A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....Veteran's Day, November 11, 2002

Mama_Bear and Billie

[Billie]

The 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the llth Month

Veterans Day November 11, 2002

God Bless Our Country....
....God Bless Our Veterans







.

Honoring Veterans Everywhere....
....Picturing Some of FR's



The Origins of Veterans Day

In 1921, an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. This site, on a hillside overlooking the Potomac River and the city of Washington, became the focal point of reverence for America's veterans.

Similar ceremonies occurred earlier in England and France, where an unknown soldier was buried in each nation's highest place of honor (in England, Westminster Abbey; in France, the Arc de Triomphe). These memorial gestures all took place on November 11, giving universal recognition to the celebrated ending of World War I fighting at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). The day became known as "Armistice Day".

Armistice Day officially received its name in America in 1926 through a Congressional resolution. It became a national holidiay 12 years later by similar Congressional action. If the idealistic hope had been realized that World War I was "the War to end all Wars," November 11 might still be called Armistice Day. But only a few years after the holiday was proclaimed, war broke out in Europe. Sixteen and one-half million Americans took part. Four hundred seven thousand of them died in service, more than 292,000 in battle.

Realizing that peace was equally preserved by veterans of WW II and Korea, Congress was requested to make this day an occasion to honor those who have served America in all wars. In 1954 President Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day.

We Will Never Forget

Every year the President of the United States urges All Americans to honor the commitment of our Veterans through appropriate public ceremonies.

Taps

Fading light dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright.
From afar drawing nigh -- Falls the night.

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky.
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

Then good night, peaceful night,
Till the light of the dawn shineth bright,
God is near, do not fear -- Friend, good night.

Composed By Major General Daniel Butterfield. Army of the Potomac, Civil War. Major General Butterfield is buried in the Post Cemetery at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Thank you, Veterans, and thank you, FReepers, for all you have done to preserve our freedom in America. A thank you, too, to Mama_Bear, who provided the information for today's thread when I wasn't sure what to 'do' for Veteran's Day today. I had the background done, and the layout, but it was as far as I had gotten when she came to the rescue. : ) Thank you, Lori, I know how much the Military means to you and everyone who participates here.

God Bless All, Past and Present.

THIS WEEKEND's THREAD

11-09,10-02 Week in Review

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

     1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
     2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
     3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
     4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
     5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me an FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[Molly Pitcher]

We have to work hard to protect what they fought so hard for.

Amen, sneakers! God bless your Dad for his service.

[SassyMom]

Thank you Mama Bear! I have some men that I want to thank. I want to thank my dad who served in Korea, my grandfather who was in WWI and has gone to be with the Lord, and my stepson who is in the Air Force ROTC at the University of Oklahoma. God bless all of our military past and present.

[SassyMom]

Thank you Amy for that beautiful tribute.

[oust the louse]

The following poem was written by a clergyman who is a member of the U.S. Marine Corps:

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 the 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 allows the protester to burn the flag.

[Mama_Bear]

Hello Amy. I've been missing you and wondering where you were. Thank you for adding the names of your veterans to this thread. I should also list mine........

Husband...Navy, Viet Nam Vet

Son......Navy, Nuclear Machinist, USS Nimitz, Gulf War Vet

Father......career Navy, WWII Vet

Father-in-law....career Navy, Commander, WWII, Korea, Viet Nam Vet

Brother-in-law......Navy, Viet Nam Vet

Brother-in-law......Navy, helicopter pilot, Gulf War Vet

Brother-in-law......Navy, Submarine Captain, USS Bonefish, Viet Nam Vet

Nephew......Navy, Gulf War Vet

Newphew......Army, Gulf War Vet

[Mama_Bear]

God bless all of our military past and present.

Amen.

[Mama_Bear]

Hello, Molly. Always nice to see you here, especially on this special day. Thank you for joining us in our tribute to America's Veterans today.

[Mama_Bear]

Thank you, Meek. I was going to post the flag and Taps for you, but I see that Billie has already done that. :-)

Continued good thoughts and prayers coming your way for your father's quick recovery.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thank you. Dad has another skin graft on Wednesday 11-13 in Tyler, Tx. It's an outpatient procedure. :O)

[Mama_Bear]

Dear veterans, thank you. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart.

And, from Billie, daisyscarlett, dansangel, and Mama_Bear, thank you from the very bottom of our hearts for coming here today and posting your message to America's Veterans.

[Mama_Bear]

For those that have served our great country this is a day of thanks to them, and their families. Without them we couldn't have the best Armed Forces in the world.

You are right about that! Thank you, Mixer. :-)

[Mama_Bear]

Thank you for your service, COB. You are appreciated. :-)

[Mama_Bear]

Oh, what a tragedy! My heart goes out to Joseph Tobul's family and friends.

The missing man formation always brings tears, even if I do not know the "missing man". I believe it represents all who have perished in service to their country.

[WVNan]

THANK YOU ALL VETERANS OF ALL OUR WARS. THANKS TO MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND WHO SERVED AS A MARINE IN THE KOREAN CONFLICT.

<--Click here

[Mama_Bear]

Hi, lodwick. I've been missing you today. Thanks for posting your sunrise picture. Hope you are having a nice day. :-)

[Mama_Bear]

Hello, Nan. Please thank your wonderful husband for us here at FR for his service. :-)

[Mama_Bear]

Billie, every time, on my way down the thread to thank everyone for their Veterans Day posts, I scroll past that precious little boy in the fatigues with his hand over his heart, it touches my heart all over again. :-)

[WVNan]

Hi MB. Thank you. There are so many who deserve our thanks.

[Glutton]

Thank you for your tribute and nice photos. When they fly the last BlackHawk to the A/C boneyard, they will fly away from it in a UH-1H Iroquois, (or maybe a 'Mike' model with a 540 rotorhead and French TOW subsystems installed - just to look pretty mind you.

I was a crewchief on our unit's backup C and C ship. Roteorhead pilots are a unique breed of aviators. Unlike fixed wing A/C, they do not merely want to fly with a little forward motion. Fixed wing pilots can afford to be expansive and carefree.

Helicopter pilots in a ship using conflicting forces counteracting each other to produce flight are generally more conservative, and much better listeners for wrong sounds and better seatof the pants flyers. It pays with helicopters to know just what the bird is doing when airborne.

Have a great veteran's day, and your friends who never made it home have my most heartfelt salute.

[Mama_Bear]

Thank you, .45MAN, for your service. Thank you, angel, for listing your veterans. They are appreciated. :-)

((((((((((hugs)))))))))))