Veteran's Day....
At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, the guns along the western front fell silent as the armistice went into effect thus ending WWI, one of the greatest slaughters in mankinds history. A whole generation of young men had been destroyed in most European countries. The Austrians and Germans had lost 2.5 million men killed and another 1.2 million missing. Missing usually meaning that the soldier had been pulverized beyond recognition, or that his body had simply vanished into the mud. The British lost over a million men dead or forever missing. The Australians lost 58,000. The Canadians, 56,000. The French, 1.7 million. New Zealand, over 16,000 dead. The United States, 70,000 dead or missing. The number wounded generally ran 3-4 times the number of the dead. Compare this to the, then, populations of these countries and the magnitude of the disaster becomes even more clear.
It was because of the shock of this calamity that the idea for a remembrance to honor veterans of that war, Armistice Day, was quickly conceived. The "war to end all wars", of course didn't, and so in the United States in 1954 this day of honor became known as Veteran's Day, to include all veterans who had served in the armed forces.
My Great Great Grandfather was an infantryman in the Union Army in America's Civil War. I have a faded photograph of him taken in the 1880's in front of his farmhouse. He is proudly wearing his Grand Army of the Republic badge denoting his status as a veteran. My Grandfather, my Dad's Dad, was a Marine Corps infantryman in World War I, and among other actions he fought in the battle at the Belleau Woods. We still have his most prized military possession, the Marine Corps "globe and anchor" insignia that he wore.
My Dad was an infantryman during World War II. He fought his way through Italy with the famed 45th "Thunderbird" Division. On his very first day of combat, his best friend was killed. He was in almost continuous combat on the road north through Italy until his feet were frozen in the Italian Alps, ending his combat career. He spent the remainder of the war in England attached to the 8th Air Force. He was gone for over three years. For 50 years the memories of his experience were to hard to talk about, and only in the last five years have I learned what he endured. We have the uniform that he wore when he was mustered out the Army, some medals, including his prized Combat Infantry Badge, and a few assorted items...including a defused hand grenade still in it's orginal carton that he brought back as a memento.
I too was an infantryman, an officer. As far as I know, the first officer in our family ranks of the citizen soldier. Through R.O.T.C., the Regular Army, active National Guard service and the Reserves, I have about 17 years of combined time. And though I endured some difficult, harrowing, and painful times in my army career, my service pales in comparison to all the hardships that my forebearers and many of my friends endured. I don't dwell on the details of my service, but rather chose to focus on the unique and lasting friendships I have made among my military brothers.
Veteran's Day is sometimes a hard thing for Veteran's to handle. While the general population is, in the main, appreciative of the service of the nations veterans, many do not cast a passing thought about the sacrifices that have been made by young men and women in their service to the nation. Sacrifice not only in blood, but in time. Gone from home and family for years, missing family funerals, gone for Christmas, gone for childrens births. Most citizens can't even be troubled to put out a flag on this day. Veterans notice. Many citizens are glad for the "free" day off. Most Veterans are glad they have the chance to go to work.
Departed columnist Mike Ryoko, a veteran, wrote a humorous column in 1993 suggesting that only Veterans get a day off on Veterans Day. Not a bad idea, but I would suggest that to really honor veterans, that the 11th of November be set aside as a day of national service...a day off work for all in the country to perform volunteer work in a charitable program of their choice. This would be an appropriate and fitting way to honor the service of our veterans. Until this happens, most veterans will celebrate Veteran's Day the way we have for decades, among ourselves.
I have the privelage of knowing, and having spent some time with Gen. Hal Moore . One of the things that Gen. Moore is religous about doing whenever he meets a veteran is saying, "Thank you for your service". So to all veterans....."Thank you for your service"!
Note to the flagless: I have a certificate from the 25th Infantry Division noting that in three short years I ran over 1,000 miles in combat boots. This to keep physically fit and combat ready. My 50 something year old feet are now paying the price. I have flown many 1,000's of miles in Huey's, CH-47's, C-130's, C-141's. I have dropped an accumulated 13 miles straight down in 58 some-odd parachute drops from 1200 ft. [many at night]. There is no telling how many 100's of miles I have "humped" across swamps, deserts, mountains and plains carrying such things as an M-16 rifle, M-60 machine guns, 81 mm. mortars, baseplates and sights, not to mention a loaded rucksack. This all for the privelage of sleeping in a muddy hole covered by a plastic poncho. And my "mileage" is miniscule compared to some troopers I have the privelage of knowing.
Therefore, we would find it satisfying if you might find the time and energy to walk the 20 or 30 paces to your front porch and put out a flag as a token of thanks, that you didn't have to do the above. Thank you.
At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, the guns along the western front fell silent as the armistice went into effect thus ending WWI, one of the greatest slaughters in mankinds history. A whole generation of young men had been destroyed in most European countries. The Austrians and Germans had lost 2.5 million men killed and another 1.2 million missing. Missing usually meaning that the soldier had been pulverized beyond recognition, or that his body had simply vanished into the mud. The British lost over a million men dead or forever missing. The Australians lost 58,000. The Canadians, 56,000. The French, 1.7 million. New Zealand, over 16,000 dead. The United States, 70,000 dead or missing. The number wounded generally ran 3-4 times the number of the dead. Compare this to the, then, populations of these countries and the magnitude of the disaster becomes even more clear.
It was because of the shock of this calamity that the idea for a remembrance to honor veterans of that war, Armistice Day, was quickly conceived. The "war to end all wars", of course didn't, and so in the United States in 1954 this day of honor became known as Veteran's Day, to include all veterans who had served in the armed forces.
My Great Great Grandfather was an infantryman in the Union Army in America's Civil War. I have a faded photograph of him taken in the 1880's in front of his farmhouse. He is proudly wearing his Grand Army of the Republic badge denoting his status as a veteran. My Grandfather, my Dad's Dad, was a Marine Corps infantryman in World War I, and among other actions he fought in the battle at the Belleau Woods. We still have his most prized military possession, the Marine Corps "globe and anchor" insignia that he wore.
My Dad was an infantryman during World War II. He fought his way through Italy with the famed 45th "Thunderbird" Division. On his very first day of combat, his best friend was killed. He was in almost continuous combat on the road north through Italy until his feet were frozen in the Italian Alps, ending his combat career. He spent the remainder of the war in England attached to the 8th Air Force. He was gone for over three years. For 50 years the memories of his experience were to hard to talk about, and only in the last five years have I learned what he endured. We have the uniform that he wore when he was mustered out the Army, some medals, including his prized Combat Infantry Badge, and a few assorted items...including a defused hand grenade still in it's orginal carton that he brought back as a memento.
I too was an infantryman, an officer. As far as I know, the first officer in our family ranks of the citizen soldier. Through R.O.T.C., the Regular Army, active National Guard service and the Reserves, I have about 17 years of combined time. And though I endured some difficult, harrowing, and painful times in my army career, my service pales in comparison to all the hardships that my forebearers and many of my friends endured. I don't dwell on the details of my service, but rather chose to focus on the unique and lasting friendships I have made among my military brothers.
Veteran's Day is sometimes a hard thing for Veteran's to handle. While the general population is, in the main, appreciative of the service of the nations veterans, many do not cast a passing thought about the sacrifices that have been made by young men and women in their service to the nation. Sacrifice not only in blood, but in time. Gone from home and family for years, missing family funerals, gone for Christmas, gone for childrens births. Most citizens can't even be troubled to put out a flag on this day. Veterans notice. Many citizens are glad for the "free" day off. Most Veterans are glad they have the chance to go to work.
Departed columnist Mike Ryoko, a veteran, wrote a humorous column in 1993 suggesting that only Veterans get a day off on Veterans Day. Not a bad idea, but I would suggest that to really honor veterans, that the 11th of November be set aside as a day of national service...a day off work for all in the country to perform volunteer work in a charitable program of their choice. This would be an appropriate and fitting way to honor the service of our veterans. Until this happens, most veterans will celebrate Veteran's Day the way we have for decades, among ourselves.
I have the privelage of knowing, and having spent some time with Gen. Hal Moore . One of the things that Gen. Moore is religous about doing whenever he meets a veteran is saying, "Thank you for your service". So to all veterans....."Thank you for your service"!
Note to the flagless: I have a certificate from the 25th Infantry Division noting that in three short years I ran over 1,000 miles in combat boots. This to keep physically fit and combat ready. My 50 something year old feet are now paying the price. I have flown many 1,000's of miles in Huey's, CH-47's, C-130's, C-141's. I have dropped an accumulated 13 miles straight down in 58 some-odd parachute drops from 1200 ft. [many at night]. There is no telling how many 100's of miles I have "humped" across swamps, deserts, mountains and plains carrying such things as an M-16 rifle, M-60 machine guns, 81 mm. mortars, baseplates and sights, not to mention a loaded rucksack. This all for the privelage of sleeping in a muddy hole covered by a plastic poncho. And my "mileage" is miniscule compared to some troopers I have the privelage of knowing.
Therefore, we would find it satisfying if you might find the time and energy to walk the 20 or 30 paces to your front porch and put out a flag as a token of thanks, that you didn't have to do the above. Thank you.
