Memorial Day

[Boats]

Got the flag's out and looking good. Will be at the memorial this weekend or is it Monday? I wish they would leave holidays were they belong. I want to wish all of you the best and may you get through the day with fond memories of those who've since pasted on.

I will be thinking of you all this day (moreso) as you are all my friends and have been now for so long. Take care of yourselves and remember the good times along with the bad as they are all part of of our lives for as long as we live.

I salute you all for service to God, Flag and Country.

[Jerry D]

Thank you Boats and ya'all have a great weekend

Will go the memorial here in Sacramento for the reading of the names.

[revwardoc]

Twenty-sixmembers of the NFL ? players, coaches and administrators ? have been killed in wartime as members of the U.S. military. Their names are found below.More than 1,200NFL members have served the U.S. in wartime. Their service and sacrifices are chronicled in the traveling Pro Football Hall of Fame exhibit "Football and America."

The story of one of those men, N.Y. Giants end and Marine Corps Lt. Jack Lummus, can be found here.

The scope of World War II smacks you in the face when you consider that 995 members of the NFL, mostly players, interrupted their careers and, in some cases, gave up their lives to serve in the military.Thosewho served included some of the biggest names in football ? George Halas, Wellington Mara and Cold, Hard Football Facts all-time greats Otto Graham and Chuck Bednarik. Imagine today if Denver owner Pat Bowlen, Indy GM Bill Polian, New England QB Tom Brady and Baltimore LB Ray Lewis all left their cushy NFL gigs to join the service, and you get an idea of the impact World War II had on professional football and on society at large. Twenty-three of the NFL's 26 war dead were killed in World War II.

More than 200 NFL members served in the military during the Korean War, including Hall of Famers Dick "Night Train" Lane and Ollie Matson. Twenty-eight NFLers served in the military during the Vietnam War, including Hall of FamersCharlie Joiner,Ray Nitschke and Roger Staubach.

One World War II veteran is still a key NFL figure today. Buffalo GM Marv Levy served in the U.S. Army Air Corps ? the precursor to theAir Force ? from 1943-46.

Before Super Bowl XXVIII, after his Bills had suffered three straight title-game defeats, then-head coach Levy was asked if the upcoming contest was a ?must-win? game.

No, he said, ?World War II was a must win.?

This list of the 26 NFL members who were killed in service of the country during wartime was compiled thanks to information provided by the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the National Football League.

WORLD WAR II

• Cpl. Mike Basca (HB, Philadelphia, 1941) ? Killed in France in 1944
• Lt. Charlie Behan (E, Detroit, 1942) ? Killed on Okinawa in 1945
• Maj. Keith Birlem (E, Cardinals-Washington, 1939) ? Killed trying to land combat-damaged bomber in England in 1943
• Lt. Al Blozis (T, Giants, 1942-1944) ? Killed in France, 1945
• Lt. Chuck Braidwood (E, Portsmouth-Cleveland-Cardinals-Cincinnati, 1930-1933) ? Member of Red Cross. Killed in South Pacific, winter 1944-1945
• Lt. Young Bussey (QB, Bears, 1940-1941) ? Killed in Philippines landing assault in 1944
• Lt. Jack Chevigny (Coach, Cardinals, 1932) ? Killed on Iwo Jima in 1945
• Capt. Ed Doyle (E, Frankford-Pottsville, 1924-1925) ? Killed during North Africa invasion in 1942
• Lt. Col. Grassy Hinton (B, Staten Island, 1932) ? Killed in plane crash in East Indies in 1944
• Capt. Smiley Johnson (G, Green Bay, 1940-1941) ? Killed on Iwo Jima in 1945
• Lt. Eddie Kahn (G, Boston/Washington, 1935-1937) ? Died from wounds suffered during Leyte invasion in 1945
• Sgt. Alex Ketzko (T, Detroit, 1943) ? Killed in France in 1944
• Capt. Lee Kizzire (FB, Detroit, 1937) ? Shot down near New Guinea in 1943
• Lt. Jack Lummus (E, Giants, 1941) ? Killed on Iwo Jima in 1945
• Bob Mackert (T, Rochester Jeffersons, 1925)
• Frank Maher (B, Pittsburgh-Cleveland Rams, 1941)
• Pvt. Jim Mooney (E-G-FB, Newark-Brooklyn-Cincinnati-St. Louis-Cardinals, 1930-1937) ? Killed by sniper in France in 1944
• Lt. John O?Keefe (Front office, Philadelphia) ? Killed flying a patrol mission in Panama Canal Zone
• Chief Spec. Gus Sonnenberg (B, Buffalo-Columbus-Detroit-Providence, 1923-1928, 1930) ? Died of illness at Bethesda Naval Hospital in 1944
• Lt. Len Supulski (E, Philadelphia, 1942) ? Killed in plane crash in Nebraska in 1944
• Lt. Don Wemple (E, Brooklyn, 1941) ? Killed in plane crash in India in 1944
• Lt. Chet Wetterlund (HB, Cardinals-Detroit, 1942) ? Killed in plane crash off New Jersey coast in 1944
• Capt. Waddy Young (E, Brooklyn, 1939-1940) ? Killed in plane crash following first B-29 raid on Tokyo in 1945

VIETNAM

• Lt. Bob Kalsu (G, Buffalo, 1968) ? Killed in an attack while defending Base Ripcord on July 21, 1970
• Maj. Don Steinbrunner (T, Cleveland Browns, 1953) ? Shot down over Kontum, South Vietnam on July 20, 1967

WAR ON MUSLIM FUNDAMENTALISM

• Cpl. Pat Tillman (DB, Arizona, 1998-2001) ? Killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004

[Boats]

If you break down all this down what percentage of people really have gone into the service. I volunteerd many were drafted but still served with honor. Would you say about 15% have served or less?

[Tina]

Hope you all have a great Memorial Day.. I will think of you all as my family as I will pray for you all and your familys.AS I will those still in war fighting for our country in Iraq. I will pray for those who have giving their all for my country and thier familys too..

Thank you for all you have done or are still doing..
love you all
Tina

[Stick]

Yesterday at church the pastor had those that served stand and there wasn't many who rose but those that did received thank you applause from the parish in recognition. After we sat down the pastor again asked for a rising response from the parish but this time it was from those who knew somebody that had given their lives serving their country and then I would have to say that well over half of those at the service rose.
Today I will NOT forget.
Thank you all.

[reconeil]

DITTO-DITTO Boats and all the other fine sentiments
expressed here for: "America's Finest" (both past & present).

Plus,...a-great-big-old: "GarryOwen"
to you one and all here at patriotfiles.com.

Neil

[SuaSponte]

I posted this on my blog last week. It's a poem that means a lot to me.

Remember Them
If you are able, save for them a place inside of you
and one backward glance when you are leaving,
for the places they can no longer go.

Be not ashamed to say you loved them,
though you may or may not always have.

Take what they have left and what they have taught you
with their dying and keep it with your own.

And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane,
take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind.

___________________________________
This was written by MAJ Michael Davis O'Donnell in Dak To, Republic of Vietnam on 1 January 1970. He was Killed in Action in Cambodia on 24 March 1970