Thanksgiving Tributes

A friend recently sent along an e-mail containing photos from Iraq, part of a tribute to fallen members of Baker Company, U.S. Marines. The photos, two of which are shown below, had an impact on me.

Marines catch up on sleep (above) and spell out "We Remember" (below.) Double click to enlarge.

So this Thanksgiving, in addition to being grateful for loving and supportive family and friends, and for good health, I give thanks to the men and women in uniform who serve our country--in Iraq, Afghanistan and all over the world.

I am including two items as part of my thanks. The first is a link to the National Museum of American History, in Washington, D.C., and its special exhibit entitled "The Price of Freedom: Americans at War." It provides an apolitical examination of how wars have shaped our nation's history. As such, it provides a fitting tribute to those who serve in our military.

Here is how the Museum describes the exhibit: "The Price of Freedom: Americans at War surveys the history of America’s military from the French and Indian Wars to the present conflict in Iraq, exploring ways in which wars have been defining episodes in American history. The exhibition extends far beyond a survey of battles to present the link between military conflict and American political leadership, social values, technological innovation, and personal sacrifice. The heart of the story is the impact of war on citizen soldiers, their families, and communities."

You can take a virtual walk through the exhibit by going to: http://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/exhibition.cfm?key=38&exkey=77 Also see link at right.

Second, I invite you to view the video below of a performance by the rock band U-2 at the 2002 Super Bowl at the Louisiana Superdome. The song, Where the Streets Have No Name (a personal favorite), is a tribute to the 9/11 attacks. The performance includes a huge banner (visible in the background in the still photo below) on which are listed the names of those killed in the attacks. The names scroll upward, rising metamorphically like a skyscraper then appear to suddenly collapse.

To enlarge to full screen click on the second icon from the right.