Why This Memorial Day is More Special to Me

Memorial day brings on a whole new meaning to me this year. This year we will be remembering our own hero, MGST. A.E. Greene United States Marine Corps.

My dad fought in Vietnam and then in the worse battle ever and ultimately he lost the battle. The enemy was CANCER. His cancer could be traced back to the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam.

Vietnam was a war that many people did not want to be involved in. The soldiers when they returned were not given a heroes welcome, in fact most were greeted with unkind words and protests. Years later, they are still suffering the effects of this war- through illnesses that can be contributed to the use of Agent Orange. In the coming weeks I will be posting more about this issue but today I am posting in honor of my dad.

He was and will always be my hero. Life just doesn’t seem the same without him. On Saturday my middle daughter Mikaela got up like she normally did every Memorial Day weekend to go put American flags on the graves of our fallen soldiers. This was something she always did with my dad but this year it was different. This year she did it to honor his memory. Her Facebook post brought tears to my eyes.

We spent our Memorial day going out to my dad’s grave and placing a patriotic pinwheel and a Marine Corps flag there.

My dad was all about making sure that veterans living and dead were given the respect that they were due. Just read what they wrote about him when he died.

So this Memorial Day I challenge you to stop for a moment and remember those who fought for our freedom and who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

The picture above was taken a few years back when the Wall that Heals, a replica of the Vietnam Wall came to town. He was ringing the bell for all those that were lost. Now we will ring the bell for him.

“Fair Winds and Following Seas Marine We Now Have the Watch.”

Miss you and love you Dad.

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