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People get jaded. And...it's a message board. Different people come here for different reasons. Sometimes I drop by because I really need a laugh or a smile.

Thanks to all of you who are vets, or have active service family members.

Bivouac Of The Dead
By Theodore O'Hara

The muffled drum's sad roll has beat
The soldier's last tattoo;
No more on Life's parade shall meet
That brave and fallen few.
On fame's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents to spread,
And glory guards, with solemn round
The bivouac of the dead.

No rumor of the foe's advance
Now swells upon the wind;
Nor troubled thought at midnight haunts
Of loved ones left behind;
No vision of the morrow's strife
The warrior's dreams alarms;
No braying horn or screaming fife
At dawn shall call to arms.

Their shriveled swords are red with rust,
Their plumed heads are bowed,
Their haughty banner, trailed in dust,
Is now their martial shroud.
And plenteous funeral tears have washed
The red stains from each brow,
And the proud forms, by battle gashed
Are free from anguish now.

The neighing troop, the flashing blade,
The bugle's stirring blast,
The charge, the dreadful cannonade,
The din and shout, are past;
Nor war's wild note, nor glory's peal
Shall thrill with fierce delight
Those breasts that nevermore may feel
The rapture of the fight.

Like the fierce Northern hurricane
That sweeps the great plateau,
Flushed with triumph, yet to gain,
Come down the serried foe,
Who heard the thunder of the fray
Break o'er the field beneath,
Knew the watchword of the day
Was "Victory or death!"

Long had the doubtful conflict raged
O'er all that stricken plain,
For never fiercer fight had waged
The vengeful blood of Spain;
And still the storm of battle blew,
Still swelled the glory tide;
Not long, our stout old Chieftain knew,
Such odds his strength could bide.

Twas in that hour his stern command
Called to a martyr's grave
The flower of his beloved land,
The nation's flag to save.
By rivers of their father's gore
His first-born laurels grew,
And well he deemed the sons would pour
Their lives for glory too.

For many a mother's breath has swept
O'er Angostura's plain --
And long the pitying sky has wept
Above its moldered slain.
The raven's scream, or eagle's flight,
Or shepherd's pensive lay,
Alone awakes each sullen height
That frowned o'er that dread fray.

Sons of the Dark and Bloody Ground
Ye must not slumber there,
Where stranger steps and tongues resound
Along the heedless air.
Your own proud land's heroic soil
Shall be your fitter grave;
She claims from war his richest spoil --
The ashes of her brave.

Thus 'neath their parent turf they rest,
Far from the gory field,
Borne to a Spartan mother's breast
On many a bloody shield;
The sunshine of their native sky
Smiles sadly on them here,
And kindred eyes and hearts watch by
The heroes sepulcher.

Rest on embalmed and sainted dead!
Dear as the blood ye gave;
No impious footstep here shall tread
The herbage of your grave;
Nor shall your glory be forgot
While Fame her record keeps,
For honor points the hallowed spot
Where valor proudly sleeps.

Yon marble minstrel's voiceless stone
In deathless song shall tell,
When many a vanquished ago has flown,
The story how ye fell;
Nor wreck, nor change, nor winter's blight,
Nor time's remorseless doom,
Can dim one ray of glory's light
That gilds your deathless tomb.

I was able to get my truck fixed since I have the day off and the auto parts store is open.

Toast.:toast:

The only American holiday that matters.

Without today we don't have the other frivolous one's...

Yep.

Day is done
Gone the Sun
From the Lake
From the Hills
From the Sky

All is well
safely rest
God is nigh
Fading light
Dims the sight
And a Star
gems the sky
Gleaming bright
from afar
drawing nigh
falls the night

Thanks and praise
for our days
Neath the Sun
Neath the Stars
Neath the Sky

As we go
this we know
God is nigh
Sun has set
Shadows come
Time has fled
Scouts must go their beds
Always true
to the promise they made

While the light fades
from sight
And the stars gleaming rays
softly send
To Thy hands
We are souls, Lord, commend.

Thank you to everyone who answers the call to lay down his life for another, to understand that courage is the realization that something must be done, because something bigger than you is at stake. We tend to look at surrender as a sign of weakness, when it truly is an immense display of strength. It is honorable because it has incomparable value... a value that can never be properly of fittingly expressed with mere words.

I offer up a humble salute.

You know who you are.

I salute all you past and present servicemen and women. Thank you for all you have sacrificed. :usa:

Well . . .

In fairness, there's also Veteran's Day.

And Armed Forces' Day.

Don't forget the 4th of July. If not for that, we would be celebrating tea and crumpets day or some other bullshit.

Memorial Day. Remembering those who died in service of our country. including the ones who died to give us the 4th of July.

veterans day is for those of us who served our country in a hostile or war campaign

armed forces day is for all who served or are serving.

Yup, all important, but I'd give the edge to memorial day as to the most important. I think of friends I've made over the years that are no longer here to enjoy the day off by the pool with family because they died in another country. And the sevice members before my time that spilled their blood in time of war.

I'm a vet and a service member. Today is not my day. Its for the fallen.

.