Veterans Memorial Park- honoring those that served

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There is a little Memorial Park in our county that I have never visited before. It’s not in a particularly high profile area. It’s at the end of the road in an older building and monuments and some equipment rests outside of the building.

Today, it was time to take a visit. Nobody else was around since indoors was still closed for covid19. As we got out of the car and started walking around and reading the monuments to the veterans of all wars it hit me hard. I see the names of those from this city that served and never came back. I see the equipment used years ago that people today may not even want to use or get in for safety reasons. This was a silent monument to those who gave of themselves. These folks never choose the war, the war choose them.

The inside of the helicopter above is not fancy. The instrument panel looks like an Apollo Space cabin — very cramped and hundreds of switches.

This tank was used in the Korean War. A war in a land that Americans did not know and certainly we did not know the people. That’s what war is. It asks of your life in a land where you never knew and may never come back from. The feeling got a little remorse. Memorial marker after memorial marker showing how many served and died.

The trucks and planes are out here as a remembrance of how ugly battle can be and horrific for those who are in it. You look inside this truck and I think people today would get hurt driving it to the store let alone in a war.

Those who were pilots in the Vietnam and Korean Wars did not have the fighter jets, satellite weapons and remote combat capability. They flew their planes and helicopters at such a level where it was fair game in these wars.

Nobody was there to describe the war and the catastrophic loss of life for both sides...nobody had to. Men were proud to serve then and proud to serve today but little do we think of what they gave to this country as I look around at those that seem to have disdain for America today. It’s sad as I think of what others have sacrificed.

Who can even fathom the mind of a young man set off to battle in World War I ? You look at their innocence and understand how many saw and lived hand to hand combat with bayonets — who can even imagine. There were many called The Dixie Doughboys from the Southeast that served and never came back.

I write this as I think of those who talk about the sacrifice of “staying indoors for CV19”. I understand us Americans are freedom seeking and dislike authoritarian rule (in some states). But look at the other side of the coin. Look at those who sacrificed more than we could imagine in environments that would truly shatter that most hardened.

Historically, Americans “come together” to face adversity against foes or tough times. This may be one of those times. There will be calls for us to do things a different way, or not as much convenience as we are use to.

Think of the guys in a “trench” with bullets flying over their heads and tanks coming towards them...they didn’t quit...they didn’t run. These times will test the unemployed. Financially test those who need to start anew after their business closed. I hope we can all work together to get through these times and remember those that fought for the freedoms we have today.

Thank you for reading.

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