Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for May 29, 2023

Lest we forget! 8^ (

Thank you for serving !

Remembrance for those who didn’t return home.

The roots of Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day in the aftermath of the Civil War, was the proclamation by Union General John Logan on May 5, 1868, in which he declared:

“The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form or ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit. Let us, then, at the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us as sacred charges upon the Nation’s gratitude, the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan.”

“A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.” — Bob Dylan

“Think about the past and consider the sacrifices men and women in the military have made for us." – Gary G. Wetzel

“The legacy of brave men and women who have fought and died for their country is the freedom we enjoy as Americans." – Lucian Adams

“The patriot’s blood is the seed of freedom’s tree.” -Thomas Campbell

Would like to express my great appreciation to Mr Johnson, for always honoring the American military. Very rarely do we see any other comic strip do that.

I am grateful and thankful for those brave men and women who died in honor to protect us throughout the years. Thank you my heros for your service. May you all rest in peace.

As usual, I don’t get it.

And if you served in combat, I hope you and your loved ones aren’t troubled by what you experienced. I hope that the buddies you made are still there for you and that they’re safe and sound, too. I hope that you’ll share your story with anyone who’ll listen. I hope you’ll tell your kids that the good experiences you had weren’t worth the threat, that the failures of “our leaders,” co-opted by graft and bought by our Military Industrial Complex aren’t worth their safety.

I know most of us here are older Baby Boomers, so we tend to think about Veterans being mostly male. But times have changed and in the last war in the Middle East many of the KIAs were female soldiers and we should remember them and their families today also.

Nicer than standing at the cenotaph on a cold November day for the moment of silence, then you remember those who hunkered down in rain filled trenches, or froze their butt in long flights over enemy territory. Then its not so hard

I just found this in my email:

“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died.Rather we should thank God that such men lived.”— General George S. Patton, Jr.(1885-1945) US Army Generalhttp://libertytree.ca/quotes/George.Patton.Quote.B74A

I am supremely grateful for those who died defending our freedom. It is also my hope that no more people will need to be added to that list.

Memorial Day was called Decoration Day and was originally celebrated by the families of Black troops that fell fighting during the civil war, and then was for ALL war dead from the Civil War. After WWI it became for all Wars. And we are supposed to have a moment of silence at 3pm today per National Moment of Remembrance Act signed into existence in 2000 by Pres. Clinton.

So simple, and yet I’m choked up. Nice job, JJ.

America~~home of the free because of the brave.

Does that include all civilians from all nations around the world? My Dad was WWII infantry and said that we are ALL the same…

It was a Ukrainian who told me that dandelion flowers in their three stages represent the sun in its bright yellow roundness, the moon as the flower ages, and the stars as they fly off into the sky, so small, off on the wind to new heights.

“The Answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind”……

God Bless and protect those who keep our country safe and free. And today we remember the Fallen with deep gratitude. God Bless America.

Tangential, but as it happens, the Dandelion is the official flower of the military brats. https://www.militarybrat.com/dandelion/

To those who have gone while I was in uniform and out… you are not forgotten – ever.

I just saw on the news that a Navy Seal wrote a letter thanking the fallen soooWhy can’t I. ?

This is the Memorial for the dead from our wars.

In Flanders Fields BY JOHN MCCRAE

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the skyThe larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie,In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Memorial Day is not just for military who died in war. My brother, as so many seem to have lately, died while doing his job in a USAF helicopter med-evac, the rotor came off, helicopter crashed, all 7 crew died. The med-evac patient was not yet on board, he lived.

My husband and I used to spend Memorial Day weekend in Washington, DC (for decades) – to visit the memorials and Arlington Cemetery as well as the concert at the U.S. Capitol building honoring those who have served and died.

Several years ago we had bed bugs and we now only travel in a tiny Class B RV and have not been able to work out returning to D.C. at all, let alone get to the concert since.

The past 3 years we have not traveled at all. We continue to watch the concert by doing so on TV as we did this past Monday. It is always a rather moving concert and serves to remind one of those who died for us.