Purple Hearts and others.

I regret that I have only discovered that the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is here in the lovely Hudson Valley, on the non-insane western side, at New Windsor. I don't get over that way often, but I did last week. Unfortunately I was driving Izzy to an animal hospital at the time for his pernicious eye infection (still not gone entirely at this writing) and could not stop to have a look. 

Picture courtesy of the American Legion

"The mission of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is to collect, preserve and share the stories of all Purple Heart recipients," says the hall’s site, and I hope a lot of people will want to visit on this Veterans Day. They do have special events today, of course. If you are or know someone who has earned the Purple Heart, check out the online search feature for inductees. 

I don't think it's a particularly large facility, and is not affiliated with the government or run by the US military or its branches, not even prominent veterans' groups like the American Legion or the VFW. It's administered by the New York State Parks Department’s Recreation and Historic Preservation squad, which would make this one of the exceptionally few really good uses of my state tax money that I know about. I've been threatening to flee this dumb state, but before I do I want to go to the hall to offer my respects. 

Closer to home, or my home, is a much smaller monument but another of interest. Even people who live around here may be unaware that the Missing in Action flag, the familiar black MIA flag, was first flown in the village of Harriman, New York, on 1974. I stopped by to have a closer look. 

The American Legion post mentioned in the marker still exists, right around the corner. The spotlit flag is right next to the marker in a little memorial area fenced by wrought iron. I’m sure the flag has been replaced many times since 1974. I wonder if the Legion post still has the original.

For the whole background about the MIA flag, check out this Veterans Affairs page. 

Two years later after the first MIA flag flew, the town buried a time capsule for the Bicentennial, to be opened in fifty years. Four years from now. Geez, what fun is that? Still plenty of old farts around that could tell you (whether you want to hear it or not) about America in 1976. 

"Disco! What a disaster! The Big Bus came out that year too. And you know what else happened in 1976? 'Muskrat Love,' that's what!"

Within walking distance of this capsule is a town park, a pleasant spot with a picnic area, baseball diamonds, basketball hoops, and Canadian invaders. 

It also has another flagpole.

This one also has a plaque at the bottom: 

I wish all our veterans a day of honor, with the thanks from their country for their service. 

Veterans Day has been leaking its public due a little more every year as we get further from the time when military service was not only universally respected but almost universal. Parts of our society would love to see this day forgotten. They only like Americans who fight other Americans. Businesses have long treated it as a "floating holiday," and every year seems to bring more such days aboard to jostle with time and space in our national consciousness.

Don't let them do this to Veterans Day. God bless our veterans, and God bless the United States of America.