Dear Editor:This Memorial Day, May 30, is a day we should pause and reflect and pay our due homage, gratitude and respectful honor to the millions of America's war heroes who gave up their futures, fortunes and lives so that we all have a country and countless freedoms to do so many things that freedom allows. "Thank you's" also should go to the parents and families who sacrificed their sons and daughters to achieve this precious goal of saving our country forever for today's and tomorrow's future. Never have so few given so much for freedom. In the new history books of America written today by political correctness and revisionists, you will never find this phrase: the United States of America saved this entire world from domination by evil leaders and forces of destruction. Yes, you're reading that right when I say the aforementioned phrase very proudly. With our unified might and right and God's help, we did so at great cost of lives and effort. With our geared up maximum will and determination and resources, we supplied all of our Allies with war material, ships, guns, tanks, planes plus manpower to achieve ultimate victory in World War II. We even saved those countries that want to overrun us and destroy America today. We are not the nation today that was so unified in World War II. In these deeply troubling times, we are a divided people, so fragmented by me-tooism and diversity of cultures that divides, not unifies, taking unfair advantage of America's freedoms, wanting to create their own little countries within our borders. They are takers, not givers, to the melting pot we once called America. A country divided cannot hope to withstand future destruction by evil forces. We are dishonoring the legacy given to us by those past heroes who gave up their lives for us all. Remember them by flying our American flag proudly in their memory. It's the least you can do. Thank you, heroes, forever. Semper fi! -- Joe Cvetko, Bellflower

Dear Editor: Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day; it is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. Over the years, many Americans forgot the meaning and tradition of this day. At many cemeteries the graves of those who served us are increasingly ignored and neglected. Most people do not remember the proper flag etiquette. Many years ago people would fly their flags but in the last several years fewer people display it. To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" was passed in 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, all Americans "to voluntarily and informally" observe in their own way a moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to "Taps." For many years on Memorial Day, it was customary to fly the flag at dawn then take it in at sundown. Lately some people prefer to fly their flag daily and in that case, if the flag is properly illuminated at night, it is acceptable. Approximately 16 million served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. We are now in our 80s and 90s with only 2 million alive today. There's not much time left to honor these true heroes. If you know a WWII veteran, consider contacting him on Memorial Day and let him know how much you respect and appreciate his valiant service during World War II. These old veterans were in their late teens and twenties when they operated Navy ships and submarines, fighter plane pilots, commanders of bombers, infantrymen who stormed the beaches of Normandy, battled well-entrenched Japanese soldiers on many South Pacific islands, fought their way across Europe - they served in every corner of the globe. Less than 2 million of these veterans of the largest army in history are alive today. Each day a thousand veterans pass away; soon there will be none. -- Byron Dillon, Downey

********** Published: May 26, 2011 - Volume 10 - Issue 6