Flowers for Memorial Day: Personal Weekend Story

 

 

Somewhat Confusing Holiday

Memorial Days are a bit confusing for many of us, since we not only have Memorial Day but we also have Veterans Day. We’re just thrilled to have a long weekend, to be perfectly honest. Then, we wonder which military day is which, and how are we supposed to feel? Memorial Day leads us into summer, so here comes beach weather, right? It’s the end of schools, and vacations begin for us. It’s like Hip Hip Hooray.

How It’s Happened

From Constitution Center: “The official founder is generally considered to be Major General John A. Logan. On May 5, 1868, an organization of Union army veterans, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Logan was the leader of that organization and issued the proclamation. Logan chose May 30th because it was not the anniversary of any Civil War battle.”

My Personal Survival Story

I have a personal Survival Story, too, which I want on my wine blog this weekend, since I represent the Baby Boomer generation.  PTSD wasn’t just with the soldiers returning home generation. It spread out to my generation, too. I’m that survivor of a survivor. As we celebrate like it’s the end of war, it has important Memorial Day depth. Everyone was crazy happy when it ended, but then came returning to “normal” life. That’s perhaps why people are happy. yet, CONSIDER MEMORIAL DAY:

I didn’t lose anyone fighting for our rights, with that one. Still my father and his two brothers were in WW II fighting survivors, and losing their buddies caused a lot.

 

David E. Clarke’s Story

The name of the boats that were used during World War II, which landed on Omaha Beach and beyond, were Higgins Boats. My father was assigned to lead a motorcycle brigade in one, onto Omaha Beach, as their commander of the operation. He was to lead a motor cycle brigade, and he loved his assignment. I’m sure my father was dreaming about “riding through France to save the day.” Dad was going to Norwich University, as the military was preparing for war. He was in premed, when his life redirected offer came in.

So, dad left Norwich, eloped with my mother (picture above) and trained for that job alongside his “buddies,” in Baltimore. For all of them, It was pick your poison; also known as either – join with a commission, or be drafted.

Re-creation for WW II Landing in Normandy

 

A Lone Soldier Fends For Himself

When David E’s unit arrived and began to disembark, shots rang out. Dad and his men did what they were trained to do. His buddies protected him, so they fell on top of him. Every one of David’s unit lost his life, with the exception of my father. I can’t image the terror, which he survived physically, however the emotions of it all became frozen in time, never to leave his soul.

 

PTSD

PTSD does not mean PARTY TILL SUNDOWN, it’s quite the opposite, as you all know. I inherited another layer of it, as a result, because it’s what my father’s life instantly became, from then until his grave. I was in that chain, and others are now coming out with those stories.  Dad was living with a very short fuse and I had to be always on alert, however sometimes I completely missed the mark, being so young.

So I too had to live with his energy, as the victim of our five siblings. It didn’t change my heart, mind, or soul, but he surely did try. My siblings were saved, except for my older sister Karen, who was born while my father was in Europe. We he returned, he created some pretty awful stories with her. She also learned to steer clear of him, but she did a better job than I did. I would argue right and wrong. I came in as an old soul, whom he couldn’t break. Someone had to remain sane, deep sigh here.

I’m a Survivor, If You Need a Refresher

Many in my generation and I got the next wave of violence AFTER the war ended. I deliberately kept my soul intact during all of it, but it wasn’t always easy to avoid the terror. I venture on, with my calm soul. Memorial Day is not about burgers and dogs for me. I’m here to define it for the next generation. This is so we can all, at some point in time, end wars. Be the doves this weekend. We need a lot of YOU…

Respect…

My wish is for ALL of our military men and women who were lost to be honored, and will appreciate the dignity it deserves. And to those still protecting, please be careful new soldiers are now helping our government to hide what they’re doing from us. After the Vietnam War TV images, our government said they would never let us see image like that again against our soldiers. I remember hearing that news revelation. When I can’t remember it anymore, you’ll know I’m three sheets to the wind. I have one set of soldiers now, a grand nephew and his lovely wife… Both in military service, and with children. I keep them in my heart.

© Jo Diaz, May 23, 2026, All rights reserved.

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Written by Jo Diaz, a partner of Diaz Communications, who is helping to make stars realize their dreams.
Edited by partner Jose Diaz.

 

To reprint, please contact Jo Diaz: jo@diaz-communications.com