Memorial Day 2025

 His beard was long, and his hair was silver. He wore a baseball hat that read, "Bring them all home," even though he knew that wouldn't happen.

As he prepared for the wall's arrival, he shined his boots this morning. He put on the same jacket he wore over there. It was old like him but a memory of all those years ago.

He sipped a cup of coffee, remembering his lost brothers, and proudly shed a tear. Today, he would lower the flag to half-staff as taps were played, and hundreds of veterans would begin the quest to find the names of loved ones, friends, and the thousands and thousands of brothers who never made it home.

When the wall came to town every year, it was a special day for him. He always ran into a couple of buddies he served with as they welcomed each other home, swapping stories of shattered hearts.

Those who found the names they searched for left hundreds of items on the ground. Flowers, coins, pictures, medals, poems, and more were put into a box and traveled with the wall to the next stop along the way. He wondered what happened to all of those things but never really found out.

The wall was a reminder of how many soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines closed their eyes forever, giving their lives for their country and a nation that took decades to honor them. Now we are old, but we never forget. The music of those times filled the air, and lost friends were found among the sea of tattered and too-small uniforms. The sounds of helicopters from that era fly overhead, and another sound of war to try and forget again.

He was one of the last to leave as the wall was packed up and moved to the next town, where more boots were shined, and memories were laid on the ground—a simple gesture that meant so much.

But what about the one hundred thousand plus who have never been found, who leave behind friends and loved ones to wonder? He believes some stayed behind by choice and are scattered throughout the jungles, only wanting to be left alone with their demons. We honor them as brothers to the end.

Some gave some, and some gave all, but everyone gave a piece of themselves that will never be forgotten.

Welcome Home.

Memorial day 2025

Mike