Another year, another Veterans Day is upon us. Last year was the dedication of the El Dorado County Veteran's Memorial. If you have not been there, please do so, especially at night with the beams of light projecting skyward through the flags! It is an awesome experience.
Without the dogged determination of Rich Buchanan and others, this would not have been possible. This is a memorial for all veterans, but at this time we are losing W.W.II vets at an alarming rate (recall most of these men and woman are well into their 80's). With the recent screening of "The War", the focus is once again on them. So let's remember them on this day.
My father, who unfortunately passed away in 1983, was in the field artillery in Europe during World War II. He came ashore in August of 1944 (shortly after my Uncle's P-47 was shot down in France) and followed the infantry to Germany, providing 155 mm howitzer support fire for their advance. He never talked much about it all, except that his unit was lucky to suffer only two fatalities... one to hypothermia, and one to their own anti aircraft fire that fell back to earth. His unit spent time at the Dachau concentration camp trying to cope with the thousands of bodies left by the SS, trying to comfort the thousands who would die in the coming weeks and helping the survivors that would never be the same. I imagine that he was never the same after that. God bless him and all the other veterans that made up the "Greatest Generation" that set the stage for our relative comfort of the last 60+ years. God bless all the veterans of all the wars that have preserved our freedom. Thank you.
It is said, "If you enjoy freedom... Thank a Veteran." There are no truer words!
God bless our troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere in the world as they are the cushion that keeps us relatively safe within our shores. Regardless of your political feelings, if you don't support them, you aid our enemies.
Finally, We are one year away from the Presidential election and it doesn't look good for us gun owners... Luckily the current Congress is so feeble as there has been little movement towards any meaningful legislation. All that could change if HillBillery (did I just make that up?) are elected again. Not a pretty sight! We also see that elections are decided by the slimmest of margins these days, thus reminding us to exercise our rights and freedoms our veterans have fought so hard to protect.
Therefore, let's remember the men and women who have served to make us free today. It is the Veterans who I thank for protecting my rights, not Congress.
A friend sent the following a couple years ago. I forward it to you as it is a good overview of the day, especially "The Final Word" at the end.
Remain vigilant;
Ken Greenwood
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On November 11th, 1921, an unknown American soldier from World War I was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, in recognition of WWI veterans and in conjunction with the timing of cessation of hostilities at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). President Warren Harding requested that: "All...citizens...indulge in a period of silent thanks to God for these... valorous lives and of supplication for His Divine mercy...on our beloved country." Inscribed on the Tomb are the words: "Here lies in honored glory an American soldier know but to God." The day became known as "Armistice Day." In 1954, Congress, wanting to recognize the sacrifice of veterans since WWI, proposed to change Armistice Day to Veterans Day in their honor. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, former Supreme Commander in WWII, signed the legislation.
To honor those veterans who sacrificed all, an Army honor guard from the 3d U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard) keeps day and night vigil at Arlington. At 11 a.m. tomorrow, a combined color guard representing all military service branches executes "Present Arms" at the tomb for the laying of a wreath by the president. This is followed by "Taps."
The Defense Department has totaled one measure of the price of liberty -- almost 1.2 million members of our fighting forces have died while in service to our country since the American Revolution; 1.4 million have been wounded. The numbers, of course, offer no reckoning of the inestimable value of these individual citizens' lives, and the sacrifices borne by their families. But we do know their sacrifices defended a precious gift handed down to us -- the liberties we cherish. Every day -- but today especially -- let us always hold our veterans and their families in our hearts.
THE GIPPER
It's been my responsibility, my duty and very much my honor to serve as Commander in Chief of this nation's Armed Forces these past eight years. That is the most sacred, most important ask of the Presidency. Since our nation's founding, the primary obligation of the national government has been the common defense of these United States. But as I have sought to perform this sacred task as best I could, I have done so with the knowledge that my role in this day-to-day-to-day effort, from sunrise to sunrise, every moment of every hour of every day of every year, is a glancing one compared to yours. ... But it's not just your fellow Americans who owe you a debt. No, I believe many more do, for I believe that military service in the Armed Forces of the United States is a profound form of service to all humankind. You stand engaged in an effort to keep America safe at home, to protect our allies and interests abroad, to keep the seas and the skies free of threat. Just as America stands as an example to the world of the inestimable benefits of freedom and democracy, so too an America with the capacity to project her power for the purpose of protecting and expanding freedom and democracy abroad benefits the suffering people of the world." --Ronald Reagan, 1989
FLAG ETIQUETTE
Here are some tips to make sure your tribute is a respectful one: Display the flag only between sunrise and sunset on buildings and stationary flagstaffs. The flag may be displayed for twenty-four hours if illuminated in darkness. Do not display the flag in inclement weather. Whether displaying the flag vertically or horizontally, make sure the canton of stars is visible on the upper left-hand side. Do not let the flag touch the ground. An unusable flag that is damaged and worn and can no longer be displayed should be destroyed in a dignified way by burning. When not on display, the flag should be respectfully folded into a triangle, symbolizing the tricorn hats worn by colonial soldiers in the Revolutionary War.
THE LAST WORD
"It is the soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us freedom of the press.
"It is the soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of speech.
"It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
"It is the soldier, who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag."
-- Father Dennis Edward O'Brian, USMC
(10 November 1775, a Corps of Marines was created by a resolution of Continental Congress -- Semper
Fi!)
Original AP Photo
