Saluting Our Veterans

The observance of Veterans Day began in 1919, one year after the end of World War I. It was originally called "Armistice Day." President Wilson proclaimed it with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…" It wasn't until 1954 that this holiday was changed to Veterans Day to honor American veterans of all wars.


Dad had at least three uncles who served in World War II. They were Grandma Ruby's brothers. Here are some excerpts from emails about that time:

Lewis went into the service in 41 and spent 6 months away from his base in El Paso at a radio operations school in Kansas. When he got back he was called in to the office and told his mother was ill and was given a 10 day pass. He rode the bus to Woodlake and got to see our grandma that night but she was bed fast and had been for a while. She had a hard time seeing him and he had to get really close to her. When he got up in the morning, she wanted to fix his breakfast (just like a mom!) and tried to get up. She passed away that day.

It couldn't have been easy for our grandma to have three of her boys go in the military in wartime either.

Euel was in Germany and worked on railroads. Lewis was going to learn to shoe horses but ended up in radio instead, he was in the Philippines and was due to go to Japan when the war ended. Unsure where Kyle was.

The sacrifice of a mother, sending her sons to war. The sacrifice of sons, going to war, not knowing if they'll ever see their family again. I have a lot to be thankful for.


My father-in-law was in the Navy in Guam, the Philippines and Hawaii during the 1950s, but did not see combat. Here he is in his uniform:


And still able to wear it in 2007!



God bless America!