Memorial Day

A Day of Remembrance

Here in the United States, on the

last Monday in May we celebrate

Memorial Day.  It used to be called

Decoration Day and graves of soldiers

were decorated but now it is a day

to reflect and think about all of our

soldiers, past and present.

This photo is of my Dad,

Mike Smanko who served in

the Army Air Corps in World War II.

Here he is driving a jeep

in Naples, Italy in 1945.

On the back of this one is written,

The best of luck Pal.

My Dad sure looks happy, the

other guys not so much...

This one says  Naples, Italy 1945.

There is the old saying, that war is hell.

But I don't think that was the case for

my Dad.  As a young guy who had spent

much of his life suffering through the

effects of the Great Depression, I think

this experience was a grand adventure.

Later in life he would tell us endless

stories of the war.  He got to travel around

the USA, then went overseas to North Africa

and Europe.  He loved Italy and took my

Mom back years later to Italy and

Germany to show her where he had been.

I love this picture where we can see the

tin cups and plates they used ~ he had

lots of stories and bad names for the food.

This is my Dad's dog on the hood

of an Army jeep, his name was

C-ration.

Here are all the guys, my Dad is on

the ledge in the back row.  I assume

this is in Italy somewhere,  I know I

have readers in Italy, if anyone recognizes

the dome of that church, please tell me

where it is, I'd love to visit there.

I have never been able to think of the day

as one of mourning.  I have never quite been

able to feel that the half-masted flags were

appropriate on Decoration Day.  I have

rather felt that the flag should be at the peak,

because those whose dying we commemorate

rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed

it.  We honor them in a joyous, thankful,

triumphant commemoration of what they did.

Benjamin Harrison

So, wherever you may live, think about

a soldier today and the sacrifices they

have made to keep us all safe.

Happy Memorial Day from this

American Homestead.