Why We have Memorial Day in the USA

Why We have Memorial Day

 in the USA

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This is just one reason 

we set aside a day to 

honor and remember 

our veterans.

Receipent- Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest award for bravery that can be bestowed on a United States Service man or woman.

Citation to accompany the award:

Jimmy W Phipps

Rank and Organization: 
Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, 
Company B, 1st Engineer Battalion, 
1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF

Place and Date: 
Near An Hoa, Republic of Vietnam, 27 May 1969

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a combat engineer with Company B in connection with combat operations against the enemy.

 Pfc. Phipps was a member of a 2-man combat engineer demolition team assigned to locate and destroy enemy artillery ordnance and concealed firing devices. After he had expended all of his explosives and blasting caps, Pfc. Phipps discovered a 175mm high explosive artillery round in a rice paddy.

Suspecting that the enemy had attached the artillery round to a secondary explosive device, he warned other marines in the area to move to covered positions and prepared to destroy the round with a hand grenade. As he was attaching the hand grenade to a stake beside the artillery round, the fuse of the enemy's secondary explosive device ignited.

Realizing that his assistant and the platoon commander were both within a few meters of him and that the imminent explosion could kill all 3 men, Pfc. Phipps grasped the hand grenade to his chest and dived forward to cover the enemy's explosive and the artillery round with his body, thereby shielding his companions from the detonation while absorbing the full and tremendous impact with his body.

Pfc. Phipps' indomitable courage, inspiring initiative, and selfless devotion to duty saved the lives of 2 marines and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.

He gallantly gave his life for his country .

================================================================

In Vietnam there were 246 Medal of Honor Receipents, 154 posthumously.

Editor’s note, Do not be fooled by the last line in the citation, PFC Phipps was probably not thinking about giving his life for his country, out of love and concern for his comrades next to him he gave his life.

Jesus Words 

   From the Gospel ofJohn Chapter 15:

8  This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 

9  "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 

10   If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 

11   I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

12   My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 

13   Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 

14   You are my friends if you do what I command. 

15   I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

16   You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 

17   This is my command: Love each other.

Thank be to God

lonnie

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