Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

Please don’t say “Happy Memorial Day.” It is not a time to be happy. It is a time to reflect and honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and our freedom. When I was a kid everything was closed and after church we watched a parade of Veterans in uniform marching through town.

Our neighbor was one of the 360 survivors of the USS Indianapolis (CA-35). The crew of 1,196 was attacked by a Japanese submarine in the Philippine Sea on July 30, 1945. She sank in 12 minutes. Her circumstances were unknown to the Navy. Survivors (no lifeboats, food or water) were spotted 4 days later in the shark invested waters. My neighbor never talked about what happened, but on Memorial Day he was always very quiet.

Last Wednesday. 1st Lt. Roslyn L. Shulte, 25, a ’06 graduate of the US Air Force Academy, was killed by a roadside bomb on her way from Kabul Afghanistan to Bagram Airfield. She was from St. Louis, MO. There have been 1,142 military deaths since fighting began in Afghanistan, including 680 Americans, 156 Britons and 118 Canadians. At least 2,843 American military person have been wounded in action in Afghanistan, according to the Pentagon.

Many truckers are veterans. According to Articlesbase: “The trucking industry prefers to have ex-servicemen on their rolls because of the natural discipline and commitment to work inherent in them.The talents, values and attributes learned during a military career work very well for a trucking career. Truckers need to work alone for long hours without any supervision. Cargo hauling though appearing as a mundane task to many people in fact can be successfully done only with a sense of commitment and self-discipline.” And many truckers have son and daughters serving in the military.

Unfortunately, too many folks in this country think that the only value of Memorial Day is to take advantage of the sales at Wal-Mart, BBQ steak and get drunk. Far from it. Listen drivers, wherever you are today, take a moment of silence and thank all the soldiers that fought for this country. We owe them at least that. “Lord God, hold these loved ones in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Give them courage, hope and strength. May they ever experience your firm support, gentle love and compassionate healing. “

Photo credits: ,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Indianapolis_(CA-35), http://tigeryogiji.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/memorial-day.jpg, http://www.desausa.org/images/Veterans_Salute…,http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_12423907/US Air Force, www.arlingtoncemetery.net/memorial-day-2008.htm