Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Give a Vet a Hug Today...and every day...


A blessed day to those who serve and protect us. I myself am the wife, daughter, sister, niece, cousin, great-niece and great-great-great-granddaughter of U.S. veterans.

Daddy served as a translator/radioman in the Aleutian Islands in WWII. Hubby medic-ed in Germany. My great-uncle Albert died in The Great War. His remains didn't return home for three years, in time for my uncle/godfather to be named after him.

My great-great-great grampa marched with Tecumseh Sherman to the sea. Family lore says he got sidelined with illness before the burning of Atlanta. All right by me.

Veterans' Day started out in 1919, as Armistice Day, to honor the first anniversary of the end of "the war to end all wars." World War One. Ironic, isn't it? Less than 20 years later another one raged.

Truth to tell, have wars ever stopped?

In 1938, Armistice Day became a national holiday and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all veterans from all wars, living and dead. Today there are 23.2 million veterans. Let's give them their due. Let's tend those in need.

After all, all gave some. Some gave all.

Thanks, veterans, for keeping us safe and free.

3 comments:

Helen Hardt said...

Amen!

Jennie Marsland said...

I second Helen. I had two great uncles who fought in ww2, and my mother's father was a pilot in ww1. We need to remember to be grateful to those who serve and protect.

Tanya Hanson said...

Yes indeed. Thanks, ladies. I can't imagine living anywhere else, and the sacrifices others made to let me do so are staggering.