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Posted by Baloo (Member # 5) on :

A friend sent the following email to me just today:

The one Tune that will pull a set of tears from me when done correctly!
Ron.......
Subject: Taps
To all you "soldiers", the "why" TAPS moves the heart.
THE STORY BEHIND "TAPS"
lt all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land.
During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moan of a soldier who lay mortally wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention.
Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment. When the captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead. The captain lit a lantern.
Suddenly, he caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, he enlisted in the Confederate Army.
The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial despite his enemy status.
His request was partially granted. The captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for the son at the funeral.
That request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate. Out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him only one musician. The captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of his dead son's uniform. This wish was granted. This music was the haunting melody we now know as "Taps" that is used at all military funerals.
In case you are interested, these are the words to "TAPS":
Day is done,
Gone the sun,
From the lakes,
From the hills,
From the sky.
All is well.
Safely rest.
God is nigh.

Maybe it's just part of the long-term effects of being in the military, but the melody of Taps brings tears to my eyes when I hear it played. Unfortunately, I recognized the story given above as a bit of incorrect folklore. The true story of the origin of Taps is found here: http://www.west-point.org/taps/Taps.html

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Hobbes: Do you think there's a God?
Calvin: Well, somebody's out to get me."
--Bill Watterson
www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/8641/

Posted by Kosh (Member # 167) on :

Tomorrow is Veterans day in the USA. If, by some slim chance, there are no Veterans in your family, find one and thank him or her tomorrow.

It is also Rememberance Day in Canada. Is that a veterans day, or something else??

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Fool of a Took, throw yourself in next time!!
Gandalf

Posted by Baloo (Member # 5) on :

Fasching season (Sort of like intermittent Mardis Gras) starts in Germany on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. This is also the time chosen to end WW I (if I remember my history correctly). I always wondered if Fasching started as a celebration of the end of the war or if it was already being celebrated before then and the end of WW I just happened to be chosen to coincide with it?

--Baloo

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Hobbes: Do you think there's a God?
Calvin: Well, somebody's out to get me."
--Bill Watterson
www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/8641/

[This message has been edited by Baloo (edited November 10, 1999).]

Posted by Elim Garak (Member # 14) on :

Remembrance Day is when we honour those who died in and lived through the wars of the century, so it's a lot like Veterans' Day.

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Elim Garak: "Oh, it's just Garak. Plain, simple Garak. Now, good day to you, Doctor. I'm so glad to have made such an... interesting new friend today." (DS9: "Past Prologue")

Posted by Baloo (Member # 5) on :

I think when I was little they still called Veteran's day "Armistice Day" in honor of those killed in WW I (Quite a few, mostly European, not so many Americans -- hey! We arrived late to the "party"!)

They also observed VE day (Victory in Europe) and VJ (Victory over Japan) day as separate observations. Now we just have Memorial day and veteran's day. Memorial day is to honor all hose who have died in service to our country. Veteran's day is to honor those who did (and still are) serving. I think it shows proper respect for the deceased not to lump "honoring the dead" and "honoring the living" together in one holiday. I think that's enough holidays for that purpose.

--Baloo

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Hobbes: Do you think there's a God?
Calvin: Well, somebody's out to get me."
--Bill Watterson
www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/8641/

Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :

We have Rememberence Sunday, which is mainly for the dead. We also celebrate VE and VJ, but to a lesser extent. Otherwise the governemnt would have to give us more paid bank-holidays.

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"Give me a f*cking..."
-Jubilee McGann