By Charlie Fineran

Hi Everyone:

Have a wonderful Memorial Day Holiday Weekend!!!  Enjoy the many wonderful places to visit and activities offered for the enjoyment of You, Your Families and Friends!!  Make note:  On Memorial Day – The first half of the day (Flag at Half Mast) is for Remembering, Honoring and Giving Thanks for the ultimate sacrifices made by our fallen Heroes!!  Noon, when the flag is (restored at full mast), Go out with your Families and CELEBRATE those very gifts bestowed on us by those sacrifices.

I picked the two photos above to introduce my article.  The Revolutionary War Veteran Flag taking us back in time when our first bloodshed for freedom was shed and then to the present, with a wind-blown, unfurled American Flag, Celebrating and Honoring All, the Sacrifices made over the years preserving our Freedom and way of life.

The many photos I have chosen for this MEMORIAL DAY message in my Flickr site, will hopefully serve a dual purpose!  To remind and to inform.

First, I hope the photos will be a reminder, that Memorial Day is a special time, a time for ALL of us, to HONOR, REMEMBER and give a heartfelt THANK YOU, to ALL the servicemen and women, that made the ultimate sacrifice, while serving Our Country and preserving Our Freedom! That very Freedom, has allowed us over our lifetimes to enjoy so many wonderful benefits and privileges!!  LET US REMEMBER, most of these fallen were very young, thus, never ever experienced any of life’s wonders and joys.

Secondly, I hope some of these photos will offer some information about some wonderful places to visit!!  I have labeled each photo, to aid you in identifying what and where they are from! The Fleet Week photos, the first ship is the USS New York, made from steel from the World Trade Center buildings.  The Merchant Marine Memorial is located along the Hudson River in Battery Park.  The Battleship New Jersey is located in the Delaware River in Camden across from Philadelphia, PA  The old Cruiser Olympia is moored in Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia not far from Independence Center and our Liberty Bell!***Please visit my Flickr site for photos – https://www.flickr.com/photos/charliefineran/albums/72157652909554018 ***  Description of photos below:

There are three photos from my father’s war photos.  These are A-20 aircraft, medium attack bombers used in low level bombing and strafing raids.  The photos are from an attack against Japanese fuel depots.  My father mentioned that at those low levels and high speeds when you were hit you usually were gone!!  This struck A 20 is being given a final escort and salute by one of its fellow attack bombers.

The photo of the George Washington Bridge shows the largest free hanging flag in the world.  It is displayed for several days during certain holidays AND I may add is a stirring sight to see!!

The statue at Liberty State Park along the Hudson, the ship in the background was the Queen Elizabeth II on one of her maiden voyages, the largest passenger ship in the world at the time.  This is a great area to visit, Open Spaces, beautiful wide walkways along the harbor viewing the Statue of Liberty and New York City.

The Memorial Arch at Valley Forge National Park, the NJ Korean War Memorial on the Board Walk at Atlantic City.

Have a Great Memorial Day Weekend with your Family and Friends, take full advantage of all the wonderful opportunities afforded us by our Freedom, AND Remember, Honor and be Thankful for that Freedom – THEY made the ultimate sacrifice for it!

Charlie Fineran