Enjoy, But Honor Memorial Day
May 31st, 2021
Joe never felt comfortable with the greeting, “Happy Memorial Day.”
Why? It’s not meant to be a happy day.
Joe adores summer. Women wear less and the beer tastes better. Most important of all, it’s not cold. It’s all good.
It also helps that the summer is traditionally bookmarked by three-day weekends, with America’s birthday right smack dab in the middle.
If you are like Joe, at some point today you will grill raw meat and crack open many Big Storm Brewery beers. If you are fortunate, then you are watching glorious bikinis from a boat in the Gulf or at the beach. If so, Joe salutes you.
But please take a moment today to remember the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice to allow us to guzzle beer, ingest mass quantities of meat and throw (digital) rocks at each other when discussing our beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A few small U.S. flags on your property or apartment deck is a great touch, too.
Remember that heroes didn’t come home.
(Here is a fitting story for today. A fallen Marine’s medals somehow wound up on an online auction. How fellow Marines found a way to get those medals back to the family. Seems Marines don’t forget Marines.)
Yes, our day at the beach is brought to you by their day hitting the beach.
May 31st, 2021 at 5:56 am
Amen, Joe.
May 31st, 2021 at 6:27 am
No doubt about it!
May 31st, 2021 at 6:28 am
” Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
May 31st, 2021 at 6:52 am
The NFL season prior to D-Day featured legends Sammy Baugh, Sid Luckman, Don Hutson…There were so many players in the military, the Cleveland Rams suspended their season and the Eagles and Steelers combined their remaining players to form, as the fans called them, the “Steagles”.
So thankful for all who gave ultimate sacrifice on this special day..
May 31st, 2021 at 7:10 am
Amen! Amen!
Real patriots remember those who died to allow the rest of us to live in freedom, be they “Independents”, “Conservatives”, or “Liberals”.
Many of us use that freedom to squabble and “beat each other over the head” for our version of the truth. That’s OK! That is part of what freedom is all about.
May 31st, 2021 at 7:18 am
Today I’m reminded of Pat Tillman who left a NFL career to join the Army in 2002…..he was killed in Afghanistan in 2004…….the ultimate sacrifice.
“All gave some, some gave all”
Many don’t have any skin in the game and never will….but at least should honor those that did.
May 31st, 2021 at 7:23 am
Rip pat tillman n the rest of the hero’s who didn’t make it home.
May 31st, 2021 at 7:46 am
Armed Forces Day (Celebrated on the 3rd Saturday of May)- those who are currently wearing our Uniform. Voluntarily signed a blank check so we can live free.
Veterans Day( Celebrated on November 11th) – No longer active duty, but proudly wore our Uniform and also signed a blank check
Memorial Day (Honored on the last day of May) Proudly wore our Uniform, but the check was cashed. They left behind kids, Wives, Husband’s, Parents, and other people who were important to them.
If you imbibe, please take a moment to toast the sky. Honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
May 31st, 2021 at 7:48 am
Thank you, Joe’s for putting the focus on the real meaning of Memorial Day
May 31st, 2021 at 8:33 am
Indeed.
Memorial Day was the only time I saw Dad CB, WWII vet who survived both D-Day and Battle of the Bulge, cry.
May 31st, 2021 at 8:42 am
Thanks for this annual tribute to those fallen defending Freedom!
27thSurgHosp ChuLai
95thEvacHosp Danang
Kids
May 31st, 2021 at 8:48 am
Wonderful this morning on NFL Sirius radio hearing Rocky Bleier desribe getting his legs blown up by a grenade as a grenadier in Vietnam with Americal, never supposed to play again after a year in the hospital–goes back and plays ten years with the Steelers’ dynasty. What a guy.
May 31st, 2021 at 8:56 am
Rocky Bleier recently went back to the spot where he was wounded, it was filmed and on YouTube somewhere. The heat and emotion got to him.
May 31st, 2021 at 12:29 pm
A day to honor. Brave men and woman to honor.
Thanks Joe!
May 31st, 2021 at 12:40 pm
Joes — thank you
May 31st, 2021 at 1:29 pm
Nothing but love to all those who were in the military, and especially those that paid the ultimate sacrifice. You are all true heroes to me! I wouldn’t last two minutes in a battle.
May 31st, 2021 at 2:01 pm
….never understood the barbeque and beach parties for this day, nonsense to me.
Should be a quite, full with respect Day, remember Day, for The Braves, The Heroes, those who gave EVERYTHING.
Smart and effective words by J : “Enjoy, But Honor Memorial Day”.
May 31st, 2021 at 2:25 pm
God Bless those who serve and God always be with those that gave their life for all of us the enjoy Freedom. Thank you for keeping my Family and I safe and free.
May 31st, 2021 at 3:08 pm
Thank you for doing this piece every year, Joe. I feel like a jerk sometimes for correcting people vis-a-vis veterans day versus memorial day; but I feel even less comfortable accepting praise on a day not meant for me.
God Bless my brothers-in-arms who didn’t make it home, and give their families comfort.
May 31st, 2021 at 4:04 pm
Today, along with a couple other days during the year for more personal reasons, I am always reminded of the two close friends I lost when we served in the USAF. One in Iraq, one in Afghanistan.
RIP
Everyone have a great weekend but never forget… Especially 9/11
May 31st, 2021 at 4:24 pm
Saw the Pat Tillman story again on the NFL network. As a veteran from the 60s I had to get something off my chest. Many NFL players were interviewed after Tillman enlisted. Remember, his brother was a Ranger at the time. A Buc player who I won’t name and initials are S.R [Simeon Rice} called Tillman a “Chump”. I couldn’t care less if he goes up on the Ring of Honor or not. I won’t forget.
Remember those who gave the ultimate for us.
May 31st, 2021 at 5:41 pm
I served in the US Army proudly for 5 years. I don’t always agree with our nation’s politics. But a lot of people of all hues and colors have died and served this great nation. Let us remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice on this day.
May 31st, 2021 at 7:17 pm
Good stuff Joe’s.
May 31st, 2021 at 9:24 pm
Bush:
You are not a “jerk.”
Veterans Day is for guys and girls who served and came home.
Memorial Day is for the guys (and girls) who didn’t come home. Alive.