Dragoncat Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 (edited) What is everybody doing to celebrate? My late grandpa on my mom's side was a WWII veteran, he was part of the group that stormed Normandy Beach on D Day. He didn't like to talk about his experiences over there much. But there's one story that I will never forget that shows how big his heart was. There were some starving German kids going around begging for food, Grandpa gave them his entire meal because everyone else was rude to them/told them to go home. Those kids ran to their moms all excited and happy. Grandpa might have been facing those kids' dads/uncles/whatever in combat, but he knew they were innocent. I bet they're going to remember that the rest of their lives. This morning my mom told me this year Memorial Day falls on his birthday, too. So that's pretty cool. Every year we go put wreaths/flowers on him and Grandma's grave. And we're having a barbeque for supper, a great aunt of mine who I haven't seen in a long time is going to be in town. Now it just needs to stop raining...xD EDIT - I was told that I got Memorial Day and Veteran's Day mixed up, derp... Edited May 25, 2015 by Dragoncat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anacybele Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 We just finished going camping. It was lovely. ^^ We're barbecuing tonight as usual too, I think. Memorial Day is for those who died while in service though, Dcat, not for the vets. The day for vets is Veteran's Day. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoncat Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 Memorial Day is for those who died while in service though, Dcat, not for the vets. The day for vets is Veteran's Day. lol Pretty sure it can extend to being either way. Either that or everybody in my family is wrong xD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anacybele Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 My stepdad insists that it's only for those who died in war though... XD He's kinda frustrated that people get Memorial Day and Veteran's Day mixed up. Probably because he's a vet himself (Persian Gulf War and Iraq war). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Pretty sure it can extend to being either way. Either that or everybody in my family is wrong xD first line of wiki! Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces. your grandpa still sounds like a cool dude who ought to be celebrated though tbh, i don't mind giving him a second day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragoncat Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 Well I feel stupid. your grandpa still sounds like a cool dude who ought to be celebrated though tbh, i don't mind giving him a second day Yeah me neither. I guess we're one of those people who get the two mixed up...suppose we celebrate him today because Veteran's Day is in November and that's during the school year/other stuff. Not everybody can be in the same place then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blah the Prussian Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 The irony is that our Veteran's Day falls on the day WWI ended. The Brits call it Remembrance Day. Kind of sad that the day where we remember veterans originally existed to commemorate one of the most pointless wars ever. In any case, IMO a secondary part of Memorial Day should be to hope that we never need to remember another soldier who died in war. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricaofRenais Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 I am not doing much this year because it is to windy to grill, but the day means a lot to me because I have family that has served and died in war all the way back to the American revolution and I am glad that there is a day to remember the sacrifice that people make for what they believe in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sentacotus Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Memorial day is pretty much reserved for those who died in combat while Veterans day is for those serving or have served. Just about everyone in my family line has served so we observe it accordingly. If you know a gold star family be sure to give them your support or just do something to make their day a bit better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blah the Prussian Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 In Bohemia, the version of Memorial Day is a bunch of dates honoring the two World Wars. WWI, though, is more focused on honoring the fallen, while WWII is "oh man, wasn't that time we beat the Nazis cool?". Unfortunately Memorial Day has become more about the latter and less about the former in recent years, although that is just my observations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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