Memorial Day

You are here because they fought there.

Update: McCain's speech.

Gateway Pundit has an awesome poster brought to us by the soldiers themselves.

John Hawkins shares war quotes. One of my favorites is from Winston Churchill but not on this list: "When going through hell, keep going."

MaxedOutMama says, "Peace is not the natural state of mankind, and peace dies the day there are no more soldiers."

Michelle Malkin quotes soldiers. Here's one of my favorites,"Live free or die. Death is not the worst of evils."

Donald Sensing writes this (read the whole thing):

Historian and retired infantry officer T. R. Fehrenbach observed that the virtues required to protect a democracy are often at odds with the virtues of democracy. So while we cherish life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as just ends of democratic freedom, our Marines put their lives at risk, surrender many personal liberties and submit to rigorous discipline that is often most unhappy.
Why did they do this? The most reasonable thing to do when battle begins is to run away, not stay and fight. Were they truly willing to die for their country? I don't think so. There's an old story that goes back probably to the Civil War of the young soldier whose commander asked him, "Are you willing to die for your country?" The young man answered, "Certainly not. But I am ready to die, unwilling."

The American armed forces really have no use for someone who is willing to die. We do not seek and soon weed out anyone seeking martyrdom in battle; this is a key distinction between us and our enemy. We do not send our soldiers, sailors, airmen or Marines to die even though we know some inevitably will. Our country is instead ably protected by those who accept the risk rather than seek it. But why accept it? What civilians rarely discern but what every veteran knows is that military service, especially in battle, is steeped with the convictions of deepest emotion.

In battle there is fear and courage, anger and compassion. There is resignation and determination. There is hope and despair. The chief emotion of the battlefield is an unlikely one. It is love. Across the range of mental, physical and emotional states in the desolation of combat, love abides.

Kim DuToit writes: "Charles Loxton thought only about other people his entire life."

Rachel Lucas remembers her grandpa who died in WWII.

Remembering visually.

Words of advice for Memorial Day revelers.

"How do you remember something you've never learned?" Fred Thompson asks. Via Photon Courier who has more links.

Pierre LeGrand, "Do not dishonor them."

Via Powerline, "We are their children."

A prayer from Red State.

Tigerhawk says, "Welcome home." Best picture of our soldiers returning home I've seen for a while.

"Remember the wounded." Blackfive has more.

Rolling Thunder via Blogs of War.

The Warrior Caste by Greyhawk.