. Old timers, newcomers.

Then, I don't know.

Somewhere in there were the Scouts. I was not a Scout. Then the school kids. Not optional participation.

We went to the graveyards and a firing squad saluted over the grave of the year. Blanks.

Some words were said. We went home.

Before that and even to this day, graves were decorated. Decoration Day is the old name for it. This dates back to Civil War times.

All of this seems a bit morbid to me now.

My Dad took it seriously though. He had been in the Navy. Volunteered. The war was never over for him.

He had bad dreams, he had a piece of shrapnel in his neck, gift of a kamikaze. He was in the North Atlantic escorting ships back and forth. Then in the Pacific.

We placed flags on all the veteran graves. Little ones.

And so on.

Now, I don't know if any of that is done. Remembrance.

Now that we are in a kind of perpetual war time the past all seems quaint somehow.

Now Memorial Day is just another long weekend for a lot of people. We have not been in a war for a long time. Except the continuing great war with the Muslims.

Religion again.

Have fun, have hot dogs. Go see the parade. We will have a huge one here. Overflights and all.

To me, it is just kind of depressing.

Labels: holidays, war and peace