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Memorial Day Milwaukee Action

By VVAW Milwaukee

It always seems that Memorial Day in Milwaukee is cold and wet. 1985 was no different. 48 degrees and misty. For the 8th year in a row VVAW attended the official VA Memorial Day at Woods, Wisconsin. About 15 of us met in the parking lot and marched behind our wreath up through the old Civil War Soldier Home buildings up to the cemetery. Two hundred and fifty people representing 30 different veterans' groups, Congressman Kleczka, and veterans from the hospital came to the wreath-laying ceremony.

A couple of sour apples told us to go back to Hanbi, but everyone else that came up thanked us for coming. Congressman Kleczka must have been listening during the budget hearing he held in Milwaukee, because he purposely mentioned no cuts in the VA health-care budget. In fact, Congressman Moody's office let us know that the House requested $250 million as an increase in the healthcare budget.

After the ceremony and the laying of the wreaths, we went to the VA hospital for a reception and that went really well. We went up to some of the wards and brought the veterans down for coffee and donuts. We passed out copies of THE VETERAN and talked about proposed cuts in the VA budget. Like VVAW has always said, "Honor the Dead, Fight Like Hell for the Living."

(A special thanks goes to Buds and Blossoms for the wreath they made and donated for the ceremony—thank you.)

—VVAW Milwaukee