Military Memorial

Military Memorial. . , Support , When our mom deployed , and we lived with our grandparents , we lived in a town that did not have , military parents., It was hard not having , other military kids around. , Military kids know how it feels , when a parent deploys., You know what to say to each other., Mission , Over the years, I have learned that this choice is more than a job. It is a mission., I have watched as military careers ended when a spouse could not accept the demands of the mission. I have watched as marriages ended when a soldier could not give up on the mission., Therefore, I have embraced the mission in my own way … My husband's sacrifice for America has inspired in me a reverence for America. His willingness to defend this nation has taught me this nation is worth defending., Order , Dad was career military and he believed in a life of order and discipline, tough to get at home with six kids., At six in the morning he would storm into the bedrooms, throw back the blankets and shout, "Reveille!', When things got out of hand he would roar through the house, collaring the perp and yell,, "Son, when I say jump you say, 'How high' on the way up!", Yes, sir!, Challenges , We have learned to live with much , and live with little, , and we are appreciative for all of it. , We are currently living in a mostly empty , house, sitting on lawn furniture , and watching a borrowed TV., And we are happy and content, , because we have each other. , The stuff doesn't matter–only the people., My kids have , traveled the world, , they've stepped up , to fill dad's shoes , they have made new , friends in multiple states, , and they have , done it all , with grace., Morale , When dad is away it is a time to step up and help the family in the same way that dad does., It feels like a puzzle piece is missing from our family puzzle and won't be back for a few months., It is sad, but the thought of him returning is a morale boost that keeps me going., When dad comes home it feels like my family is complete. The puzzle of our family is completed and everything feels normal again., Resilience , We of the "Silent Ranks" go about our business every day. We go to the grocery store, take our younger children to dance, soccer, baseball and band practice., We clean our homes, take care of our yards, cook and clean… We have tear-stained faces and cry while reading the labels of canned foods at the store… We fly the American flag alongside a service banner…, We're just like everyone else; we just have a little more on our minds than most., Democracy , On 9-11, we were damaged and bruised… but we also became more determined than ever to be "one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.", My dad was a World War II veteran and he taught all of us that our country's strength was in its diversity…, …accepting all races, creeds, cultures and religions., That made us unique…, and also a democracy., Sacrifice , I am now able to tell my children and my grandchildren about a man they did not know., I tell them to remember that whenever they see the American flag or hear the national anthem playing, when they're saying the Pledge of Allegiance, and especially when they hear "Taps", that it stands for something, and always remember, the sacrifices that they have made., Legacy , My father was 32 when he died. He was in the Navy Reserves and called back to duty near the end of the war. My mother gave me the last letter my father wrote three days before he died., I read it every Memorial Day, cry a lot and think of what a hero he was., I served in the U.S. Air Force from 1964 to 1967. I was fortunate to be sent to Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii and visited the Memorial Cemetery. I found my father's name engraved in stone. It was quite an emotional experience. I am proud to be a veteran and prouder yet when I think of the ultimate sacrifice my father made., Integrity , My grandfather was a Marine at Iwo Jima. He was my hero. My feelings about the military were colored by him, I was so impressed with his integrity and faith in God and Country. I wanted to be like him. , He told me, "There are worse things than dying, there's living with dishonor.", That's probably the most important thing he ever said to me., When I was shot down I thought I was going to die. I thought of my grandfather and thought at least I'm doing something honorable., I thought I was the only one who survived. Me being a woman was not a big point to them., Teamwork , Teamwork and camaraderie flow from the loyalty you develop for your organization and your mates. Loyalty can be viewed as an up and down attribute in a unit, up to your bosses or down to your troops. Teamwork has a horizontal cast to it., Teamwork causes each member of the team to rely on others, the next guy to you, to achieve success., Camaraderie is both the basis of and the engine for teamwork., The more you know and trust your buddies, the stronger the weave of the fabric of teamwork., Guidance , Putting on that uniform just gave me energy and pride., The military gave me guidance and the leadership not to give up on anything., I owe a lot to the service because as a teenager I didn't have much guidance., Without that experience I don't know where I would be., Courage , We first met in our medic training in San Antonio and became good friends over our time training. We both got stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He was in the Fourth Brigade and I went to the second. He endued up deploying late to Afghanistan due to his son, Ayden, being born., He was on a foot patrol when one of his guys was shot. Jordan crossed over 30 meters of cross fire between his men and hostile fire., He was fatally wounded while performing life-saving tactics on his wounded comrade. I consider myself lucky to call such a great man my friend., Endurance , I told myself, if I get back without any more holes in me, I'm buying myself a piano and learning to play., You learn what you can live with and what you can live without., And you learn to appreciate things that are necessary., Conflict , It was surreal., I had all the stereotypical signs of post-traumatic stress disorder: jumping at loud noises, nervous in crowds, short-tempered, insomnia., And you know what? I came back to a loving family and supportive friends. I had a good education and prospects for the future., This experience almost unhinged me. What about all the men and women who don't have the support I had?, What happens to them?, Service , Finally the day came for me to start the journey home. It was a welcome sight to see the helicopter come in. When we landed in Colorado Springs, I don't think the smile came off my face once., The homecoming ceremony was long, and I could see my wife and baby boy sitting in the stands. I was so excited I could not hold back my smile… I am glad I got the opportunity to serve my country. I am glad I will never have to go through it again., [Image display:] , Photographer: Unknown/Anthony Potter Collection/Getty Images. June 1943. , A mother in Placquemines Parish, Louisiana sits near a window that displays service banners signifying that three sons are serving in the armed forces during World War II. The top banner indicates that she donated to the Red Cross., Photographer: David Swanson. The Philadelphia Inquirer. April 2, 2004. , Troops from Echo Company 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment patrol Ramadi, Al Anbar Province, Iraq. Four days later ten Marines would be killed in an ambush., Photographer: Newhouse, U.S. Army: National Archives. January 13, 1945. , Chow is served to American Infantrymen of the 78th Infantry Division in the Hurtgen Forrest on their way to La Roche, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge., Photographer: Vincent Laforet. The New York Times/Redux. August 30, 2005. , A survivor of Hurricane Katrina is lifted by a Coast Guard helicopter above a devastated New Orleans, Louisiana. Katrina was one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history affecting over 15 million people across seven states., Photographer: Tech Sgt. Mike B. Buytas, U.S. Air Force. Department of Defense. October 19, 2005. , As part of a multinational humanitarian assistance and support effort in earthquake stricken Pakistan, U.S. Army Sgt. Komeka Rachwal provides aid on a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter., Photographer: David Douglas Duncan. David Douglas Duncan Collection, Ransom Center, University of Texas at Austin. September 1950. , South Korean peasants, who acted as ammunition carriers, help as litter-bearers for wounded U.S. soldiers during the Korean War., Photographer: Larry Burrows/Time and Life Pictures/Getty Images. January 1, 1966. , U.S. soldiers tend wounded comrades while awaiting evacuation just south of the demilitarized zone during the Vietnam War. This photograph became the cover image for Life magazine's October 28, 1966 issue., Photographer: Staff Sgt. Stacy L. Pearsall, U.S. Army. Department of Defense. August 9, 2006. , U.S. Army soldiers sing hymns together during their down time in the field at Fort Jackson, South Carolina., Photographer: Edward Steichen/George Eastman House/Getty Images. June 26, 1945. , A Navy sailor flies into the drink in an image captured by Edward Steichen, director of the U.S. Naval Aviation. Photographic Unit during World War II. Steichen is one of only three photographers to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom., Photographer: Photo staff of Roy Reeve, Chief of Photography. Otis Historical Archive, National Museum of Health and Medicine. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. May 31, 1918. , During World War I, Mrs. Hammond, a nurse with the American Red Cross, provides water to wounded soldiers at railroad station in Montmirail, France., Photographer: Unknown. Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis. ca. 1943. , U.S. Army nurses wade ashore at Naples during the Allied invasion of the Italian peninsula. Nearly 60,000 American women served in the Army Nurse Corps during World War II., U.S. Army Corporal Larry Mutinsk distributes cigarettes to newly liberated prisoners behind a stockade in the Allach concentration camp, a subcamp of the Dachau concentration camp in Germany., Photographer: Unknown, Office of War Information. National Archives. April 1945. , An American soldier from the 12th Armored Division, nicknamed the Hellcat Division, guarding Nazi prisoners captured in a Bavarian forest, southern Germany. , 72,243 prisoners were credited to the Division. Nearly 8,500 Allied P.O.W.s, including 1,500 Americans, and an additional 20,000 non-military prisoners were liberated by the 12th., Photographer: Unknown, U.S. Army. National Archives. September 2, 1945. , Troops and spectators on board USS Missouri (BB 63) in Tokyo Bay witness the formal Japanese surrender and the end of World War II., Photographer: Chief Photographer's Mate, Robert F. Sargent, U.S. Coast Guard. National Archives. June 6, 1944. , Troops of the U.S. Army's Company E, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division from USS Samuel Chase (APA 26) wade ashore from a Coast Guard-manned Landing Craft. , Vehicle and Personnel (LCVP). The Allied D-Day assault of Nazi-controlled France at Omaha Beach, Normandy, was the largest amphibious invasion in history. Two-thirds of Company E were killed., Photographer: Unknown. National Archives. December 7, 1941. , Sailors at Naval Air Station Ford Island watch as USS Shaw (DD 373) explodes during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii., Photographer: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd class Damien Berg, U.S. Navy. Navy News Service. December 7, 2012. , Navy Seaman 1st Class Duane Reyelts, who survived the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan, remembers fellow servicemen during the 60th Pearl Harbor Day ceremony on USS De Wert (FFG 45) at the Naval Station Mayport, Florida., Photographer: Ed Kashi, VII. August 13, 2000. , Veterans attend the 2000 Democratic National Convention, Los Angeles, California., Photographer: Jim Gehrz. Minneapolis Star-Tribune. February 14, 2011. , Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade return home to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, on Valentine's Day after serving a yearlong, overseas deployment in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom., Photographer: Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo. Department of Defense. December 15, 2011. , Army troops salute the flag as part of a ceremony to "retire the colors," an event marking the end of the U.S. mission in Baghdad, Iraq., Photographer: Staff Sgt. Charles Reger, U.S. Army. Department of Defense. June 10, 1991. , U.S. Army Private First Class White waves an American flag under a rain of confetti and ticker tape during New York City's Welcome Home parade honoring the coalition forces of Desert Storm., Photographer: Slava "Sal" Veder. Associated Press/Corbis. March 17, 1973. Pulitzer Prize. , A U.S. Air Force officer returns home after spending more than five years as a prisoner of war in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam)., Photographer: Justin Connaher, U.S. Air Force. Department of Defense. November 1, 2012. , U.S. Army troops of the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division salute as their families and guests gather for a ceremony to welcome them home to Anchorage, Alaska after a 10-month deployment to Afghanistan., Photographer: Paul Thompson. National Geographic Creative. ca. 1918. , U.S. Army Sgt. Louie Van Iersel was one of the most highly decorated soldiers of world war one and is believed to be the first non-citizen to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. A Dutch immigrant, Van Iersel enlisted on the day America entered the war and became a U.S. citizen in 1919 , he also served in the U.S. 3rd Marine Division in world war two., Photographer: Alfred Eisenstaedt/Getty Images. December 31, 1942. , U.S. Navy sailors and Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) at Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, Texas. During World War II, WAVES became the first American female military personnel to serve as regular air crew members., Photographer: Petty Officer 3rd Class James R. Evans, U.S. Navy. Department of Defense. August 19, 2007. , Sailors serving as flag bearers bow their heads in prayer during a burial-at-sea ceremony aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72)., Photographer: Todd Heisler. Rocky Mountain News. November 9, 2005. Pulitzer Prize photo series. , The final farewell to comrades is steeped in tradition and ceremony. Marines drape a U.S. flag over the casket of 2nd Lt. James Cathey, killed in Iraq, and honor the memory of his service to this country., Photographer: Unknown, U.S. Coast Guard. National Archives. November 1943. , Two U.S. Navy sailors from the escort carrier Liscome Bay (CVE) are buried at sea from the deck of a U.S. Coast Guard assault transport. , The Liscome Bay was bound for the Gilbert Islands, when it was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine, resulting in tremendous casualties., Photographer: David Burnett, Contact Press. March 1971. , A U.S. soldier contemplates a letter from home while taking a break from repairing a tank tread, Land Vei, Republic of Vietnam., Photographer: Ed Kashi, VII. April 24, 2003. , A U.S. soldier onboard a Chinook helicopter as part of Operation Valiant Guard on the hunt for Al-Qaeda and Taliban near the mountains in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan., Photographer: Vincent Laforet. The New York Times/Redux. March 20, 2003. , An F-18 Hornet aboard Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), takes off on night support over Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom., Photographer: Staff Sgt. Aaron Allmon, U.S. Air Force. Department of Defense. September 11, 2008. , U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Chang Ahn, a platoon leader in the 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, and Maj. David McCulley. Battalion operations officer, update perimeter maps to increase base security at Joint Base Balad, Iraq., Photographer: James H. Hare. James H. Hare Collection, Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas at Austin. 1912. , A Burgess-Wright Model F hydro-aeroplane crosses the bow of USS Washington (ACR 11). , James H. Hare was a renowned photographer who covered five wars as well as early aviation during a long career., Photographer: Underwood and Underwood. National Archives. 1918. , At the end of the World War I, "the war to end all wars," , elated soldiers are mustered out at Camp Dix, New Jersey., Photographer: Unknown. National Museum of U.S. Air Force. ca. World War II. , Tuskegee Airmen trainees of the U.S. Army Air Corps exercise on base in Tuskegee, Alabama. African Americans were first permitted to fly and maintain combat aircraft in World War II., Photographer: Max Desfor. Associated Press/Corbis. October 20, 1950. Pulitzer Prize photo series. , U.S. Army paratroopers from the 187 Airborne Regional Combat Team jump behind North Korean lines to help trap thousands of retreating enemy combatants., Photographer: Tech. Sgt. Manuel Martinez, U.S. Air Force. Department of Defense. March 1, 2011. , U.S. Army soldier from the 10th Special Forces Group and military working dog jump off CH-47 Chinook helicopter from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment during water training over the Gulf of Mexico as part of exercise Emerald Warrior 2011., Photographer: Larry Burrows/Time and Life Pictures/Getty Images. October 1966. , Exhausted Marine on patrol with his squad near the demilitarized zone during Operation Prairie in the Republic of Vietnam. , Seven U.S. Marine Corps battalions were engaged in the operation., Photographer: Staff Sgt. Paul Halverson. National Archives. 1969. , Soldiers carry a wounded comrade through a drainage ditch in the Republic of Vietnam., Photographer: Horst Faas. Associated Press/Corbis. March 1965. , U.S. Army helicopters fire to cover the advance of South Vietnamese ground troops in an attack on a Viet Cong camp near the Cambodian border, Republic of Vietnam., Photographer: Horst Faas. Associated Press/Corbis. January 1965. , U.S. advisors and South Vietnamese troops rest in the dense jungle foliage around embattled town of Binh Gia, Republic of Vietnam after a cold, damp and tense night of waiting in an ambush position for a Viet Cong attack that did not come., Photographer: Earle Bunker. Omaha World-Herald Tribune. July 15, 1943. Pulitzer Prize. , After leading troops in battle against the Nazis in North Africa and escaping past German lines during World War II, U.S. Army. Lt. Col. Robert Moore returns home to Villisca, Iowa., Photographer: Bill Roth/Anchorage Daily News/MCT/Getty Images. September 12, 2012. , Sgt. Larry Green Jr., 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, gets a big hug from his son upon returning home from a one-year deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom., Photographer: Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo, U.S. Air Force. Department of Defense. December 18, 2011. , The last members of the U.S. Air Force's 407th Air Expeditionary Group prepare for departure from Ali Air Base, Iraq, aboard a C-17 Globemaster as part of the 2008 Security Agreement between Iraq and the United States., Photographer: Capt. Andrew J. Russell, the first U.S. Army photographer. National Archives. April 29 - May 2, 1863. , Midway through the Civil War, Union soldiers keep cover along the Rappahannock River, Fredericksburg, Virginia on the eve of the Second Battle of Fredericksburg, part of the Chancellorsville Campaign.