Memorial Day, USA

Today is Memorial Day in the United States, when we honor those who have served and currently serve in our military.  I have a card I made for the occasion plus some pictures of a memorial to follow.

For my card I used the Stars #2 Original Die which sadly has been retired this year and is now sold out.  I ran Night of Navy cardstock through the Big Shot with the Stars die and added Stampin' Dimensionals to the back.  The card is Real Red overlaid with a 4" x 5-1/4" piece of red and white stripe from the also retiring Big Top Birthday Designer Series Paper (#122348, $10.95).  

 The Navy stars layer was adhered to the stripe and the word "Remember" from the Word Play set (I omitted the "when" from the stamp by inking only the "Remember" with my Night of Navy Stampin' Write Marker) was stamped and cut out with my trusty sharp Paper Snips.  The finishing touch was a star punched from Red Glitter Paper.

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To honor our service men and women today, I want to share some pictures I took about a year and a half ago when we visited Hawaii for the first time.  Just before landing in Honolulu, I could see Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial from the airplane window; the sight gave me goosebumps.  The USS Arizona battleship was one of the many ships sunk in Pearl Harbor in a surprise attack on December 7, 1941.  Here is our visit to the Memorial in pictures:

View of the USS Arizona from the opposite shore.

As we approached on the Navy shuttle boat, the people on the boat grew quiet; this is a hallowed place.

 Over the entrance to the memorial

 

Inside the memorial from the back, looking toward the entrance; the atmosphere was somber and reverent.  Above you can see the openings to the sky.  You can also see the opening to the water with the ship below.  The memorial straddles the ship but does not touch it.

Dedication Plaque on the Memorial.  Click on the picture to see a larger version and read the inscription.  (You may click on any of the pictures to see a larger version)

At the far end of the Memorial is a room where all the names are listed of those who lost their lives on the USS Arizona that day, Dec. 7, 1941, US Navy and US Marines.

From inside the Memorial, as one looks upward, waves Old Glory.

"Oh say, does that Star Spangled banner yet wave,

o'er the land of the free

and the home of the brave."

Thank you to all those who have served and sacrificed that we may enjoy the freedoms we have today.  God bless you and

God bless America.

And you and your country also, if you are not from the United States.

May we live in Peace,

Margaret