[May 26, 2025] Thank you General Satterfield for once again allowing me to write about the importance of Memorial Day. General, let me start off by saying without Memorial day we have no country. Our great pastures of God, we call Veterans cemeteries are full of heroes that died in war or coming home from war from mental or physical injuries.
A soldier never dies until they are forgotten about. General Satterfield, my dear friend Army Veteran and co-founder of the Tomb Guard Association in Arlington, Richard Azzaro, always reminds me that a soldier never dies until they are forgotten about. Memorial Day is maybe the most important day of the year because of the sacrifice so many gave us so we can live in the greatest country in the world.
With summer coming upon us we start thinking about going to swimming pools to enjoy a great day in the sun. Just remember that many Veterans died in a pool of blood on foreign soil for our freedom
While we are enjoying hot dogs and hamburgers in our back yards this Memorial Day, Veterans were eating old “C” rations out of a can in the yards of our enemy on foreign soil.
General Satterfield, when a Veteran wakes up on the day they give their life up for our freedom there is a good chance the clothes they died in they were wearing for three or four days. Dirty, smelling, wet from monsoon rains, muddy from the red mud of Vietnam. No music playing or sounds from a volley ball game nearby. Just the sounds of machine gun fire or explosion of hand grenades going off nearby.
Many families will be going to major league baseball games hoping to catch a foul ball hit in the stands. When this happens everyone nearby smiles and congratulates the recipient of the ball. Maybe if lucky, they get an autograph after the game from the player that hit the ball. But many Veterans on the battlefield of war grab the grenade about the size of a baseball and use their body to stop the explosion from killing their buddies. Sadly, no applause. Sadly, no one autographs the body bag of this hero.
Many people go to parks, beaches, boardwalks, or go bike riding, but do not take the time to go to a Veterans ceremony on Memorial day. I believe this is ok. You see Veterans accept and go to war so we can live in a free country. Veterans go to war so we can be guaranteed a freedom of choice to do what we want to do. I have a home in Sea Isle City, New Jersey. One of the most patriotic cities in the world. On Memorial Day we get a very large crow at our beautiful memorial. Not everyone comes because they are on the beach or shopping and enjoying the holiday.
Veterans in all the graves around the world died for our right to choose were to be on Memorial Day. In Communist countries you must show up at state events or pay the price. In America, our citizens have the choice of where to go. This choice is why so many cemeteries are full of our heroes. Veterans and no one else gave us this choice, except the help from their Gold Star Families.
General, while on a bike ride or on the beach, whether in church or the supermarket, or at a ball game on Memorial Day you can think of our Veterans that are not with us .
Remember, they can be with us in our hearts, minds and souls every day if we let them. So, when we look at the sky and see clouds on Memorial Day, maybe it is not from too much humidity in the air, it could be from our Veterans wondering and crying because too many have forgotten what Memorial day is all about.
Love Ya Veterans and General. Joe
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Please read my books:
Mr. Joe Griffies, you da man.
We are with you Mr. G. Thank you, for writing another Memorial Day letter to General Satterfield – and by extension – to us out here and to those who greatly respect our veterans. We stand with you and we also are happy to shame those that tried to shame and harm those soldiers coming back from the Vietnam War. Sir, keep doing what you’re doing and stay on the radio so we can hear the latest. Your guests are fantastic. Love the show. Love your writing style (to the hear).
Excellent article, Mr. G. Thanks. I read everything you write for Gen. Satterfield. And, unlike most folks, you actually make a lot of sense.
We love our Vietnam Veterans. We love all our Veterans. Keep the faith, brothers and sisters because we, the citizens of America have your back.
— don’t we all love them! And we must also learn to stand with them and not forsake them for a bit of cash. Unlike those who are cowards, I stand with our troops.
GOD BLESS AMERICA
https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1927001906062246330
Since I was out and about yesterday (Memorial Day) here in southwest Arizona, I spent the day with local veterans, talking with them at a parade and ceremony honoring the fallen. Having a picnic at our Veterans Park and listening to our VFW and American Legion members tell stories of their friends lost in battle. It was a beautiful day and one of the best I’ve ever experienced. Thank you, Mr. G. for your service and welcome home.
Me too, and that’s why is missed commenting yesterday. 👀
Thanks to Joe Griffies for telling the truth in spades.
I am just returning from my home town’s Memorial Day parade and it was fantastic. Plenty of red, white, and blue plus American flags. Smiling kids and happy parents to teach them what Memorial Day is to make us a nation of good folks. Blessings to all. And, like Gen. Satterfield says:
Here are some ground rules, sent to me by a friend, that will keep you from a major embarrassment:
1. Don’t wish others a Happy Memorial Day.
2. It’s not a holiday. It’s a remembrance.
3. If you want to know the true meaning, visit Arlington National Cemetery or a local veterans’ cemetery, not Disneyland.
4. Attend a Memorial Day ceremony and pay close attention to what everyone is doing.
5. Say a prayer for those who have fallen.
6. Remember the fallen for all the good they did while they were here.
7. Reach out and let Veterans know you’re there; we’re losing too many in “peace.”
8. Speak their names. Do not be afraid.
Or get slapped by the wife or widow of a Vet. 🕷🕷🕷🕷
Honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Thank you Mr. Griffies for your service to our nation and for being a positive symbol for what is great as an American.
“Think of those veterans not with us.” – Joe Griffies.
🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡🫡
Exactly. Wishing a day of respect to all our Veterans and their families. Go out to a Memorial Day recognition of those who are passed away. Shake the hand of a Veteran. Salute the 🇺🇸 American Flag. Recognize the sacrifices.
Each year, Mr. Joe Griffies now writes a monologue on the importance of recognizing Memorial Day and that respecting what those service members did to keep freedom alive is so so so critical for us all Americans to live as we do. Please, Joe Griffies, please write more for General Satterfield’s website. And I agree with you taht without recognizing those who made the ultimate sacrifice, we would not be a nation of good. And we would be lost as human beings. 🙏 God bless you sir.
Joe Griffies, thank you, sir. And, welcome home.
My sentiments exactly! We salute you!
We all are appreciative of those who served and especially respectful of those Americans who died in their service to our nation. Without them, America would be like any other third world country. Our military is part of the glue that holds America together. We learn to respect our soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen … for they step into the breech of war when needed. And, I also want to give Joe Griffies a special Welcome Home. Salute. Thank you.
Well said, “Jelly”. Always great to see what you’ve written. I hope you write more articles for Gen. Satterfield.