On Sale for $2: A Soldier's Act of Heroism, Right Next to Used Books and an Old Toaster

[douglas9]

Every Sunday, a swap meet takes over the parking lot of the VanBuren Drive-In movie theater in Riverside, California. During one visit, I had wandered away from my friends, who were combing through old dishes, looking for rare midcentury china to add to their collection.

As I strolled through aisles past folding tables and blankets, my eyes roamed over the vast assortment of toasters, empty picture frames, coffee mugs, and well-worn hardcover books. We were in the midst of the Great Recession, when people were losing their homes in droves, and I wondered how much of this stuff was the product of downsizing from houses to apartments or moving in with relatives.

I was pondering this likelihood when one blanket stopped me. Nestled next to an old tea kettle and deck of cards, I saw a plaque tossed on the ground. From a distance, I could tell it was older. Not of this decade, or even of this century. I got closer and picked it up.



https://thewarhorse.org/story-behind-army-plaque-woman-bought-at-swap-meet/

[Easterncedar]

1. A poignant and beautifully written story

Worth reading. Thanks for posting, douglas.

[Srkdqltr]

2. Powerful story.

[cachukis]

3. Great reflection.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. I have the notices sent to my grandmother of her sons being killed in action during WWII. I

also have their letters written to my mom, their military photos, and Purple Heart certificates (somehow my cousin got the medals).

[Doctoris Extincti]

5. It was called Decoration Day when I was a kid

What are the odds that stopping ANY random person this weekend, to ask what Memorial Day memorializes would give the true answer.

https://www.dvidshub.net/image/2925511/fall-sunrise-arlington-national-cemetery

Thanks for posting. Thanks to the author of the article. So few understand.