It is with great appreciation and gratitude that we celebrate Memorial Day!  Without the brave men and women that have given their hearts, souls, and lives for our country, our lives might be far different than those we have today. 

The freedoms we take for granted should be remembered today as we honor those that have sacrificed for these freedoms. 

I’m sure each of us have those in our families who have sacrificed for all of us.  I want to pay special tribute to my Great Grandfather, Sigurd Peter Gaupset, who emigrated from Norway and fought in WWI for this country.  He was a hero in The Lost Battalion, one of the most talked about, and written about battles in WWI.  Movies have been made about this battle in the Argonne Forest, in France.  After being surrounded by Germans, these men, originally 700, then 554 caught in the pocket, fought for 5-6 days with limited ammo, lack of enough food and water.  Only 194 lived…my Great Grandfather being one of them.  The full story can be read at this link:  TheLostBattalion

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I also want to share the beautiful poem from Anne Duffy Dunajcik, Keller Williams Realtor in St. Louis….. 

http://www.StLouisHome.com

   341-581-1000

Happy Memorial Day from Anne in St. Louis. If you have any veterans in your life, please tell them thank you from me and feel free to share this little poem I wrote to my Dad and for Veterans everywhere.

Written for: Francis R. Duffy, my dad

World War II Veteran

Purple Heart Recipient May 14, 1945

Wounds received in Germany Mar 7, 1945

Died Aprl 23, 2005

5 Bronze Campaign Stars

THANK YOU, DEAR DAD

Thank you, dear Dad

For answering the call

Your bravery in World War II

helped America stand tall

My generation doesn’t even understand

What your generation did for our land

How you left…mere boys of eighteen

To go fight at places, yet unseen

To experience horror, pain and fear

And yet you went

To fight for everything

America held dear

You went without even asking why

You went knowing

that you could possibly die

Dear Dad, you should be honored every day

And yet you never mention it

Do you remember it in your heart?

Are you proud that you did your part?

World War II men possess strengths

That my generation doesn’t even know

Quiet bravery, courage & unity

Against a common foe

You were tested in countless ways untold

Yet you marched forth in battle,

proud and bold

You saw stories that are too awful to recall

You saw your fellow soldiers

and your dear friends fall

Then, you came back, married,

raised a family

Built a country too,

still prosperous and free

Time marched on…steady and true

And 50 years later,

we still remember you

You are grandfather’s now

and your hair is gray

But you’ll always be our hero,

for you led the way

You preserved this country

where our children play

Strong and free

every single day

The grim trials you endured

The unspeakable things you saw

Our children know not the cost

Nor the cherished friends that you lost

But we will teach them the lessons,

You taught with your lives

About courage and dignity

and the will to survive

About the great ideal

of democracy

About the price you paid

to save the “the home of the free”

So thank you, dear Dad

I can’t express it enough

I appreciate you for being so tough

Thank you, dear Dad

for being so strong

Thank you, dear Dad

for standing up against wrong

You’ll always be my hero

and America’s too

We will always be

indebted to you

Thanks for going so long ago

Thanks for securing this blessed life I know

Thanks for fighting to keep us free

Thanks for saving the future for me.

Anne Duffy Dunajcik

Written for my Dad                Memorial Day 1999

 Wishing everyone all the best this Memorial Day!

 www.SigneBeck.com