About six miles from Maastricht, in the Netherlands, lie buried 8,301 American soldiers who died in “Operation Market Garden” in the battles to liberate Holland in the fall and winter of 1944-5. Every one of the men buried in the cemetery, as well as those in the Canadian and British military cemeteries, has been adopted by a Dutch family who mind the grave, decorate it, and keep alive the memory of the soldier they have adopted. It is even the custom to keep a portrait of “their” American soldier in a place of honor in their home. Annually, on “Liberation Day,” memorial services are held for “the men who died to liberate Holland.” The day concludes with a concert. The final piece is always “Il Silenzio,” a memorial piece commissioned by the Dutch and first played in 1965 on the 20th anniversary of Holland’s liberation. It has been the concluding piece of the memorial concert ever since.
This year the soloist was a 13-year-old Dutch girl, Melissa Venema, backed by André Rieu and his orchestra (the Royal Orchestra of the Netherlands). This concert piece is based upon the original version of taps and was composed by Italian composer Nino Rossi.
A talented young lady! At least there are still kids somewhere in the world being taught that America is a beacon for freedom and human rights and a liberator rather than the American hating lefty propaganda: America, the imperial destroyer and thief.
Beautiful.
Beautiful and very touching.
Colin Powell, “.. the only land we ever asked for was enough land to bury our dead.”
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Colin_Powell
So why is it that other nations can remember those who died and were buried on foreign soil fighting for liberties, they seem to understand and honor the value of freedom more so than us, because at the same time we here in America allow a system of politics to abandon those who make it back, and need our support in remembering their needs more then ever?
We easily serve those welfare slackers with tax dollars continuously, but seem to ignore our wounded veterans, unless it is forced upon us.
The VA mess, is a recent example of campaign hyperbole of vote for me and this will be resolved, “I promise”. Yet nothing effectively attempted nor resolved by todays elected, en mass!
It is just more swill voters swallow voting idealistic party lines, all without merit nor resolve, and all the while our veterans must continue to fight at home for these assurances promised them for their service at time of enlistment.
Why do they have to die for a system and public elected parleying and willing throwing away the values they fought for.
Every one of those soldiers loyal to this country should be honored, served as promised and remembered 24/7
Harold, I think the answer to our nations seeming indifference about our sacrifice comes from an increasingly slovenly and stupid society mixed with millions of people we didn’t invite here who just came for the money and value their home country more than their host country. Now that’s just my opinion of course, but I think its true and I also think there are too many people on the left who want it to be that way because they are ascending to power on the vote, illegal or not, of such slackers and takers.
The honest, hard working, America loving patriots currently are having our voices drowned out by a strongly leftwing media, so it seems like there’s not many of us left to fix things – but, that’s exactly what the left wants us to believe. I’ll betcha we still outnumber the bums and when we figure out how to organize they’re headed for big trouble! Again, just my opinion….
Harold, the reason our vets aren’t getting the service, care and respect they deserve is because our history has been rewritten since WWII.
Preachers are screaming, “God damn American. The First Lady said, “for the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country…” And, “According to a new Pew Research Center study, only 40 percent of consistently liberal Americans say they often feel proud to be Americans.” (see below link)
Not since WWII have we been involved in a war where the goal was to win it and get out. Americans are tired of wars that last years, run by politicians in DC instead of generals in the battlefields.
We now have a nation full of politicians and voters who believe honoring our vets is no big deal, therefore, providing for them is not a priority.
I don’t agree with how our vets are being treated, but afraid I/we are the minority and it won’t change until we get leaders with military experience who know what they’re doing and take the advise of their military advisors.
‘Obama year 6’ and so Many Liberals are not Proud of America?:
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2014/06/obama_year_6_and_so_many_liberals_are_not_proud_of_america.html