Just want to acknowledge today, any and all who have lost family or friends in combat, in the uniformed services. And at noon, when the flag is raised to full height, those veteran heroes who still live.
Honors.
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Remembering what my dad taught me…
It was Memorial Day, 1997: I was standing with my dad at the base of the red granite memorial monument on top of Tennessee Pass, Colorado.
Dad, (a man of very few words, especially when it concerned The War), Needed to tell me something.
"Those are the Heroes, The ones that didn’t get to come home"
He was speaking of the 992* men who’s names are on that monument. those that made the supreme sacrifice on Kiska and in Italy. That was the last time dad was able visit the monument and honor those heroes and friends, as he was too sick attend and passed away just two days after the next memorial day in 1998.
*The 992 names increased to 999 in 2001 as a result of ‘The Database Project’ research. Of those 999, there are 327 troopers who remain interred at the American Military Cemetery near Florence, Italy.
My dad’s rifle scuad (10th Mountain Division, 87th Mountain Regiment, I Company) shortly after arriving in Norther Italy. (Dad is bottom row, third from the left with the Springfield 03-A4 scoped rifle.)
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Thankful Memorial Day!
I respect and honor those (and their families and friends) that lost their lives helping OUR country be the freest on earth.
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Robert, I enjoyed your dad’s story. He was a great man, A dad to be proud of. Thank You.
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WOW!
God Bless Edward
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You sure can be proud of your Dad, Bob!
Amazing!
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Thanks. Dad always downplayed his exposure during the war, but his Bronze Star citation and CIB says different. As a liaison officer for HQ he spent considerable time travelling across the front lines to report enemy positions and communicate between companies.
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Freedom is not free. Never forget. Lost my best friend on this miserable day 2Aug2009.
One of the most bad ass green berets ever.
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I’m sorry for your loss, Markus… 
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Thank you for sharing so we can honor him now. Very sorry for your loss.
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@rkenney @mparidon @lmorrison Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks everyone for sharing your stories!