On February 16, 1944, my grandfather was gunned down by sniper fire in the opening moments of the Battle of Anzio in southern Italy. Frankly, I only know the man through three black and white pictures, vague senility-stricken stories and a plain granite headstone in central Texas. Yet every Memorial Day, I pause and think of his ultimate sacrifice. Chills creep up my arms and legs until my body shudders.
Memorial Day began in the mid-1860's to commemorate the lives of so many dead Americans lost from our Civil War. Over time we have included all our dead from the armed forces throughout our brief history. These individual sacrifices were and are not insignificant. These dead souls are buried in the soil where we play baseball, picnic and hike freely. They fought and died so we can vote, move, work, play and travel at our own digression without governmental discord. They died so we could become Americans. Lest we forget.
Lest We Forget
They shall not grow older
As we are left to grow older.
Age shall not weary them,
Nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun,
and the rising of the next morn,
This Memorial Day
We shall remember them.
We shall remember them.
(I obviously despoiled the speech to fit my needs in this post, but I think it's appropriate.)
In tribute to a grandfather I never met, I listed some of the grandest American iconic events that make our country so great. These are ten amazing events that have almost become holidays in themselves. In no particular order, except in my head...here we go.
- The Super Bowl
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
- Mardi Gras
- The Kentucky Derby
- The Masters
- The Rose Bowl
- Indianapolis 500
- Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
- SXSW
- Sundance Film Festival
A way to pay tribute to our fallen heroes is enjoy the freedoms for which they died. My own, personal memory of my grandfather would have it no other way. If you want to get out there and be a part of Americana, contact us at TheTravelValet@gmail.com. Enjoy your Memorial Day.
Pick of the Day(12-5-0)...Mets
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