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memorial

Remembering Veterans Day

November 11, 2012 by info@3QuartersToday.com

It is time to pay respect and honor to our county’s military veterans. Yesterday was the Marine Corps birthday and today is officially Veterans Day.

Thank You Veterans Plaque
Thank You Veterans Plaque
by MilitaryHonor

I have three sons who are veterans, although one is still an active duty Marine. They learned to always have your buddy’s back. Never leave someone behind and respect authority. You can question, but you still must carry out your duty and responsibility.

Honoring our veterans

My Dad served on a destroyer in WWII and was also a Korean wartime veteran. I never heard of his experiences. Never knew what he did, never knew what it meant until I found his military records. Back then the term was shell shocked.

WWII Naval Veteran who served on two destroyers

Now we know this as PTSD. Post-traumatic stress syndrome. I don’t know if he had nightmares, but I know he “checked out” in many ways. He got silent, would shut down during stressful times.

Since then I have gotten to know many veterans and seen some “hit the ground” when a metal folding chair falls to the floor at a school function. Serving in wartime affects you the rest of your life. It shapes you in more ways than you can count.

May we never forget to honor those veterans who have served in all branches of our military: The Army, Navy, Air Force, and the United States Marines.

WWII Memorial Ornament
WWII Memorial Ornament
by MilitaryHonor

Don’t just remember our veterans on the national holidays like Memorial Day or Veterans Day, but remember and thank them every day.  

Next time you hear of conflict in another country, every time you see an American flag, and every time you hear on the news that another soldier died, remember the veterans.

Remember they defend our freedom of speech, our way of life, and liberty of the United States of America.

Remember them every day, not just on Veterans Day

In addition to my three sons, currently in the Marine Corps, this day and weekend I also remember my “Daddy”.

I wish I had asked more questions, I wish I had listened when you started to tell me the stories, but alas I was a child and only thought of childish things.

I wish I had more time with you, and I wish you had lived to see your grandchildren grow up.  You would be proud of them. I miss you now more than ever. I finally learned your military history and wish you were here to tell me more.

Private Leo Tyrrell, 82nd Airborne
Private Leo Tyrrell, 82nd Airborne (1952?)

Filed Under: Family, Military Pride Tagged With: graphic design, history, Holiday, Marine Corps, memorial, memorial day, military, United States Marine, United States Marines, veteran, veterans day, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, World War II

Happy Birthday US Marine Corps

November 10, 2012 by info@3QuartersToday.com

To all United Marines Marines, past, present and future, have a very Happy Birthday

We owe you a debt for our freedom that can never be repaid, so we remember you on this day and always. So to all the Marines from 1775 to the present day, we thank you for your service to our country.

Happy Birthday Marine Corps, the official birthday of the USMC is November 10, 1775

How Marines Celebrate Their Birthday

Every active duty Marine recognizes the USMC birthday in some way, most have a Marine Corps Ball they attend near the end of October or the beginning of November.

Every Marine Corps base is recognized on November 10th with special guests, cakes and it is a tradition for each Marine to greet each other on this day with a Happy Birthday. No gift is required, just the gift of respect. (according to Maximilian Uriarte at Terminal Lance)

Veterans will have a drink, in where else, a bar or tavern since Tun Tavern is the birthplace of the Corps. I know my oldest son will be raising a glass to toast his Marine brothers somewhere tonight.

Many in the Marine Corps League will gather in bars all over the country and relive the camaraderie that makes the United States Marine Corps unique.

Many of them display an American flag at home along with their USMC EGA.

Black Background Official Seal - US Marine Corps Wrapping Paper
Black Background Official Seal – US Marine Corps Wrapping Paper
by usmarines

Marine Corps Birthday Challenge Coins

Challenge coins are a tradition in the Marine Corps. Often senior officers have a certain number of coins to award during a Marine Ball and they will press it into the palm of the hand. I know one of my sons has received a coin in this manner

Challenge coins recognize boot camp companies, tours of duty, and even Marine Moms. Below are just a few Marine Corps challenge coins

Since I am a Marine Mother I have begun an annual tradition of writing an official letter to the Marine Corps. I don’t think anyone of any importance reads them, but it’s my way of summarizing the year and my current sentiment.

A letter from a Marine Mom to the USMC. This Mother of two Marines writes a letter to the Marine Corps as a way of gratitude for her Marine sons.
A Marine Mom writes letters to the United States Marine Corps on the eve of the Marine Corps Birthday to thank them for what they do and tell the story of her sons.
2015 Marine Mom Letter to the USMC Commandant on the 240th birthday of the Marine Corps
2016 Marine Mom letter on the USMC Birthd

To all Marines have a very Happy Birthday!!

Gold EGA- US Marine Corps Wrapping Paper
Gold EGA- US Marine Corps Wrapping Paper
by usmarines

 USMC Birthday Traditions & Celebrations

Learn more about the Marine Corps, Marine Corps traditions and history in these military books. History does repeat itself and the United States Marines will always serve at the ready to protect our country and our world.

Filed Under: Marine Corps, Military Pride Tagged With: celebration, freedom, graphic design, Iwo Jima, leathernecks, marines, marines birthday, memorial, military, patriotism, United States Marine Corps, USMC, usmc birthday, washington dc

Where Were You, Remember 9/11

September 11, 2012 by info@3QuartersToday.com

Where were you at 8:45 am ET, September 11, 2011?

Were you going to work, in school, or having breakfast on that fateful day?

 

Where were you on 911? Tell your story, never forget, always remember Septemeber 11, 2011 nd the brave men and women who saved others and those that died. As we as a country and a world remember 9/11 let’s not ever forget what happened.  Many years have gone by since then, but I can’t help but get a chill and tear up as I remember that day.

No, I wasn’t at the Twin Towers, I didn’t live in New York, or know anyone at the Pentagon. I didn’t know anyone that died. But, to me, a Mother with three small children it was a pivotal turning point in realizing the world would not be the same.

9-11: A TRIBUTEThe Stories They Tell: Artifacts from the National September 11 Memorial Museum

I’m sure it was the same feeling my parents had when they first heard of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The world and their lives were never the same.

Remembering 9-11

For me, it was a morning like every other. I was getting ready for work and paused to get on the computer and check my email. In the background, the TV was tuned to Good Morning America. I glanced at the TV just in time to catch breaking news right after the first plane hit.  My heart stopped when I watched the second plane live and I felt as though I couldn’t breathe.

I went to work at Oxbow Pet Products and we huddled around a small TV we brought into the office. The phones were silent. No calls were coming in, no orders being placed. Nothing mattered. No one wanted to go home, we cried silently at what this meant as the towers fell.

Planes were grounded, and then news of the Pentagon. What was next? After lunch, we shut off the phones, closed the doors early and went home to hug our families.

Past Tense, Forever Present: Remembering 9/11Remembering 9:11 in Bible Verses

No, I will not forget that day.

 

Remember 9/11 Tributes & Memorials

Every year since that day I take time to pause, say a prayer, and honor those that lost their lives that day. There are many 911 memorials across the country and I’m sure there are some in your local area.

At the Strategic Air Museum in Ashland Nebraska, they place 3000 flags as a memorial on the lawn.  On each flag is the name of each person who died that day. As the sunlight streamed in from the east, I couldn’t help but think of that day and where I was, when the World Stopped Turning.

I’m from Connecticut and had been to the World Trade Center and gone up in the Towers. Since then I’ve visited the site in 2002, 2004, 2010, and 2011. They say time heals all wounds. But the scars remain. Let’s never forget

Let’s never forget some never made it to work that day. Some never made it home. Let’s never forget those who died, those who lost family and friends, and all the countless fireman, police officers and volunteers who gave of unselfishly gave of themselves.

“Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)”

Lyrics by Alan Jackson

Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?
Were you in the yard with your wife and children
Or working on some stage in L.A.?
Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke
Risin’ against that blue sky?
Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry?
Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don’t know?
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below?
Did you burst out with pride for the red, white and blue
And the heroes who died just doin’ what they do?
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself and what really matters?[Chorus:]
I’m just a singer of simple songs
I’m not a real political man
I watch CNN but I’m not sure I can tell
You the difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love
Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?
Were you teaching a class full of innocent children
Or driving down some cold interstate?
Did you feel guilty ’cause you’re a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone?
Did you call up your mother and tell her you loved her?
Did you dust off that Bible at home?
Did you open your eyes, hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep?
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Or speak to some stranger on the street?
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Or go out and buy you a gun?
Did you turn off that violent old movie you’re watchin’
And turn on “I Love Lucy” reruns?
Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers
Did you stand in line and give your own blood?
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love?[Chorus x2]
And the greatest is love.
And the greatest is love.

Where were you when the world stopped turning

on that September day?

So where were you on that day? What do you not want to forget? Leave a message at the bottom, a comment where you were and what the day means to you.

Filed Under: Events, Photography Tagged With: 9-11, 911, Alan Jackson, Ashland, memorial, memories, Nebraska, New York, remember 9 11, video, World Trade Center

Day 297-298: Honoring my Dad on Veterans Day

November 11, 2011 by info@3QuartersToday.com

My Dad was a private quiet man. He served in World War II and in Korea. However I know very little about his WWII experience other than he was in the Navy, on a destroyer operating one of the big guns at Normandy and in the Pacific. His papers and commendations were all lost when he arrived home on New Years Eve and put his sea bag down in Times Square. Someone else picked it up. Considering he used his brothers ID to get in at age 16 I don’t know what I can find out.

For the sake of possibly finding anybody who served with my Dad I’m listing his full name: Leo Thomas “Terry”  Tyrrell, his nickname in WWII was Tiny Terry the Terrible. He wasn’t very big, 5’6″ and weighed 125 lbs sopping wet. But, from what I understand you didn’t want to mess with him. He fought like a little bantam rooster. I often compare his physique to Clint Eastwood, not an ounce of fat on him.

Leo Tyrrell, Korean War Memorabilia
Leo Tyrrell, Korean War Memorabilia

He reenlisted in the Korean War with the Army airborne and I do have his papers and airman’s wings which I treasure greatly. (There is a longer story on this shadow box which I will relate later) He was a paratrooper and after the war worked for a parachute factory in Manchester Connecticut. The area is now called Silk City. For many years he didn’t talk about the war, but he would watch all the black and white television shows on WWII and occasionally he would say “I sat there, that’s what I did.” I wish I had paid more attention when I was a kid.

Here’s to my Dad and all the veterans today that served our country and have given us the freedom we enjoy today. We are a safer country and world for what you did many years ago. We salute you.

Veterans Honor Memorial Flag
Veterans Honor Memorial Flag

Related articles
  • Honoring My Dad, the Paratrooper (ndjmom.wordpress.com)
  • Korean War 60th Anniversary (gunnerscorner.wordpress.com)
  • 82nd Airborne Gifts (Cafepress.com)

Filed Under: Military Pride, Project 365 Tagged With: 365project, army, army airman, Connecticut, dad, honor, Korea, korean, korean war, memorial, memories, military, Normandy, Pacific, Pacific Ocean, paratropper, project365, restoration, tradition, troops, United States Navy, veteran, veterans day, war, World War II

Day 174/365: Memorial Day Cemetery Traditions

May 30, 2011 by info@3QuartersToday.com

Memorial Day, Decoration Day, or Remembrance Day, depending on the area of the country and the era you grew up in will depend on what you call the last Monday in May. But regardless of the name the purpose is the same; to remember those who have died and honor their memory. Many towns have Memorial Day traditions and Elmwood, Nebraska fills the day honoring the veterans who served and made the ultimate sacrifice.

Elmwood Nebraska Cemetery
Elmwood Nebraska Cemetery

Starting on Friday of Memorial Day weekend the Elmwood Nebraskan American Legion raises all the flags to half mast at the cemetery in remembrance to all the fallen veterans. In addition to the Stars and Stripes, the flags of the military branches are also displayed: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and the POW-MIA recognition flag.

2X3 Military 5 Branches Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard & Pow Mia DOUBLE SIDED Polyester Flag Set 2'x3' Banner with Grommets2X3 Military 5 Branches Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard & Pow Mia DOUBLE SIDED Polyester Flag Set 2’x3′ Banner with Grommets

&

Flags at the cemetery

Memorial Day Traditions in the cemetery
Honoring Veterans

Most cemeteries have traditions for their veterans and just like Arlington National Cemetery, the veterans buried in Elmwood are honored with a cross and a flag to remind everyone they served their country with honor and pride. American Legions around the country provide the medallion flag holders as a visual reminder for communities that we need to always remember and never forget.

US Flag Store Aluminum WWII Veteran Grave Marker, Bronze FinishedUS Flag Store Aluminum WWII Veteran Grave Marker, Bronze FinishedFrank Detwiler Vietnam War Veteran Grave Marker, Bronze Finished AluminumFrank Detwiler Vietnam War Veteran Grave Marker, Bronze Finished AluminumFrank Detwiler Korean War Veteran Grave Marker, Bronze Finished AluminumFrank Detwiler Korean War Veteran Grave Marker, Bronze Finished AluminumLot of -50- 4x6 Inch US American Hand Held Stick Flags Spear Top WindStrong® Made in the USALot of -50- 4×6 Inch US American Hand Held Stick Flags Spear Top WindStrong® Made in the USA

&

Civil War Memorial
Civil War Memorial

Grand Army of the Republic, the Union Army of the Civil War. Nebraska was a young state back in 1865 when this cemetery memorial was erected but it was a proud state to have aligned themselves with freedom. Statues like this are common on the east coast in fact some say they litter the country sides and cemeteries to a point where the impact is diluted. But in Nebraska it’s unique, so I’m posting it as a reminder of soldiers long ago.

I hope my Dad has a military marker on his headstone. Some cemeteries don’t want ornaments of markers that stand up, they get in the way of mowers, but I think it’s an honorable tradition and I enjoy walking through our towns cemeteries and reading the stories of each veteran.

Memorial Day Traditions

American Memorial Day traditions

DOTHAN, AL, May 26, 2014 — Memorial Day is coming soon. It’s the unofficial start of summer and a day of firsts for the season – first sunburn, first charred burgers on the grill, first hangover and first opportunity to put on a swimsuit and show off …

Memorial Day traditions and history

WASHINGTON, May 27, 2012 – Memorial Day is a time for remembering the men and women who died for their Country since the Revolutionary War. Remembering the approximately 1.3 million soldiers, not including those missing in action or wounded who …

Remembering The Fallen: Memorial Day Traditions

Guests. Alan Jabbour, folklorist and author, Decoration Day in the Mountains: Traditions of Cemetery Decoration in the Southern Appalachians, and former director of the American Folklife center at the Library of Congress. Rolf Kriken, sculptor, and …

Clicking on the Web: Memorial Day history, traditions

Memorial Weekend is typically a signal for the beginning of summer, but we should not forget its real meaning and purpose, that being to remember our many service men and women who have served our country and also to remember our many family …

Family of Fallen Hero takes in Memorial Day

Since that day the Parks family’s Memorial Day traditions have changed. “We’ll always remember and we always say this is what this is for today. It’s not just a barbeque to hangout. That’s what this is for,” Nikki Williams says. Larry Sr. says every …

Memorial Day – Holidays – HISTORY.com

Memorial Day Traditions. Cities and towns across the United States host Memorial Day parades each year, often incorporating military personnel and members of veterans’ organizations. Some of the largest parades take place in Chicago, …

Memorial Day-Traditions | wpri.com

Over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, I flew home to see my parents. They live in a very small, rural Midwestern town where the pace of life (at least compared to my own) is much slower. I always joke around that the clock …

Filed Under: Military Pride, Project 365, Small Town Living Tagged With: 365project, Americana, cemetery, decorating day, Elmwood-Murdock, flags, Holidays, memorial, memorial day, memorial day traditions, memories, Nebraska, project365, remembrance day, rural, small town, veterans

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