MEMORIAL DAY / DECORATION DAY!

Spending my childhood years in the '30's and teenager years during WWII, what we now call Memorial Day was Decoration Day, that special day when everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY visited the cemetery to decorate family graves.
It was very important to my mother, having lost my father early in my eleventh year.  So I grew up spending a few days prior to Decoration Day sprucing up the family plot in preparation for the special day.  I must admit that the cemetery was a beautiful place on that day with flowers everywhere.
As an adult I view cemeteries  differently because I know that my loved ones are really not there, only the cast off container they used here on earth is.
Today, in my town, on Memorial Day we still place flowers on the graves of loved ones and the American Legion will place an American flag on each veteran grave and we will pay tribute to them in a special ceremony.  And, we will still miss our loved ones and, perhaps, shed a few tears, whether we are able to visit the site or not.
So most of us will, while enjoying our beer and burgers, take some time think MEMORIAL DAY!....Medicineman! 

"THE TOWN THAT WOULDN'T DIE"

On April 16, 1947 the Port of Texas City, Texas suffered the deadliest Industrial accident in U.S, history, and one of history's largest non-nuclear explosions.
The French registered SS Grandchamp sat docked in port when her cargo of 2,200 tons of Ammonium Nitrate caught fire and exploded resulting in a chain reaction of additional fires and explosions in other ships and storage facilities nearby.  It resulted in the death of at least 581 people, including all but one member of the Texas City fire department.
The Ammonium Nitrate , used for both fertilizer and explosive, was mixed with clay, petrolatum, rosin and paraffin wax to avoid moisture caking, then bagged.  Longshoremen reported that the bags were warm to the touch when loaded.
Around 8:00 am smoke was reported in the hold of the Grandchamp.  Attempts to douse the fire failed.  The fire attracted crowds to watch (from a safe distance, they thought).  The yellow-orange smoke attracted more crowds and when the explosion occurred at 9:10 it destroyed the Monsanto Chemical factory, ignited oil and chemical tanks on the waterfront and some 1,000 buildings.  The ship's anchor was hurled across the city and a 15 foot wave was detected nearly 100 miles from the Texas shore.  Two sightseeing planes had their wings shorn off.  People felt the shock 250 miles away in Louisiana.
The cargo ship High Flyer, also loaded with Ammonium Nitrate and moored nearby also caught fire and exploded 15 hours later adding to the death and devastation.  One of her propellers was found nearly a mile inland and now sits in a Memorial Park alongside the anchor of the Grandchamp.
Fire Departments from as far as Los Angelas responded the call for help as all the fire equipment in Texas City was destroyed.
More than 5,000 people were injured with 1,784 admitted to area hospitals.  More than 500 homes were destroyed and 362 freight cars obliterated.  Property damage was estimated at $100 million ($1.1 Billion at today's prices).
Monsanto rebuilt and other industries as well.  Investors joined in and Texas City lives and thrives today.......Medicineman!

VE Day, May 8, 1945

Harry Truman became President when President Roosevelt died in April, 1945.  Just a month later the war was ended in Europe, called VE Day in Europe, May 8, 1945.
President Truman called for a National Day of Prayer asking all Americans to thank God for the victory and to remember those thousands who paid the supreme price for that victory.
Truman also reminded the nation of the task yet to be done, victory in the Pacific.
Memorial Day is fast approaching and all of us must remember those that fought and died!...Medicineman!

WE REMEMBER!

On a high plateau in northern New Mexico is a Memorial to those men and women lost in the struggle in Vietnam.  It is worthy of the attention of every American, young and old.
Just off highway 64, south of the NRA Whittington Center, overlooking two ski areas, the twin spires of the memorial reach for the sky.  On top of the hill next to the spires is the building housing the pictures, uniforms, letters, tributes and a video room telling the story of Vietnam, (I had to leave this room before it was over).  But the real story is in the personal notes pinned to the cork board.  They are short, to the point, and sincere and very often full of tears from the person who wrote it.
Dr. David Westphal built this memorial for his son who gave his life in Vietnam in 1968.  It is funded entirely with donations.  It is worthy of the support of every American.
On a map of the U.S. is listed those numbers KIA and MIA from each state.  Wyoming has KIA-119, and MIA-6.  Is it any wonder that the chapel nestled between the twin spires is open 24/7?
If you ever travel I-25 south from Colorado take a right turn on US 64 at Raton and see this wonderful tribute to our men and women, and the cause they served so well....Medicineman!

NRA-TRUE AND FALSE!

Guns.  Every time a mass shooting by some deranged, unhappy, spoiled or just nasty critter happens who or what gets the blame?  The weapon used of course (unless it happens to be a truck or van plowing into a mass of pedestrians).
Immediately, there is a hew and cry for more "Gun Control".  We must protect our kids by removing the awful presence of "Guns".  And that hew and cry is usually from those who know the least about the subject.
"The NRA is to blame".  "If not for them the guns would go away".  "The NRA funds Republicans to buy their votes".  "The NRA spends millions to get the right people elected".  Let's take a look at the facts.  In 2016 Labor Unions spent 216+ million dollars while the NRA spent 1.1 million in the elections.
There has been a proposal put forward to repeal the second amendment and in the poll taken asking the question; "would you support such a move" 33% of  Democrats said yes while only 4% of Republicans answered yes.  My friends, if that should ever happen, the loss of that most important 2nd Amendment, the rest will follow shortly.  The facts speak for themselves!...Medicineman! 

HISTORY OFTEN REPEATS ITSELF

In 1938 Hitler marched into Austria and took over.  No. not with tanks and other weapons of war.  No the people of Austria invited him in like any guest in their home.  They cheered and waved the Swastika flag and showered the troops with flowers.  Hitler gave his familiar stiff arm salute as he rode in that big open staff car of his to the shouts of joy of the Austrian people.
You see, times were tough in Austria.  Inflation was rampant and money was worthless.  Crime was out of control.  People were out of work.  There were shortages of all the necessities of life.  The government was corrupt and self-serving (sound familiar)?
So what did Hitler do?  He put his "Brown Shirts" in the streets and, along with Martial Law, put crime out of business.  He closed government offices and threw the scoundrels out replacing them with his own scoundrels.  He took over industry, gave everybody a living wage.  He outlawed weapons of any kind--turn them all in or else.
It was too late when the people finally discovered that they had no freedoms.  They had given them all away.  Funny how history repeats itself!..........Medicineman!

WHAT'S MISSING?

The country spent numerous hours of TV,and other media, honoring the memory of Martin Luther King on the 50th anniversary of his murder.  Anyone who was close to him, marched with him or spent time in jail with him was called upon to tell his story (over and over in most cases).  While I have no problem with that I cannot help but think that this man has a Day, marked on the calendar, to remember him while we have Presidents Day.  We gave up recognizing Washington, our first President and the man recognized as the founder of our Republic.  Likewise, we do not honor Lincoln any longer with a special day, the man who saved the union.  Just seems to be----unequal!  We have thoughtful writers like Walter Williams and Thomas Sowell who contribute so much to those who take the time to read them.
There are many blacks in our history, men and women who have made contributions to the formation of our country who are left out of our memory bank.  A free black, Crispus Attucks, fell in the street at the Boston Massacre.  Washington's slave was with Washington throughout the Revolution.  Jim Bowie's freed slave fought and died by his side at the Alamo. Blacks have fought in every war defending this Republic..
Blacks dominate major league sports, making huge salaries while insulting the American flag as well as the fans who idolize them.  Somethin's wrong folks!....Medicineman!