Remembrance Day

 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

 

Lt. Col. John McCrae, M.D.

 

 

 

Today we remember the dead of previous wars, and the soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen and women who guard us today.

 

I took a little trip yesterday to Fort Leavenworth, to take some pictures to show you of some monuments there...

 

 

This is the Buffalo Soldier Monument... it has a reflecting pool and fountain during warmer months.

 

Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This nickname was given to the "Negro Cavalry" by the Native American tribes they fought; the term eventually became synonymous with all of the African-American regiments formed in 1866:

• 9th Cavalry Regiment
• 10th Cavalry Regiment
• 24th Infantry Regiment
• 25th Infantry Regiment

Although several African-American regiments were raised during the Civil War to fight alongside the Union Army (including the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and the many United States Colored Troops Regiments), the "Buffalo Soldiers" were established by Congress as the first peacetime all-black regiments in the regular U.S. Army.^[1] On September 6, 2005, Mark Matthews, who was the oldest living Buffalo Soldier, died at the age of 111. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery

 

(Wikipedia)

 

 

From any angle, he's impressive.  He was sculpted by Eddie Dixon.

 

Not far from the Buffalo Soldier, by the shores of Lake Scott, is this monument:

 

 

I think this sculpture is remarkable, and very life like.

 

 

This monument is dedicated to the Army's first black parachute infantry.

 

At the end of the avenue bearing his name is my favorite monument.  I'll have Keith write someday about my devotion to this general.  (You'll laugh)

 

 And pulling back a little, you can see that all the famous battles he led are on the plinth.

 

 

 

(well, you could if I could have gotten a better picture)

 

(Biggify it)

 

But of all these soldiers, there is one I love the best.

 

 

Here he is at his Command and General Staff School graduation, 1997.

 

Thank you, Honey, for 24 years of service to your country, and protecting us for all those years!