Memorial Day 2023

THE MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY IS NOT ALL ABOUT PARADES, PICNICS AND PARTIES.

I was brought up to be respectful of our American flag and all it stands for. I pledged allegiance to my flag every school morning before class started. My family always had a flag on a pole in our front yard, putting it up every morning and taking it down at sunset. The lives lost in all of the wars when protecting our country were remembered with dignified and solemn ceremonies. I have red white and blue in my heart, especially as I age, realizing the sacrifice that was made for our freedom. In 1947 at 11, I wrote this poem. The train had stopped in Morristown NJ, the town where we lived and we were there! I went aboard that train with my mother and brother. I saw what it carried!

Patriotism ruled in those days. Entire families waited on the train station platform for this special happening in our small town.

The Freedom Train - Complete Piece

Oh Freedom Train we’re glad to say,
you’re like the flag we use today.
With royal colors, red and blue,
Inside we’ll go to look at you,

Oh, papers rare, and very old,
Are precious more than mints of gold.
With rights secured will always be,
So safe and pure for you and me.

Slogan: The Freedom Train is a symbol of freedom.

By Geraldine, 1947

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Original Freedom Train with an Honor Guard Detachment of 29 United States Marines in their dress blues who guarded the train and served as interpreters. The Red, White and Blue Diesel Electric Streamliner traveled on a 37,160-mile tour which began in Philadelphia on September 17, 1947, traveling to all 48 states, and ended on January 22, 1949 in Washington D.C. 
It was the only train-set ever to operate in every state, operating on 52 different railroads. Over 3 million people went aboard the Train during its stops in 326 cities and towns across the land. At many of the stops, people waited in line more than six hours to go aboard. The highest single-day attendance was 14,615. The Freedom Train housed America's most precious documents and other national treasures, including the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, one of the 13 original copies of the Constitution, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address, the Iwo Jima flag, the German and Japanese surrender documents that ended World War II, a precious original of the Magna Carta, written in 1215.                  source http://www.northeast.railfan.net/1947freedom.html