Geez, I feel a little silly. Is anyone else just finding out 12 years later that it has been called Patriot Day all this time? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriot_Day
On the November 22 episode of A Prairie Home Companion, Garrison Keillor sang a song about Buffalo, New York, to the tune of "Camelot." I wondered if that was just a coincidence, but later he sang a song titled "JFK" recalling images familiar to anyone who remembers that day or has even studied it. It was a touching remembrance. The show, divided into sections so the song is easy to locate, can be found here: http://prairiehome.publicradio...ten/?date=2014/11/22
I checked the show's archive for last year during the 50th anniversary. On November 23 he rebroadcast an old show and had new shows on November 16 and November 30. The November 16 one was, oddly enough, from Dallas. A link to the complete broadcast can be found here: http://prairiehome.org/shows/november-16-2013/ JFK is mentioned from about the 30-minute to the 33-minute mark, and again before the 40-minute mark, where Keillor interviews a local guest who says Dallas "went from the city that shot Kennedy to the city that shot J. R. when we're not really either," and though it may not be possible for Dallasites to walk through Dealey Plaza without thinking of Kennedy it is perfectly possible to drive through without him crossing their minds.
Interestingly enough, Keillor said that only about one in four Americans remembers that day. My mom and I found this surprising as people are living a lot longer nowadays and you'd think a lot of old people would still be around. I have to count myself among a select group who were around, but too young to remember. I have absolutely no firsthand recollection of a living John F. Kennedy or of the feeling of losing a president. He was a historical figure to me albeit one holding a certain fascination for me from a young age.
Young John had received lessons on executing a proper salute in preparation for a Veteran's Day trip to Arlington National Cemetery just eleven days before the assassination, but his parents were concerned as he kept doing it left-handed.
He received a refresher from a member of the military on the day of the funeral when he again did it wrong. Other than that, it was completely unrehearsed. At just the right moment, he executed a perfect salute which went down in history.This message has been edited. Last edited by: dandelion,
25 November 2014, 06:55 PM
Doug Spaulding
John Tomerlin, writer of Thriller and The Twilight Zone, amongst others. I met him a couple times. Nice fellow.
"Live Forever!"
07 December 2014, 06:41 PM
dandelion
Today I am especially mindful of Pearl Harbor Day as it again falls on a Sunday and the years are transposed (41 and 14). Luckily the weather was nice enough to put the flag out. The last World War Two vets just left Congress recently...end of an era!
Thinking of the two inexperienced guys on duty blamed for Pearl Harbor being as bad as it was. The second guy, who was expecting some American planes, infamously said, "Don't worry about it," and received angry letters for years afterwards. He died at 96 in 2010. If the first guy would have told him how many planes, he'd have known something was up for sure. But the first guy, who died at 90 in 2012, was also new and didn't know! http://warstoriesandveteranshi...dar-man-joe-lockard/
I attended church for years with a Pearl Harbor survivor but don't believe I heard his story until it was read at his funeral. It was quite fascinating if anyone wants to hear it. I was going to tell it to the pastor (who's been here only a few years and didn't know him) after church at coffee hour, but there was a church bazaar, so no coffee hour.
08 December 2014, 01:07 PM
Linnl
Originally posted by dandelion:
quote:
It was quite fascinating if anyone wants to hear it.
Yes. At your convenience.
08 December 2014, 01:46 PM
fjp451
Yes! I also would enjoy the narrative. My wife and I traveled throughout Europe in the summer of '95. We spent a few days in Normandy. Powerful images everywhere. (The owners of a certain well-known cafe close to the beaches were so very kind to us!)
Sad that so little attention is given to the D-Day Memories in our tech times of today (1944-2014). I guess it is old news. Few in the classrooms could offer details of its location, significance, or outcome. Or maybe I am just being overly critical - I can only hope.
In any event, I try to thank our veterans whenever in their presence, men and women of special fabric. Thanks to all of them . . .PEACE.
