"What Memorial Day means to me" ...

[The Inspector]

Well said.

[eagle0025]

Great pics and even better thoughts in this thread. For me personally, it is remembering those members of the 474th Fighter Group (9th AF) who gave their all during WWII in the ETO. I have come to know these young men through researching the outfit for over the past 20 years. Each one has a story all their own. All shared of common bond of selfless service to rid the world of a terrible cancer. So if you will indulge me, here is a list of those fine, brave young men:
428th Fighter Squadron
2Lt. Greene C. Simpson
2Lt. Jasper L. Williams
2Lt. Norman L. Frodenberg
2Lt. Anthony A. Usas
2Lt. Montgomery A. Coddington III
2Lt. Robert S. Hansen
1Lt. Marvin N. Vinson
Captain Richard A. Gee
2Lt. Robert J. Rubel
2Lt. Charles A. Patton
MSgt. John D. Walton
TSgt. James W. McDonald
1Lt. Walter B. Ingledew Jr.
1Lt. Joseph B. Stone
2Lt. Jerome J. Zierlein
2Lt. Ray D. Packard
Captain Harold A. Scott
2Lt. Richard R. Holt
2Lt. Reginald A. Pitzer
2Lt. Boyd O. Edmiston
1Lt. Hurshel L. Hopper
2Lt. George W. Holland Jr.
2Lt. George J. Gildow
Captain Leland W. Smith
1Lt. Bobbie R. Rankin
2Lt. Adrian V. Knox
2Lt. Carl W. Coale
2Lt. James F. Hitchcock
2Lt. Alexander (NMI) Zeece
2Lt. Oliver (NMI) Berg
2Lt. Cleo O. Beaty
1Lt. Ralph N. Ramsey
2Lt. George W. Alge
2Lt. Robert H. Strong
1Lt. Shannon E. Estill

429th Fighter Squadron
2Lt. James G. Ware Jr.
2Lt. Merle V. Ogden
2Lt. Milton J. Merkle
2Lt. Claude D. Kimball
2Lt. Paul J. Heuermann
2Lt. Clarence C. Moore
2Lt. Glen W. Goodrich
2Lt. Dennis R. Chamberlain
2Lt. Harold D. Bledsoe
F/O Ben (NMI) Higgins Jr.
1Lt. Jack F. Greve
Captain Charles N. Holcomb
1Lt. Herman Q. Lane
2Lt. Robert T. Hazzard
2Lt. Richard (NMI) Stein
2Lt. Robert N. Cooke
2Lt. Gene F. Loveless
1Lt. Lenton F. Kirkland Jr.
2Lt. Ralph E. Byers
1Lt. Richard V. Riggs
2Lt. Paul M. Daily
1Lt. George (NMI) Houston
2Lt. Robert L. Coleman

430th Fighter Squadron
Major Leon B. Temple
2Lt. Robert J. Belford
1Lt. Robert F. Doty
2Lt. Marcellus D. Danish
2Lt. Bernard B. Jacobs
1Lt. Robert B. Holden
1Lt. Jack M. Messinger
Captain Robert A. Cranmer
1Lt. Robert G. Loft
1Lt. George H. Brewer
Cpl. Ross C. Carey
1Lt. Frazier R. Stair
2Lt. Elbert J. Bradrick
1Lt. Ernest M. Carsten
2Lt. Walter J. Fahrenholz
2Lt. Alfred B. Abeles
1Lt. Kenneth V. Blum
2Lt. Robert E. Hainley
2Lt. Marvin E. Thomas
1Lt. John C. Calhoun
1Lt. James B. Gabriel
1Lt. John B. Lamb
2Lt. John S. Stubblefield
2Lt. John W. Haggard

[F6FFan]

Excellent posts everybody, really enjoyed reading them. For me, Memorial Day means remembering the sacrifices of those who have gone before, so we might be free . Personally, I remember my great uncle who served in Air Group Two, who I posted about a while back, his brother, who flew up in the Aleutians during World War II and saw some action there, and my grandpa, who washed out of pilot training in the AAC only due to the fact they found out about his heart murmur near his graduation day, which he had told them about before. He became a B-24 maintenance officer and went through North Africa, and even was on a B-24 on the Raid on Ploesti. I'll find his unit number and post it.. But these are who I remember when I think of Memorial Day even though they survived. Then I am thinking of the men that are still MIA, that have given their lives for us all.

[old infantryman]

[quote="The Inspector"]Thanks Mark! I'll be thinking of my dad this weekend too.

Anyone know who the marching troops in the Balaclavas were?

I think you are referring to the Army parachute troops. The headgear was an adaptation of a flying helmet.

Bud Miller