Until recently I never completely understood memorial day. It should be a solemn day to remember those who gave their lives for our country, and yet we celebrate it by having big memorial day sales and having barbeques. A while ago I was talking to a friend of mine named Noah who has spent a considerable amount of time in Israel, where memorial day is a much different experience from the one here. I lamented the state of memorial day here, and he responded by reminding me that in some other countries (such as Israel) memorial day is much more solemn only because the pain is much more real. He said that he was sure that most Israelies would gladly embrace the day when memorial day could be celebrated with trips to the beach and stock car races, rather than a tearful moment of silence. Perhaps the real lesson of memorial day lies not in its existence, but in its evolution.

Since memorial day has gone from a solemn day of contemplation to a day of revelry, I think it appropriate that this post does to. To wit, I bring you one of the best war stories my grandfather has ever told me.

My grandfather was born in Germany in 1916. Several of his older brothers were WWI veterans. By his late teenage years he had already managed to see the writing on the wall, and realized that Germany was not the place for a young Jew. However, when he was summoned by the Reich for draft duty, he did as ordered. He went through a physical examination, and upon completion was having his paperwork reviewed by an officer when an SS soldier asked the dreaded question – “Are you a Jew?” When he responded in the affirmative, he was informed that his services to the country were not needed. He was told to go outside where the German flag was flying, and swear allegiance to the flag, the country, and the fuhrer. He was allowed to leave the country, but if Germany went to war against a country he was in, he had 3 days to report for duty. The way he tells it he was good to his word – when the invasion of Normany occured, he was there as a member of the United States army.