Memorial Day - Let Us Never Forget

Today is Memorial Day. It is a day we set aside to remember the service men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. It is a somber thought. We must give a big thank you to those who have sacrificed for us.

It is easy to forget. I was born at the end of the baby-boom generation. World War II was still fresh in the memories of everyone. Today, it is a distant memory. I lived through Vietnam. I'm not sure what is being taught today about that conflict. I live in the mid-south. The road I can see out the window at the Starbucks was used by both Union and Confederate forces in the Civil War. Not a stones throw from here is the most bullet-riddle structure that still survives from that war. I've lived in the Nashville/Franklin area twice, once as a teenager/young adult and now. It's been a total of almost 20 years, but I never visited the Carter House until last year.

That makes me think about other historical sites on this Memorial Day. I don't want to forget those who literally put their lives on the line for our country. I want to make a bucket list of places to visit so we can remember. What would your bucket list include? Some of mine include:

England - So many of our servicemen/women used England as a staging area before battles. I can't think of a better place to start than the originators of our country.

Normandy - France is definitely on the to-go list. I don't think a visit to France would be complete without remembering those who stormed the beaches on D-Day.

Berlin - I still remember President Reagan standing at the Wall and saying "Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall." Shortly after, the wall came down.

Pacific Islands - Wake Island, Iwo Jima, The Philippines - So many of our servicemen went through hardships there. Today, we think of some of these areas as paradise, to them it was a living hell.

Vietnam - See the above comment. This one is hard for me. I don't think it is one I want to visit, but I believe it is a place I need to visit.

Pearl Harbor - Where WWII began for the United States. It in many ways defined the country we are now. It is definitely a place I want to see.

USS Alabama in Mobile Bay

My list requires planning and money. But what about the places that are close to you? Like the Carter House was for me, there are places to remember all around us. Maybe you live near the coast and there is a old warship now on display. Mobile, New York, Norfolk, San Diego and many, many more all have vessels you can visit. In the northeast and east there are battlefields from the Revolutionary War, in Texas the Alamo, and of course all of the Civil War sites in the north and south.

A trip to Washington DC can show remind us in many ways of those who served, from Arlington Cemetery to the Pentagon, to the Smithsonian and the other Memorials.

So, what is your Bucket List? I'm sure I've forgotten many places. I know there are other locations I would love to visit. I know this much, I do have a plan to check off one of the items. Pearl Harbor. In Sept 2012 Lisa and I are planning to visit Hawaii and I will not miss it. If you want to join us, there is some information in this post about our cruise on the Norwegian Pride of America.

Whatever your plans, wherever you want to go to remember, we can help. Be it a domestic trip, or one across the ocean, we can help you plan it. Don't forget, next year are the Olympics in London. That might be another way to wrap a couple of trips together. We can help there too.