Open thread: Who are you honoring this weekend?
May 26th, 2012
02:00 AM ET

Open thread: Who are you honoring this weekend?

As the country heads into the Memorial Day weekend, the traditional kickoff to the summer travel season, there are almost 1.5 million U.S soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines deployed in war zones or combat missions worldwide.

So far, more than 6,400 U.S. servicemen and servicewomen have died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - 3,000 in Afghanistan alone - and at least 48,000 more have been wounded.

We encourage you to spend some time looking at our Home and Away feature, where you can discover the individual stories of the fallen.

Do you have a friend or family member in service? Tell in the comments who you are honoring this weekend.
Filed under: Iraq War • Military
soundoff (96 Responses)
  1. davey

    My father in law, Marvin VanGelderen. Normandy, North France June 6, 1944. I wish I could have met you.

    May 26, 2012 at 3:43 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Nancy

    I will be honoring my late father-in-law, a WWII forward observer in the ETO who was wounded twice and received the purple heart, along with other commendations. His war experiences forever colored his life, but he was ultimately a good man who gave much to his children and grandchildren. I miss him.

    In addition, I honor every other person in our armed forces, wherever they may be, for the tremendous sacrifices they make on behalf of us all. Thank you for your service!

    May 26, 2012 at 3:49 pm | Report abuse |
  3. fernace

    @ mickey1313, I hear what you're saying, but we can't & shouldn't hold the troops responsible for our leaders poor choices! The fact that they're willing to be deployed & take a bullet, even while not necessarily endorsing the reasons why, is just more reason to celebrate their unselfishness! Today is not about the stupid reasons for war (land, religion, power), it's about the men & women who have supported & protected our way of life w/their own! I think that's the definition of Hero! But if you ask a vet, they just did what they had to do! Amazing! I find that worthy of honor & celebration!!

    May 26, 2012 at 4:07 pm | Report abuse |
    • mickey1313

      @fernace, i don't hold it against them, but i certainly don't heroify then either. Remember many Nazi's were hanged for just following orders.

      May 26, 2012 at 6:21 pm | Report abuse |
  4. GOP FOREVER

    I'm not honoring any of those idiots that went off to fight and die for Obama. Once we get a real man in office then I'll start supporting our armed forces again, but not while that man is commander and chief.

    May 26, 2012 at 4:09 pm | Report abuse |
    • How Rude

      What a stupid remark, since the majority of these "idiots" were deployed by the most unpatriotic POTUS ever...under completely made up reasons for going to war...the despot Bush...so those who have died under Bush's reign of terror are underserving of our grati tude? Another GFY by our fallen dead soldiers. Shut up, treasonous hater!!!

      May 26, 2012 at 4:31 pm | Report abuse |
    • wow

      Wow dude.. You suck as a person. Obama didn't start no war, and ended one. Remember Bush? Send him your thanks, you toolbox.

      May 26, 2012 at 4:31 pm | Report abuse |
    • ©bobcat (in a hat)©

      @ gop forever (NO, YOU DO NOT DESERVE CAPITAL LETTERS)

      Here's a better idea for your disrspectful self. Why don't you join the military and fight the wars that your man bush started ? You obviously like to talk big trash, but when it comes to doing, you're just a little wimpy punk. To bad they they don't have a firing squad for people like you.

      May 26, 2012 at 5:06 pm | Report abuse |
    • violet

      Obama was not in office when my son joined the Army, actually Obama was not in office when my son was killed!!!! Our sons and daughters are not there to fight for the president. They are there so we can have a president!

      May 26, 2012 at 6:41 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Mark

    I remember all veterans and thank them for their service. I especially remember my battle buddies from both Viet Nam and Iraq. I will continue to live with survivor's guilt, why them and not I? Some gave all, all gave some.

    May 26, 2012 at 4:11 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Michelle

    My Dad. He served aboard the USS White Plains, WWII in the Pacific. And the many great + grandfathers, cousins and uncles who served in every war from the Revolutionary War to Vietnam. I am proud and honor all of them.

    May 26, 2012 at 4:39 pm | Report abuse |
  7. How Rude

    You are sending a mixed message. Are you honoring our fallen, or using this as a political speech? We all make our own work....it's the getting paid part that prevents us from eating....

    May 26, 2012 at 4:44 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Pamela

    I am honoring my deceased father, John Franklin Curtis, that served during WWII in the U.S.Navy. I asked my father to record his experience and he did for me. I will always be proud of my father.

    May 26, 2012 at 4:58 pm | Report abuse |
  9. revo

    my grandfather, Pvt. Edwin Rabinowitz, who made the ultimate sacrifice on July 26, 1945 - less than 3 weeks before the end of the war.

    May 26, 2012 at 5:01 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Donna

    Pamela,
    I have taken care of the veterans. I apologize if my message came across as political. I am not at all political. I have family members who have served in all of the services. I do think that if I was sacrificing my life for freedom, those who were fortunate enough not to have to put their lives on the line should be working in their own way back in the U.S. to protect everything those overseas are/have put their lives on the line to protect.

    May 26, 2012 at 5:05 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Shana Ledet Qualls

    I am honoring my father, MSGT Minus P. Ledet, USA/Ret, who passed away in Sept 2010. He was a three war veteran, WWII in the No. Atlantic, & Northern Africa, the Korea War and the Viet Nam War, 6 years in the Navy and 21 years in the Army. He was a patriot who loved his country and had children and grandchildren who honorably served this nation and still do. He is missed and I will always be proud of his service.

    May 26, 2012 at 5:15 pm | Report abuse |
  12. hamsta

    i will tell you who obama is not honoring – the pakistani doctor who located and identified bin laden. what ever happened to protecting the informant? obama brags about getting bin laden but cant even honor the the first rule of dealing with an informant. the obama administration wants to sell the classified information to hollywood so they can make a movie while he sells his informant to pakistan so he can be found guilty of treason.

    May 26, 2012 at 5:24 pm | Report abuse |
    • How Rude

      What in the hell is WRONG with you, hamsta? You have got to be the most spiteful, hateful, unpatriotic fool alive! To use this forum, to honor our fallen soldiers, as a platform for you hatred of all things Obama is a new low, even for you!!!

      May 26, 2012 at 6:30 pm | Report abuse |
  13. ©bobcat (in a hat)©

    @ hamsta

    Congratulations !!!!! You have just succeeded In direspecting our veterans by coming on here with your normal tirade against President Obama. And going off about the Pakistani doctor no less. How about trying to say something nice about our veterans, which by the way is what this story is about. You are such a jerk sometimes.

    May 26, 2012 at 5:49 pm | Report abuse |
  14. Nate

    CW2 Kyle E. Jackson. Killed January 13, 2006 in Iraq.

    May 26, 2012 at 6:17 pm | Report abuse |
  15. Thank You

    PVT Stephen Hathaway, WWII, Army
    PVT Lawrence Mullany, WWII, Army
    COL William Wood, Iraq, Army
    SFC Bradley Fox, Iraq Army
    All military personnel and their families that served and those that continue to serve our nation.

    May 26, 2012 at 7:15 pm | Report abuse |
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