"MEMORIAL DAY"

From the sidewalks of Dorchester, Massachusetts, to the jungles of Viet Nam, and ~~Thank you Lord~~ back home safely, the thoughts of Memorial Day mean more to me than the start of summer vacation, a day at the beach, or a backyard barbeque.

During my teenage years, growing up in that Boston suburb, a great deal of my activities and relationships revolved around music, and drum and bugle corps.

I think I marched in every kind of a parade possible, including those Memorial Day Parades. At the time, I didn't think too much of the significance of them, other than it was another opportunity to attract the attention of the opposite gender in my spiffy, and sharp uniform.

Oh, yes!!! I made - and - lost friends in Viet Nam, and Memorial Day suddenly had a hard hitting significance to me.

Even still, it wasn't until about eight years ago, when I was selling automobiles at a Lincoln Mercury dealership, when I noticed a "biker" in a "Tank Top" riding his Harley into the lot and pull up to a red Mercury Cougar (the color almost matching his Harley to a "T").

He had long blondish-greyish hair coming from the back of his helmet, and I wondered what he was doing there. As I walked over to greet him, he removed his head cover, and then I noticed that this was not a young, nor a middle aged biker.

When I asked him about the Marine Corps emblem emblazoned onto his Harley, I got a story that sent chills up my spine (chills of wonder - and of pride).

I was born in 1941, and while I was in diapers, this man, Bob Browne (now a "biker" in his early seventies with a body of an adonis), was among the Marine Corps Assault Forces in the Pacific Theater, landing on the beaches of Guam, Iwo Jima, Leyte, Bouganville, and Wake Island, among others. My history studies, taught me that these were some of the bloodiest battles of the war, costing thousands upon thousands of American lives.

To me, Bob Browne was a "hero" and an honor to stand beside. I stuck my hand out to Bob Browne, and said, "Sir, may I thank you, for what you did over there?"

Bob's reply was, as he took my hand, "No sir, you may not thank me - but, let's together thank the men I left behind on those beaches."

I learned something from Bob that day and the true significance to me about the meaning of Memorial Day comes more to light.

As we look at the grave markers in the background photograph of this page -- let's ask ourselves if one or more of Bob Browne's Marine Corps buddies (left on those beaches) are among them.

--- THANK YOU BOB ---
~~"SEMPER FI!"~~

I wish to thank Doug Kidd for all the graphics on this page.

PLEASE VISIT THESE PAGES

We Will Never Forget
(Wonderful Slide Show)

Forgotten Fighter

What Is Memorial Day
(By Lt. Bobby Ross)

That Ragged Old Flag

Battle Of The Flag

Flag Burning??

A Page Dedicated To Old Glory

Veterans of Foreign Wars Homepage

Sailor's R & R

Making of a Nation
(Slide Show)

Lest We Forget
(a must read web page, by: Gunny)

The Things They Carried

Vietman Tour Through Pictures And Poetry

A Warrior's Promise

Sacrifices
(A Must Read Experience)

All Things Patriotic
(The Palletmaster's Main Patriotic Page --- Includes some of above links)

Marine Corps & Patriotic Graphics
(By: Doug Kidd)

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