Memorial Day
Memorial Day is known across the country for barbecues, picnics and time to spend with the family. It’s also a great time to get away from the hustle and bustle of your everyday and take a three-day weekend. Parades go on in small and large towns and I like to think all Americans take just a few minutes to think about why we have this holiday. President Bush asked for a moment of silence at 3 pm EST to remember the troops around the world who have sacrificed so we can enjoy a beautiful day like Monday was (at least in NY as the weather was perfect).
Memorial Day weekend is also a weekend where most New Yorkers flee the city before you can say Memorial. I stayed in town this weekend and had a ball, especially as it was Fleet Week! Fleet Week is when a number of Navy ships dock throughout NYC and New York celebrates the sea services. Sailors of the Navy, Marines and Coast Guardsmen run loose throughout the city and it’s a great sight to see! Events go on all weekend, like Marine Day in Times Square, Navy Band performances and plethora of great events. I also decided to take a tour of the USS Kearsarge, which was docked on the West Side and open to the public. It was great to see the crew of the ship show their true colors and interact with the public, friends and family.
The public was allowed to be hands on with the military equipment (well supervised, of course) and I saw only smiles of the soldiers, from tank drivers to the helicopter pilots, explaining what they do on a daily basis. Seeing the men and women on board the ship made me proud to be an American, and all my best wishes go out to the men and women in uniform overseas who couldn’t be home to spend this day with their friends and family.
-Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher
