Veterans Day

Thank you to all of you who honorably serve(d) our country, and sacrificed so that we all can continue to be free. You are all truly heroes.
 
I'm always amazed at the courage and selflessness of our servicemen. Some enlisted as a response to an attack on America, some responded to a draft call, others enlisted in peace time, others to protect human rights elsewhere.

All served knowing they could be asked to give up their life for America. Many have come home from recent military engagements missing limbs.

I have a good friend who worked as a reservist nurse at one of our military hospitals at West Point. They send amputees there, and burn victims to Walter Reed if I'm not mistaken. He said the most common response from amputees on arrival is "How soon can I return to my unit?"

No matter what your political affiliation is, we all should hate war. It should be out last option, to put our young men and women in harm's way. No matter what your political affiliation, we all owe a deep and enduring debt of gratitude to our servicemen.
 
Last edited:
[quote="ruehlj" post=362580]Happy Veterans Day to all servicemen/women - past, present, and future.

JR
USAF, 1982 - 2003[/quote]

Agree brother.
Drafted 1972. Discharged 1974. My draft lottery number was 95 which was the highest number reached the year I graduated.
According to the NYTimes:
"This year's pool consists of men who received numbers through 95 in last year's lottery. In case of a national emergency, Selective Service officials estimate that about 250,000 in this most vulnerable pool would be fit “morally, mentally and physically” for military service."
To this day I still don't understand how I qualified since most of my redmen.com fans here would agree that I only fit two of those qualifications.:silly:
Great experience but missed every Redmen game during that time which was my only regret.:cheer:
 
[quote="Class of 72" post=362619][quote="ruehlj" post=362580]Happy Veterans Day to all servicemen/women - past, present, and future.

JR
USAF, 1982 - 2003[/quote]

Agree brother.
Drafted 1972. Discharged 1974. My draft lottery number was 95 which was the highest number reached the year I graduated.
According to the NYTimes:
"This year's pool consists of men who received numbers through 95 in last year's lottery. In case of a national emergency, Selective Service officials estimate that about 250,000 in this most vulnerable pool would be fit “morally, mentally and physically” for military service."
To this day I still don't understand how I qualified since most of my redmen.com fans here would agree that I only fit two of those qualifications.:silly:
Great experience but missed every Redmen game during that time which was my only regret.:cheer:[/quote]

You've mentioned military service before. Thank you. Time has changed American perspective on that war and also about those who served. Your service is as meritorious as any who ever served.

FWIW, I have a feeling that's the last lottery you ever won. :)
 
Thank you very much for this topic on this special day.
Another memory for me on Veterans Day 2019.
I recently was prompted - a small still voice - to go online to check the Vietnam site. I googled
Richard Green and wrote:
Richard, this May 2020 our Class of 1970 celebrates its 50 th Reunion. You died much too young and much too early a mere year or so after we graduated from West Point.
Blessings to all Veterans - some
Living, some Suffering, some Deceased.
God bless my Dad who served in Burma and fought the Japanese and returned to an anxiety filled life after his service. And bless all the fathers and veterans in the greater St. John’s family.

We love America, imperfect though She may be.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Article of interest, entitled
“ The Fallen 9000 ”
apparently not covered by our media.

A large percentage of our
country doesn't know about Normandy.
This year, British artist
Jamie, accompanied by numerous volunteers, took to the beaches of
Normandy with rakes and stencils in hand to etch 9,000 silhouettes
representing fallen people into the sand.
Titled The Fallen 9000,
the piece is meant as a stark visual reminder of those who died during
the D-Day beach landings at Arromanches on June 6th, 1944 during
WWII.
The original team
consisted of 60 volunteers, but as word spread nearly 500 additional
local residents arrived to help?with the temporary installation that
lasted only a few hours before being washed away by the
tide.
9,000 Fallen Soldiers
Etched into the Sand on Normandy Beach to Commemorate Peace
Day.

What is surprising is that
nothing about this was seen here in the US.
Someone from overseas had a friend that sent it with
a note of gratitude for what the US started there.
Please share with others who understand "freedom is
not free-- nor has it ever been.
 
God time to rewatch "Band of Brothers."

Thanks for my freedom.
 
near the top of everyone's bucket list should be a visit to the Normandy beaches.
years ago I made the Normandy pilgrimage. started at the D-day museum when it opened in the morning and then went to the 5 Normandy beaches and finished up at St Mere glise.
stood among the bomb craters of pont de hac - which now is officially USA soil.
had one foot on Omaha beach, overlooking Omaha beaches' dog green sector, the spot of the worse D-day fighting, with the other foot on the grounds of the American cemetery at Normandy.
one of the most sacred spots of American soil.
US army - 1969 - 1971.
 
Back
Top