Memorial Day- Charleston Village – Heroes Tributes

Artwork Chris Ritchey

It was a beautiful cool and sunny morning today as we walked our neighborhood placing flags and ribbons to honor those who have given so much in so many conflicts. We placed the “RED WHITE and BLUE ribbons and I thought not only of the history of the colors but of those that have walked these streets in the decades before in this Lorain’s oldest neighborhood . I thought of those that had given all they could give in the name of freedom.

The history of the red white and blue:

(photo Lisa Miller)

The Continental Congress left no record to show why it chose the colors. However, in 1782, the Congress of the Confederation chose these same colors for the Great Seal of the United States and listed their meaning as follows: white to mean purity and innocence, red for valor and hardiness, and blue for vigilance, perseverance, and justice. According to legend, George Washington interpreted the elements of the flag this way: the stars were taken from the sky, the red from the British colors, and the white stripes signified the secession from the home country. However, there is no official designation or meaning for the colors of the flag.

The official meaning of those chosen colors may have been lost in time but they are the colors of freedom and many lives have been cut short so the colors of freedom can fly proudly in our neighborhoods.

Eric Barnes Heroes Walk

Marine Lance Corporal David Hall

Marine Lance Corporal Joseph “Ryan” Giese

Army Sgt. Louis Torres

Sgt. Bruce Horner

Fleet Admiral Ernest J King

Airman 1st Class Eric Barnes

L-R Veterans Park Civil War – Christian Temple disciples of Christ(5th Street) Veterans Park Lorain Fire Dept

To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep…….,

Dedication Ceremony- Eric Barnes – Heroes Walk-The coverage

Thanks to Joe Bock from Lorain City Schools Channel 20 who uploaded to You tube

Further update” More pictorial coverage from Mark Teleha

http://www.locophotogblog.com/?p=1483

UPDATE: further coverage on the LCS Channel 20 and from their face book page http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.405441606191922.93572.147298438672908&type=1

Photo Roger Brownson

The sun warmed the earth and air the young people of Lorain High School Marching Band and the Lorain High JROTC, the representatives from the United States Marine Corps, The United States Army, Unites States Air force, the United States Navy warmed hearts. It was a morning of tribute to the young by the young as they stood proudly honoring the young men who gave their lives- the ultimate sacrifice.

The coverage for the dedication can be found in the following links . The area media also has to have our heart-felt thanks, their coverage of the project as it progressed reached out and their readers sent in donations. Without such generosity the project would have been “less”.

This is phase one of the walkway more to come.

In the meantime please view the videos of the morning taken by Mark Teleha of Lorain County Photographers Blog
http://www.locophotogblog.com/?p=1435

Photos by Lisa Miller on the Lorain 365 Blog ( one of the Morning Journal Media Bloggers)also on her blog Busters House

http://bustershouse.wordpress.com/2012/11/13/scenes-from-eric-barnes-heroes-walk-dedication/

http://lorain365.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/veterans-day/

The thoughts and photos of Dan Brady- who designed the Commemorative Booklet – of Brady’s Bunch of Lorain County Nostalgia
http://danielebrady.blogspot.com/2012/11/eric-barnes-heroes-walk-dedication.html

Chronicle Telegram-

Heroes Walk memorial trail dedicated on Veterans Day filed by Evan Goodenow –

“They share pain from a loss that will never go away and belong to a club that no one wants to be part of.”

http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2012/11/12/heroes-walk-memorial-trail-dedicated-on-veterans-day/

Morning Journal Photo Jason Henery
Heroes Walk: Pathway dedicated to fallen soldiers by Jason Henery

I’m going to donate my time to make it nice,” Torres said of the park. “I’m glad for my city to appreciate the sacrifice my son made.”

Photo Lisa Miller

As always click on photos to enlarge and thank you everyone who made this dedication memorable –

Invitation to Honor- November 11th – Sunday Lorain

Click on jpg to enlarge

Charleston Village Society along with their project partners, Black River Historical Society and Lorain Growth Corporation, wish to invite you to the dedication of the Eric Barnes’ Heroes Walk. The walk way connects the Settlers’ Watch green space to the Admiral King Tribute Site. Along the walkway, named after Airman 1st Class Eric Barnes who gave his life in service to his country in Iraq 2007, are tribute spaces to Marine Lance Corporal David Hall- Afghanistan -2009, Marine Lance Corporal Joseph “Ryan” Giese- Afghanistan-2011, Army SSgt Lois Torres- Afghanistan 2012 and Army1st Sgt. Bruce Horner- Iraq- 2007.
The dedication will take place Sunday, November 11th at 10:50 am. , the time has been chosen so that we may have a minute of silence at 11:00 am. The event is planned at the north entranceway of the walkway – Settlers’ Watch, 2nd and Oberlin, there is also parking at 1st and Oberlin Ave.

Please join us in honoring these young men, born in Lorain who have given their lives in the service of their county

NOTE: Many thanks to Dan Brady of http://danielebrady.blogspot.com/ for the design of the commemorative booklet

Eric Barnes’- Heroes Walk- the Update

Eric Barnes’ – Heroes Walk

Photo- Lisa Miller

A lot of dirt has been moved, beds have been prepared, tons of recycled crushed concrete placed and rolled and placed again and concrete pads laid in the past few weeks. Please bear in mind this is a donation and volunteer driven project.

We are very lucky our project coincided with the fact the City of Lorain and Lorain Utilities Dept. had to take the area where the “sludge bags had been stored ” and re-do the parking area and grassy area.

Charleston Village Society, along with our sister organizations Black River Historical Society and Lorain Growth Corporation were able to piggy back onto their project and as they designed and re graded the property to cut a path way through the trees joining Settlers’ Watch and the Admiral King Tribute space.

Please see video and article in the Morning Journal by Jessica James
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2012/10/10/news/doc5074edc83d09f817310758.txt

So. where are we now?

Thanks to the generosity of Lorain City Schools donating the two granite benches , from the soon to be torn down Admiral King High School, we are able to honor the two graduates of Lorain City Schools with a bench each -
Army 1st Sgt Bruce Horner ( Admiral King High School)

and Marine Lance Corporal David Hall ( Southview High School).

Full benches will be part of the tribute spaces as well for Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Ryan Giese

and Sgt Louis R Torres

Each Tribute garden space will include a piece of hardscape art work- loosley based on a maritime theme

The hardscape pieces will be set in blue glass mulch and white limestone to tie in with the anchor center piece at Admiral King Tribute Space

At each entrance way ( Settlers Watch and Admiral King Tribute Space will be a sign – Eric Barnes’- Heroes Walk - the sign will be cutwork and have a 3 dimensional look- the colours are navy blue, silver and white incorporating the anchor from the Admiral King Tribute Site and the Eric Barnes Eagle from Settlers’ Watch. – smaller versions of the signs will be placed at each tribute garden with the name of the fallen hero and information pertaining to each son of Lorain

There are a great many other aspects to the walk- it will still be a work in progress until next summer. However we would like to invite everyone to the dedication of the walk way on Sunday November 11th and 11 am. 2012. 1st and Oberlin- Lorain Ohio
As always any donations goes 100 percent to the project – Should you wish to donate or help out in any way you can send your check to

Charleston Village Society Inc- 1127 W 4th Street, Lorain Ohio 44052 ( mark Heroes Walk on the memo portion) – should you wish to volunteer time , plants, ideas please contact cvsilor@yahoo.com or phone 440-246-6046

Memorial Day USA- 2012

design- Christopher D. Ritchey

The origin of Memorial Day
http://www.thememorialdaytribute.com/origin-of-memorial-day.html

Many cities in the North and the South claim to be the first to celebrate Memorial Day in 1866 but Congress and President Lyndon Johnson officially declared Waterloo in New York as the ‘birthplace’ of Memorial Day in 1966. It was said that on May 5, 1866, a ceremony was held here to honor local soldiers and sailors who fought in the Civil War, businesses were closed for the day and residents furled flags at half-mast. It was said to be the first formal, community-wide and regular event.

How do you memorialize the American dead in her 237 year old history?

Wikipediia does it by listing all the wars since 1775 to the present day
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_casualties_of_war

Grand Total 2,489,335 dead or wounded ……. so for every year of the United States existence approximately 10, 504 young people died or were wounded in her name .

The community of the United States of America honors and memorialized those who have died, lost limbs and continue to serve .
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=116498

ARLINGTON, Va., May 25, 2012 – More than 1,200 soldiers with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard, gathered at Arlington National Cemetery here yesterday to place miniature American flags on each of its gravesites and niches for the annual “Flags In” ritual that’s been performed just before each Memorial Day for 64 years.

Army Pvt. Aaron Johnson places a small American flag in front of a gravesite headstone during the annual “Flags In” event at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., May 24, 2012. Johnson, assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, the Army’s “Old Guard,” and his comrades placed flags in front of more than 260,000 gravesite headstones and about 7,300 niches at the cemetery’s columbarium.

The Old Guard, at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, is the Army’s ceremonial unit and has honored Americans buried at the cemetery with the Flags In commemoration every year since 1948.

The regiment’s troops placed the flags on nearly 260,000 gravesites and 22,000 niches, in addition to more than 14,000 graves at the U.S. Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., an Army cemetery for residents of the Armed Forces Retirement Home-Washington

Artwork Christopher D. Ritchey

Freedom Is Not Free- Kelly Strong

I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
and then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
He’d stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers’ tears?
How many pilots’ planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers’ graves?
No, freedom isn’t free.

I heard the sound of TAPS one night,
When everything was still
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That TAPS had meant “Amen,”
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn’t free.

So as we enjoy the day of freedom on this Memorial Day think of young smiling faces whose hearts were afire with patriotism as they gave all they could give!

Lest We Forget- Christian Temple Disciples of Christ 5th Street Remembers

The congregation of Lorain Christian Temple Disciples of Christ, 940 West Fifth Street, Lorain, Ohio will be placing flags on its side lawn to honor and remember all who have lost their lives in the present conflicts.

The project began in 2002 with 500 flags. This year, over 6, 500 flags will be placed by church members and volunteers from community groups in honor of those who have been killed. The church will begin placing flags at 9:00 a.m. on Friday May 25, 2012. Anyone who would like to help place flags, please contact the church office at 244-5883.
According to Dr. Donahue, the senior pastor of the church:

“ This display is call to prayer and remembrance. Each flag represents a life given and future- potential lost. As we yearly gaze on this field of flags, we are reminded of the price that is paid for and the high cost of our freedoms. It is a humbling and sobering experience.

Christian Temple Disciples of Christ is a Veteran’s Friendly Church where veterans and their families can feel welcome as they worship with many other veterans including Dr. Donahue who is a retired Army Reserve Chaplain.
The community is invited to visit the display which will be up until Tuesday May 29, 2012.
ED NOTE: I spoke to Reverend Donahue this afternoon and help is still needed to help place and gather the flags. Donations are also welcome .

Contact: Rev. Dr. Brad Donahue, Ph: 440-244-5883

Lorain’s Sons of Sacrifice- Iraq and Afghanistan – The Proud

Who I am- Freedom Speaks - art work Christopher Ritchey

And I believe we need heroes, I believe we need certain people who we can measure our own shortcomings by. Richard Attenborough

They are the sons of Lorain, these young men who went to war – asked no favor expected no quarter. They may or may not have known one another, as they attended school, participated in sports, music, drama or walked in the sunshine over looking Lorain’s blue Lake Erie, looked out upon her lighthouse, played catch with dads, sat at the dinner table waiting for mom’s cooking, laughed and loved but they were brothers .

A brotherhood, born of a desire to keep free from harm and terror the rest of us who can still enjoy those life giving waters of Lake Erie , sunshine still caressing the flag of their country. The off shore breezes help her to speak proudly and call to us we need to listen and remember . These young men have joined their brothers of so many wars, through the decades, who answered the flag’s call of freedom.

Proud in heart and proud of the spirit of freedom these brave young men – sons of Lorain- who gave everything it was possible for them to give.

A mother and father’s pride as they held their new-born son at his birth, the indescribable happiness as tiny swollen eyes struggled to open and saw the light for the first time , tiny fingers holding on , reaching and hearing a familiar heart beat at their mother’s breast. A dad, taking this tiny bundle into his oh! so big hands, hands that will throw a football, base-ball , maybe even chastise, hands that felt too big and awkward to hold this tiny little being who is his son. A mother’s heart will break and a father’s hands will tremble as they learn of their son’s ultimate sacrifice- for them and for us- the pain mixed with a pride of that tiny child who became a man – a hero .

Lorain, has 4 young men who have given in the Iraq and Afghanistan War- a war started by “terror” that has brought terror to these shores.

Army 1st Sgt. Bruce Horner – Son of Ed and Betty Horner
Died June 1, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom assigned to the 127th Military Police Company, 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21st Theater Support Command, Fliegerhorst, Germany; died in Seddah of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small-arms fire.

Airman 1st Class Eric Barnes – Son of Tom and Shary Barnes
Died June 10, 2007 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom assigned to the 90th Logistics Readiness Squadron, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.; died as result of an improvised explosive device attack on an Air Force convoy about 100 miles south of Baghdad.

Marine Lance Corporal David Hall son of Delmar and Lulu Hall
Died August 31, 2009 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Aug. 31 in Garmsir, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations.

Marine Lance Corporal Joseph “Ryan” Giese son of Larry Giese and Connie Wascovich
Died January 7, 2011 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom assigned to 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died Jan. 7 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations.

photo Mark Teleha

We cannot give back the happiness to those that have lost their son, husband, brother, grandchild, nephew but we can show how proud we are of these Sons of Lorain. The area known as Settlers’ Watch http://www.locophotogblog.com/?p=390 has a tribute carving to Airman First Class Eric Barnes , it is the center piece of the green space. Diagonally across the large lot is another tribute space http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/11/13/trials-and-tribulations-of-a-flag-unfurled-admiral-king-tribute-site/ that of Lorain’s Fleet Admiral Ernest J King.

Through the Black Walnut trees and brush of the green space joining Settlers’ Watch and the Admiral King Tribute site, one who walks there, will find glimpses of a lake that mirrors the colors of the Flag of the United States of America.

Lake Erie’s blue sparkling waters kissed with light, the roar of anger as the winds of war whipped about us- the crashing of white capped waves as we fight for our way of life and the red glow of a lake sunset reflected upon a calm that peace can bring.

A flag still flying, given her voice once more by the wind of pride, beckons us to remember those that walked the path of war.

Design by Christopher Ritchey

http://www.usflag.org/colors.html The colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness and valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice.

The Eric Barnes’ – Walk of Heroes will pay honor and show our “pride” remembering those young men . Along the walkway a tribute space, personal to each son , a place for giving thanks from those that have benefitted from their ultimate gift- their young lives- their bravery , their love of country. And a reminder to those who can still enjoy a game of catch, a sunrise, a child’s cry, as they are born into freedom, by a shimmering lake -a place to look out upon the lake of the colours of freedom. A lake, who at times can be grey with the color of mourning, kisses the shores and gives thanks in her own way.

Contributions to the Eric Barnes’- Walk of Heroes can be made to
Charleston Village Society
1127 West 4th Street
Lorain, Oh 44052
for further information on the project please contact cvsilor@yahoo.com or phone 440-246-6046

Angels came down- Kevin Costner- alone on a battlefield

Thought I would share this …. battlefields and young men who have died on them are on my mind this morning – for a couple of reasons….

Angels Came Down -2011 KEVIN COSTNER & MODERN WEST

Walking all alone in the Southern rain
By graveyards and battlefields that blood still stains
Back to a time when the angels came
Walking all alone in the Southern rain

In the forests and the fields so many men were killed
I can hear their cries still echo through these hills
That was the time when the angels came
Walking all alone in the Southern rain

The angels came down to the fallen men
They held their hands and they prayed for them
They carried their souls beyond the moon and the sun
All the way to heaven one by one

The angels worked so hard for so many years
To heaven and back again they shed so many tears
They left no one and they placed no blame
Walking all alone in the Southern rain

The angels came down to the fallen men
They held their hands and they prayed for them
They carried their souls beyond the moon and the sun
All the way to heaven one by one

Walking all alone in the Southern rain
Never heal the troubles never heal the pain
But that was the time when the angels came
Walking all alone in the Southern Rain

Two little boys- my childhood song- the American Civil War connection

Two Little Boys” is a song written by American composer Theodore Morse and lyricist Edward Madden. It was written in 1902 and became a popular music hall song of the time, made popular by Harry Lauder. It describes the story of two boys who grow up to fight in the American Civil War. In 1969, it became a surprise No. 1 top-selling single for entertainer Rolf Harris in the United Kingdom.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Little_Boys

My mother used to sing this song to me along with others such as Sweet Polly Oliver - not your typical lullabye. My father would sing to me as well, Ghost Riders and the Naughty Lady of Shady Lane. My grandmother also very vocal , with her “ditties”, and of course the Highwayman
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/the-highwayman-sesame-street-material-not/

But Two Little Boys always made me cry and yet I would ask my mum to sing it over and over again. I used to sing this to my son when he was a baby and colicky . I used to think of the Lorain connection to the Civil war and later the Gilmore connection- and Fanny of the Civil War Letters – who was our neighbor in a different time and age – but whose legacy lingers ……..
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2009/01/31/civil-war-letters-revisted/

My daughter emailed a phone picture to me yesterday, as Gavin had decided Braedyn needed his company and protection ( along with Buzz Lightyear) as Braedyn was trying out the “big crib” – Gavin was showing him how it is done…. I thought of my two little “American Boys” and the American connection to my own very “English” childhood…

Morse – Madden arr. Braden) H. Darewski Music / EMI / Redwood Music (P) 1969
Cond. Alan Braden – Produced by Mickey Clarke

Two little boys had two little toys
Each had a wooden horse
Gaily they played each summer’s day
Warriors both of course
One little chap then had a mishap
Broke off his horse’s head
Wept for his toy then cried with joy
As his young playmate said

Did you think I would leave you crying
When there’s room on my horse for two
Climb up here Jack and don’t be crying
I can go just as fast with two
When we grow up we’ll both be soldiers
And our horses will not be toys
And I wonder if we’ll remember
When we were two little boys

Long years had passed, war came so fast
Bravely they marched away
Cannon roared loud, and in the mad crowd
Wounded and dying lay
Up goes a shout, a horse dashes out
Out from the ranks so blue
Gallops away to where Joe lay
Then came a voice he knew

Did you think I would leave you dying
When there’s room on my horse for two
Climb up here Joe, we’ll soon be flying
I can go just as fast with two
Did you say Joe I’m all a-tremble
Perhaps it’s the battle’s noise
But I think it’s that I remember
When we were two little boys

The Memory of Memorial- Eric Barnes- The Valiant

Eric Barnes design by Chris Ritchey

I never had the honor of meeting Eric Barnes and neither did my son but we will always have a connection this young man and I .

When Eric Barnes was killed giving his young life , strength and love for his country, freedom and flag. Century Tel ( now Link) wished to pay homage and tribute to this young man of Lorain .

They did and in Settlers’ Watch an eagle soars
http://www.locophotogblog.com/?p=361 once more reminding us of not only the bravery of Eric but of all the young men that gave their very essence so a flag can fly, a child can laugh and a true word spoken without fear.

Eric Barnes ( design ) Christopher D. Ritchey

The very last design work my own son did was to commemorate the bravery of Airman First Class Eric Barnes. A few weeks after completing the design work for Eric’s tribute , Chris died, not laying his life down for his country BUT from the obscenity of cancer .

Who I Am by Chris Ritchey

Chris was extremely proud to do this for Eric and the Barnes family , he loved freedom and was as patriotic as they come. And the truth be known I find a sort of comfort knowing that Chris’ last work was honoring the bravery and selflessness of this young man who like so many others gave and are giving everything for their home. It is fitting I think that one who so admired America and her heroes was able to speak to those ideals in his final work.

Please remember as you enjoy your hot dogs, hamburgers ,apple pies, parades and get togethers those who fought and continue to fight for our freedoms, those that like Eric called Lorain their home as well as all who have given their all no matter their hometown- They are the Valiant …………..
Design by Chris Ritchey

The upcoming three-day weekend has prompted searches on Yahoo! for “when is memorial day,” “what is memorial day,” and “memorial day history.” The day was originally known as “Decoration Day” because the day was dedicated to the Civil War dead, when mourners would decorate gravesites as a remembrance.

The holiday was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, when 5,000 people helped decorate the gravesites of 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried at Arlington National Cemetery. (Some parts of the South still remember members of the Confederate Army with Confederate Memorial Day.)

After World War I, the observances were widened to honor the fallen from all American wars–and in 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday.

Towns across the country now honor military personnel with services, parades, and fireworks. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. At Arlington National Cemetery, headstones are graced with small American flags.

This day is not to be confused with Veterans Day, which is observed on November 11 to honor military veterans, both alive and dead.

SOURCE
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20110526/us_yblog_upshot/the-meaning-of-memorial-day