DAILY DIRT: ‘All gave some, some gave all; Remember them this Memorial Day’

May 26, 2025 | By STEVE EIGHINGER MRN MINISTER OF CULTURE AND DOCTOR OF LOVE

Daily Dirt for Monday, May 26, 2025

No matter what generation you represent, Memorial Day encompasses us all … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,295 of The Daily Dirt.

1. For most boomers, Memorial Day brings about memories of the dreaded conflict in Vietnam.

Most of us either lost a friend or relative in the jungles of southeast Asia, or know someone who did. It was a terrible time when I remember my parents being worried that I might be drafted and eventually shipped overseas.

That’s why every Memorial Day I say a silent prayer in remembrance for all of those who did — and for all of those who never came back. Personally, I remember a star running back at our high school who was drafted, shipped to Vietnam … and was killed there. He was one of 58,148 Americans who lost their lives there.

Here are a few other items to consider — and remember — today while we enjoy time with our families and watch an American Flag blowing in the warm, May breeze:

Five American soldiers killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old.
The oldest U.S. soldier killed there was 62.
Along with those 58,000-plus U.S. solders killed, 5,283 lost limbs and 1,081 sustained multiple amputations. More than 75,000 were disabled.
Of those killed, more than 17,000 were married.
There are still more than 1,500 Americans still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.

2. Today we offer a special “Did You Know” tribute to our armed service men and women, both past and present … Did you know (Part 374):

That “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.” — Gen. George S. Patton.
That “All gave some; some gave all. Remember them this Memorial Day.”— Unknown.
That “Their silent graves speak louder than any words ever could. Remember them.” — Unknown.
That “Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.” — Unknown.
That “We don’t know them all, but we owe them all.” — Unknown.

3. The following is from writer Ashley Ray of soldersangels.org.

I think it is not only fitting for this Memorial Day, but for all days:

“This Memorial Day, may we all strive to live lives worthy of their sacrifice.”

Steve Thought O’ The Day – Two songs that will definitely be played in the Eighinger house today: “Some Gave All” by Billy Ray Cyrus and “God Bless the USA,” by Lee Greenwood.