The unique ways we remember our brothers on Memorial Day

People grieve at a gravesite in Section 60, an area where members of the U.S. military who were killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried, during Veterans Day observances at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, November 11, 2012. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY) - RTR3AA0Z

We all attended ceremonies, saluted the flag, and listed to TAPS but for some of us Memorial Day also calls for more personal ways of remembering.  Those of us who will never forget the day we lost one of our own prefer a quieter and more somber remembrance.

For one Marine, a glass of the best scotch is the only way to honor and remember his brother.  A waitress at an Outback steakhouse observed this Marine’s remembrance of his fellow Marine lost in Afghanistan in 2009.

“So, my wife is a waitress. She had a table tonight that came in and sat with her. The man ordered a drink for himself, and asked that she bring him a double of the best scotch that the restaurant had. He wanted it delivered, but it was for a third person. When my wife asked him if he wanted to wait to order food, he seemed to get choked up a bit and said that they wouldn’t be joining them tonight. My wife said that she understood, as she is herself a military spouse and understands. She then delivered the scotch to him and placed it on a coaster as if there was a third person there. After they left, my wife told them that they would be leaving the table set up as it is in the top picture for the rest of the night, and the table would not be sat. The manager then decided that it would remain where it is until the next day so that it remained there for the rest of Memorial Day. The patron went back to the table and left the note. Just thought you all would like to see this.”

Scotch for fallen Marine

Scotch for fallen Marine 2

 

Gunnery Sgt. Adam F. Benjamin, 34, of Garfield Heights, died Aug. 18, 2009 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 8th Engineer Support Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Adam was a Gunnery Sergeant in the USMC and was an EOD Tech. He was in the midst of defusing an IED when it went off. He was serving one of several tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq. He will be missed.   Read more abouyt Gunnery Sgt. Adam F. Benjamin at: http://www.eodwarriorfoundation.org/memorial/warrior/adam-f-benjamin#sthash.dVGkz9Fm.dpuf

Memorial Day is for our nation to remember the fallen, some of us remember every day!

-Machine Gun

 

 

Author

Post navigation