Memorial Day

In honor of the holiday, I'm watching the M*A*S*H movie, and stir-frying some chicken and veggies. Last year, I spend the holiday wandering around DC with a friend, along with thousands of WWII vets - the last gathering of WWII vets of that size, or so they said on the news. There was also a horde of Harley Davidsons circling up and down Constitution Avenue - Vietnam vets. I love Harleys - and that was loud and fun.

This year, since I haven't observed anything particularly Memorial Day-like in Ann Arbor, I feel compelled to post the lyrics to one of my favorite, and most morbid, patriotic American songs, The Ballad of the Green Beret:

Fighting soldiers from the sky
Fearless men who jump and die
Men who mean just what they say
The brave men of the Green Berets

Silver wings upon their chests
These are men, America's best
One hundred men will test today
But only three win the Green Beret

Trained to live off nature's land
Trained to combat hand-to-hand
Men who fight by night and day
Courage taken from the Green Beret

Silver wings upon their chests
These are men, America's best
One hundred men will test today
But only three win the Green Beret

Back at home a young wife waits
Her Green Beret has met his fate
He has died for those oppressed
Leaving her this last request

Put silver wings on my son's chest
Make him one of America's best
He'll be a man they'll test one day
Have him win the Green Beret.