thedrifter
05-28-04, 10:11 AM
A Memorial Day article... well worth reading
Trooping the Line
by: Edward B. Meyer, Brigadier General, United States Marine Corps (Retired.)
Each of our Armed Forces has a ceremonial process called, Trooping the Line, wherein the inspecting dignitary walks the length of each rank/file, with his/her head visibly bobbing up and down, inspecting each member from head to toe, and occasionally stopping to ask a question or sometimes to make a comment or voice an observation. A part of the ‘Trooping the Line' usually has the inspecting dignitary asking questions of some of those being scrutinized. "Where's your home?" "How long have you been a member of your unit?" "Do you have any problems/complaints?" These are popular questions. "When did you last get a haircut?" "When did you last polish your boots?" These are unpopular questions, and usually have unpleasant consequences. General Patton, on occasion, had a reputation for questions more petrifying penetrating than any of these.
One day, a few weeks ago, as is my annual ritual, I drove out to Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. I choose to ‘Troop the Line' each year before Memorial/Veterans day. I have myself convinced that such a preliminary visit conditions me emotionally to be more receptive and attentive to the ceremonies and speeches that accompany these formal occasions. I tabulate some of those many veterans laid recently to rest. I feel comfortable amongst and with those who have served our Nation in the past. The VA has recently issued a statement that we, as a nation, are losing fourteen hundred veterans a day.
With the help of the Director of Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, I selected at random in this garden of stone, a row within one section in perfect alignment of 120 headstones, some in the shadow of the Bennington Memorial.
I selected this particular row because it was close to the Memorial, a tribute to those lost as a result of shipboard disaster in 1905. This was a tragedy that happened while this Nation was at peace. There was no war. World War I was yet to come, 1917 1918, actually 1914 1918. For the past one hundred (100) years, we have laid our veteran dead to rest at Rosecrans National Cemetery. History is told on the headstones of our warriors, veterans of WWI WWII Korea Vietnam Desert Storm – Afghanistan – Iraq, and the many global ‘police Actions' and conflicts that produce veterans.
On my ‘Trooping of The Line' there would be no questions and no responses. The only information gleaned came from those biographical summaries entered on each headstone Name Date of Birth State Date of Death Service. With only the sun as my companion I quietly walked the sod dividing the straight lines of tomb stones, stopping occasionally as if on parade, but instead of asking a question I silently read the biography dedicated to that particular veteran. As I read each headstone I calculated that ‘this person would be ‘whatever' years old this year'. As a person, what would he be like? What would his interests be? Might we have been friends?
I finish my trooping; many memories have been rekindled; the emotion of the moment forces an involuntary quiver of my lower lip; with my head bowed I mumble a quiet prayer heard only by them, my God and me. For uncounted minutes I am lost in thought. A lifetime of good times and bad times rush through my memory bank. Friends long gone, some more recently, pass in front of my remembrance and a great feeling of patriotism and pride builds within me as I raise my eyes and gaze towards the tall pole and see our flag fluttering in the gentle breeze that is ever present at Fort Rosecrans the permanent national home of our warriors.
There is a strange inward relaxed feeling settling within me. But also a feeling of sadness as I stand surrounded by my peers, gone before me. That old habit of nearly four decades of service to my country is stimulated as I raise my hand in salute, this truly is hallowed ground and we truly did make a difference. Together we ensured freedom from tyranny. Together we endured hardships that are unimaginable by those who were not witness to them. Each year we die at a faster rate and soon only the written word will bare testimony to our sacrifices for the glory of victory. If the future can be built on the shoulders of the past then the price paid was a bargain. Our legacy to the future is "those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it".
There is a brotherhood of service in these straight lines of tombstones. They lie side by side, not knowing in life the comrade that lies beside them, but now together for eternity. There is no rank in this field of brothers. They are soldiers or sailors or marines or airmen/airwomen. They are tall, short, fat or skinny. They are brothers because they all answered the call. Brothers in arms. They have earned an honored place in our nation’s history that will be remembered for time immemorial. They are gathered and laid to rest in this most hallowed place partly so that we can enjoy the privilege of paying our respects to them, and say ‘thank you for your service' on Memorial Day, the special day set aside for our memory of them.
We who still survive have a solemn duty to ensure that those who pass on each day do not go quietly into the night of eternity unnoticed or without fanfare. Even today, young service personnel are sometimes asked to pay the ultimate price for our security and freedom. They do what has to be done for little reward. It is therefore fitting that we put them on the pedestal of valor, for it is a place they so richly deserve to be. On this Memorial Day, as on Memorial Days of the past, we will gather in those national hallowed places all across America set aside for our veterans where, in honored tradition we will perform rituals of remembrance, and each of us will remember a particular ‘brother at arms' or perhaps several, and we shall see their faces, and we shall remember them then, for they do not grow old as we grow old, but remain forever young and vibrant.
On this Memorial Day, May 29, 2000 our Nations tribute to those faithful Americans, from all wars or conflicts, to include both the wounded and the deceased, who, when entrusted with the lamp of freedom, shed their blood; even paid the ultimate price with their lives. They have constituted a worldwide trail of graves. Let no American forget the sworn obligation to defend the rights that they who went before and served, gave their lives to protect and preserve.
Every day has become Memorial day!
Edward B. Meyers, Brigadier General, United States Marine Corps, (Retired.)
Ellie
Trooping the Line
by: Edward B. Meyer, Brigadier General, United States Marine Corps (Retired.)
Each of our Armed Forces has a ceremonial process called, Trooping the Line, wherein the inspecting dignitary walks the length of each rank/file, with his/her head visibly bobbing up and down, inspecting each member from head to toe, and occasionally stopping to ask a question or sometimes to make a comment or voice an observation. A part of the ‘Trooping the Line' usually has the inspecting dignitary asking questions of some of those being scrutinized. "Where's your home?" "How long have you been a member of your unit?" "Do you have any problems/complaints?" These are popular questions. "When did you last get a haircut?" "When did you last polish your boots?" These are unpopular questions, and usually have unpleasant consequences. General Patton, on occasion, had a reputation for questions more petrifying penetrating than any of these.
One day, a few weeks ago, as is my annual ritual, I drove out to Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. I choose to ‘Troop the Line' each year before Memorial/Veterans day. I have myself convinced that such a preliminary visit conditions me emotionally to be more receptive and attentive to the ceremonies and speeches that accompany these formal occasions. I tabulate some of those many veterans laid recently to rest. I feel comfortable amongst and with those who have served our Nation in the past. The VA has recently issued a statement that we, as a nation, are losing fourteen hundred veterans a day.
With the help of the Director of Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, I selected at random in this garden of stone, a row within one section in perfect alignment of 120 headstones, some in the shadow of the Bennington Memorial.
I selected this particular row because it was close to the Memorial, a tribute to those lost as a result of shipboard disaster in 1905. This was a tragedy that happened while this Nation was at peace. There was no war. World War I was yet to come, 1917 1918, actually 1914 1918. For the past one hundred (100) years, we have laid our veteran dead to rest at Rosecrans National Cemetery. History is told on the headstones of our warriors, veterans of WWI WWII Korea Vietnam Desert Storm – Afghanistan – Iraq, and the many global ‘police Actions' and conflicts that produce veterans.
On my ‘Trooping of The Line' there would be no questions and no responses. The only information gleaned came from those biographical summaries entered on each headstone Name Date of Birth State Date of Death Service. With only the sun as my companion I quietly walked the sod dividing the straight lines of tomb stones, stopping occasionally as if on parade, but instead of asking a question I silently read the biography dedicated to that particular veteran. As I read each headstone I calculated that ‘this person would be ‘whatever' years old this year'. As a person, what would he be like? What would his interests be? Might we have been friends?
I finish my trooping; many memories have been rekindled; the emotion of the moment forces an involuntary quiver of my lower lip; with my head bowed I mumble a quiet prayer heard only by them, my God and me. For uncounted minutes I am lost in thought. A lifetime of good times and bad times rush through my memory bank. Friends long gone, some more recently, pass in front of my remembrance and a great feeling of patriotism and pride builds within me as I raise my eyes and gaze towards the tall pole and see our flag fluttering in the gentle breeze that is ever present at Fort Rosecrans the permanent national home of our warriors.
There is a strange inward relaxed feeling settling within me. But also a feeling of sadness as I stand surrounded by my peers, gone before me. That old habit of nearly four decades of service to my country is stimulated as I raise my hand in salute, this truly is hallowed ground and we truly did make a difference. Together we ensured freedom from tyranny. Together we endured hardships that are unimaginable by those who were not witness to them. Each year we die at a faster rate and soon only the written word will bare testimony to our sacrifices for the glory of victory. If the future can be built on the shoulders of the past then the price paid was a bargain. Our legacy to the future is "those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it".
There is a brotherhood of service in these straight lines of tombstones. They lie side by side, not knowing in life the comrade that lies beside them, but now together for eternity. There is no rank in this field of brothers. They are soldiers or sailors or marines or airmen/airwomen. They are tall, short, fat or skinny. They are brothers because they all answered the call. Brothers in arms. They have earned an honored place in our nation’s history that will be remembered for time immemorial. They are gathered and laid to rest in this most hallowed place partly so that we can enjoy the privilege of paying our respects to them, and say ‘thank you for your service' on Memorial Day, the special day set aside for our memory of them.
We who still survive have a solemn duty to ensure that those who pass on each day do not go quietly into the night of eternity unnoticed or without fanfare. Even today, young service personnel are sometimes asked to pay the ultimate price for our security and freedom. They do what has to be done for little reward. It is therefore fitting that we put them on the pedestal of valor, for it is a place they so richly deserve to be. On this Memorial Day, as on Memorial Days of the past, we will gather in those national hallowed places all across America set aside for our veterans where, in honored tradition we will perform rituals of remembrance, and each of us will remember a particular ‘brother at arms' or perhaps several, and we shall see their faces, and we shall remember them then, for they do not grow old as we grow old, but remain forever young and vibrant.
On this Memorial Day, May 29, 2000 our Nations tribute to those faithful Americans, from all wars or conflicts, to include both the wounded and the deceased, who, when entrusted with the lamp of freedom, shed their blood; even paid the ultimate price with their lives. They have constituted a worldwide trail of graves. Let no American forget the sworn obligation to defend the rights that they who went before and served, gave their lives to protect and preserve.
Every day has become Memorial day!
Edward B. Meyers, Brigadier General, United States Marine Corps, (Retired.)
Ellie