Memorial Day 2021

Recently there has been a movement in our country to erase history by removing statues and censoring what is revealed about the past. Today, however, we look back at history and remember those brave men and women who fought for our freedom, and made our country what it is today. As the famous song by Billy Ray Cyrus says, “All gave some … some gave all”. Let us not forget them or erase their memory.

History of Memorial Day: Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. May 30th was chosen for Decoration Day because it was believed that flowers would be in bloom all across the country.

On Memorial Day the flag should be flown at half-staff from sunrise until noon only, then raised briskly to the top of the staff until sunset, in honor of the nation’s battle heroes. In the early days of our country, no regulations existed for flying the flag at half-staff and, as a result, there were many conflicting policies. But on March 1, 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower issued a proclamation on the proper times.

You will notice in the collage above, that the flag is flying at half-staff. Those pictures were taken during our visit to the American Cemetery in Normandy, France. It was very moving seeing row after row of graves. For more pictures from our visit to Normandy, see my previous posts on the topic and also our cruise vacations website.

I've mentioned several times in the past about the opportunity to relive history while on a cruise vacation. This is especially true in Europe due to the large battle field from the World Wars. Whether your cruise vacation takes you to Normandy, France or Honolulu, Hawaii, please take some time to visit a historical site and pay your respects to the troops that fought to keep America strong. We have done so on several cruises and of all the trips we've taken, those tend to stand out in my mind. Don't forget to bring you children with you so that they too can learn about war first hand.

As Albert Schweitzer said "... Wargraves are the great communicators of peace ..." Perhaps another more striking quote was by George Santayanan who said "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

And who can forget those immortal words of President John F. Kennedy: "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. "

To the brave men and women, living and deceased, who have taken President Kennedy's charge to heart, Thank You for your Service. May we never forget the sacrifices you have made.

To those men and women who didn't pay the ultimate sacrifice, cruise lines would like to thank you on this Memorial Day and throughout the year.   Following are just a couple examples of cruise lines that provide discounts to current military and veterans and their families.   Ask us how you can take advantage of these special rates.

Royal Caribbean Offers

Princess Cruises Offers

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Land of the Free Because of the Brave

4th of July

This July 4th, we enjoy a holiday here in the United States.  It is a time when families get together, have picnics, it should also be a time when we remember...  and enjoy some fireworks.  This year due to the pandemic, it may be a bit different, but all the more reason to remember the true meaning of the day.

Why Are We Free?

Hopefully the answer to that question is obvious.  The brave men and women of the armed forces have kept us free for centuries.   In this article, we focus on just one event in our history that made a big difference.

 














The U-505 Submarine is a National Landmark and a permanent memorial to the Americans who perished at sea during both World Wars.  It can be seen at the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago, IL.

This anchor, removed from the boat during bow repairs, is placed in the museum as an additional symbol of the bravery, commitment, and sacrifice of those Americans.

Besides the boat itself, the capture of the U-505 produced 900 pounds of code books and documents, as well as two Enigma machines - making it the largest intelligence seizure in the Battle of the Atlantic.

Tale of Two Men & Two Flags

U.S.N. Captain Daniel V. Gallery was in command of the USS Jenks the day that the U-505 was captured.  The 48-star U.S. flag shown in this picture was flying over the Jenks that day.

The ship assisted in the rescue of the German U-505 sailors that had abandoned ship per the order of their Captain, Harald Lange, who had instructed them to scuttle the boat.

The Nazi flag shown here was a spare flag that was found on the U-505 after capture.  There were two different sized flags flown on the U-505.  This variety would have flown on the bridge when the vessel surfaced.

Dangerous Mission

Until the time of the U-505 boat's capture, no German U-boat had been recovered by the U.S. Navy.   Even this one could have been lost except for the action of several brave sailors.

The Germans had started the process of scuttling the boat which means it was taking on water rapidly. In addition, there were several charges placed around the boat timed to explode to finish the deed.   They had found all but one of the known explosives when they came to this front hatch.   They were unable to steer the boat, so they needed to get inside the hatch to manually steer it via the black wheel you can see at the opposite end of the hatch.  Two volunteers stayed on the U-505 and slowly opened the hatch.  Fortunately, the explosive wasn't armed correctly, and it did not explode.   The U-505 was a prize catch during the Battle of the Atlantic and these sailors were just a part of that story.

 

In Memory of All that Lost their Lives at Sea

As we've traveled across the globe, there have been many reminders from the World Wars and other battles that have shaped our history for us to explore.   Museums such as @Msichicago can open the  cover to the pages of the past.   We highly recommend taking advantage of opportunities to explore history during your travels.

For larger images, click on the pictures. 

U-505 National Landmark (67 photos)

Thank you to all the Brave Men & Women who have kept us FREE.   Happy 4th of July.

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Cruise Lines Salute Veterans

 

Veterans Day 2018

First and foremost, Monday is the annual observance of Veteran's Day, a day set aside to honor the nation's veterans.   The image in this article was taken at the American Cemetery in Normandy, France, on one of our cruises several years ago.    The image of row after row of crosses will never leave me.

Every day we go about our business, and I suspect most of us take our freedom for granted.   It isn't because we aren't caring people, but instead perhaps because we just don't think about it.  So I ask you today to take a moment to reflect on the veterans, living and deceased, for without whose service we wouldn't be the free nation we are today.

We could never thank our military men and women enough for their courageous service and sacrifice to our country and its people. Yet today we lift up our voices to express gratefulness and honor to these military troops both from the past and present.

 THANK YOU FROM 

A GRATEFUL NATION 

Many cruise lines recognize our troops with special rates.  We've listed a couple offers which you might not be aware of.   Be sure to mention your military service when contacting us so that we can see if there are any rates that you qualify for.  We would be honored to help you plan some R & R. Please note that these rates require documentation of eligibility, which we can help you with.

 

Cruise Line	Veterans Day Offer
Carnival Cruise Line	We’re saluting our soldiers — check the calendar to find Carnival’s best Military fares, by date, for any stateroom type, departure port or destination. Then select the date for the day’s top sailings. Limited time offer 2-for-1 deposits, free upgrades, and $50 onboard credit ends Monday, November 12th.
Celebrity Cruises	We thank you for your service. All military members, active and retired, qualify for these special savings. Savings up to $100 are per person, for first and second guest, and are based on type of stateroom. Plus, it’s combinable with any of our current offers.
Cunard	Cunard is pleased to offer a special military personnel onboard credit programme. This programme is available to active military, retired military and disabled military veterans with proper identification in the following service divisions: United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard or Reserves, Canadian National Defence, United Kingdom Military Personnel, Royal Australian Navy, Army, Air Force, and Royal New Zealand Navy, Army or Air Force. Receive up to $250 based on length of cruise.
MSC Cruises	To say "thanks", MSC Cruises is pleased to offer up to 10% savings* to salute you and your family. Those that qualify include active and retired U.S. and Canadian Military personnel, including U.S. Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, National Guard, Army Reserve and Department of Defense personnel.
Norwegian Cruise Line	Norwegian Cruise Line is proud to offer members of the military and their families exclusive discounts on select cruises up to 10% off.
Princess Cruises	To thank the brave men and women of the American and Canadian militaries for their service, Princess Cruises® offers up to $250 free onboard spending money* for veterans as well as active, retired or disabled military personnel.
Royal Caribbean	Ongoing promotion allows Military, Police  & Fire personnel special discounts on select sailings The Sea is Calling Police, Firefighters, Military

Happy Hanukkah 2017

Happy Hanukkah ! The Holiday Season has arrived. The eight-day Festival of Lights begins tonight December 12th at Sundown and continues through December 20th. At the heart of the festival is the nightly menorah (candelabrum) lighting: a single flame on the first night, two on the second evening, and so on till the eighth night of Chanukah, when all eight lights are kindled.   More info....

We love cruising around the holiday time because the ships are decorated for the season.  As you know the ship's crew is made up of many nationalities and faiths.  So too are the passengers that board the vessel for each cruise.  The cruise lines try to make the environment fitting for all regardless of their beliefs and also will accommodate special requests to help you celebrate.



Holiday time is a time for families. Regardless of the holiday that you celebrate, there is one common theme ... spending time together as a family to celebrate the holiday. As we walked along the decks of the ship and saw the decorations, we couldn't help but think about the ship's crew. For the most part, the crew will not be spending time with families this holiday season. They will be onboard providing service to passengers just like they do every day of the year.

Many of out troops have missed several holidays.   Unfortunately, not all military will be home for the holidays, so once again let us keep the troops and their families in our thoughts, that they remain safe and can one year safely return in time for the holidays.

Whether you are together for the holidays or separated by many miles, may this be a season filled with joy and happiness. Thank you to those that serve, both on the ships and in the military - our thoughts are with you and your families during this time. Happy Holidays to All.


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