Post A Coin For Memorial Day Weekend

1997 National Law Enforcement Memorial dollar

1995 Civil War Commemorative dollar

I've posted this before in other settings, but my dad introduced me to coin collecting when I was young and I finally had the opportunity to show him some of my favorite coins from my collection shortly before he passed away last August. I later found out that I actually inherited some money from his estate and decided to honor his memory by purchasing a couple of special coins that I otherwise wouldn't have been able to justify spending the money on. Oh -- and my dad served in the Navy, so that ties the story into Memorial Day, I guess.

Looking through this thread, I get the sense there is a bit of confusion over Memorial Day vs. Veterans Day.

In the US,

Memorial Day is a holiday set aside to remember and honor those that lost their lives while serving in the US military.

Veterans Day is the day we honor those that served in the US Armed Forces.

Memorial Day can be many things to many people. It was first called Decorations Day, and celebrated at the end of May as optimal for flowers in bloom. It is the beginning of the summer vacation season, the end of school, and a time of rebirth. Time to plant the garden and watch the Indy 500. We can now wear white. There are thousands of parades, open houses, and air shows, with many blurring the boundaries with Armed Forces Week, which occurs during the third week in May. The Rolling Thunder Run to the Wall, with POW-MIA flags flying, happens in DC. While this holiday's specific purpose is to honor those in the military that paid the ultimate sacrifice, there is some expansion of purpose. We can all reflect on how our lives and personal opportunities have been enabled by those that served and died.

*bump*

Gotta be more out there than this.

edit:

I do understand the holiday and I see where there could be confusion between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. But I don't think the nature or Memorial Day precludes us from simultaneously appreciating those that are, thankfully, still alive and also have risked their lives for us.

Regardless, it should always be foremost a solemn day of thanks, remembrance, and reflection for those that died for our freedom. We Americans live a pretty good life for the most part and we have a debt of gratitude to these souls. Particularly those of us fortunate enough to be able to collect coins and currency!

I had the opportunity to visit Pearl Harbor a couple of years ago. It's a solemn experience, something no one can forget, and a must-visit for every U.S. citizen. Events that happened 40 years before I was born... and despite the clear skies and tropical breezes, the oil blobs still rising from the sunken Arizona and the freshly oiled teak deck boards on the Missouri make it feel like the attack could have happened yesterday.

If you're ever in central Texas and want a good look at the Pacific Theater of WWII, check out the Nimitz museum in Fredericksburg, just a short 1.5 hours from Austin.