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

[Teacup]

Gloomy day over in our household today. Mr. Teacup and I don't feel like posting today. Have a nice day.

[Mama_Bear]

Hello, mhking. It is always nice to see you here, especially on the special day. Thank you for your support and contributions to the Finest thread. :-)

[Mo1]

Here another one I rec'd in an email

[Aquamarine]

Thanks to all the Active Duty and Veteran's of the Military.

Click on the pic

[M Kehoe]

I stand at attention and salute all of the men and women who are serving or have served our great nation in the U.S. Armed Forces. Our country owes you a debt of gratitude.

5.56mm

[lodwick]

Afternoon there Central Valley - slow day for reading and remembering here. ;-)

[Mama_Bear]

Look at that cross of sunlight on that flag! That is beautiful! Thank you, Mo1.

[Jim Robinson]

God Bless our Country, God Bless our Vets!

Amen!

[Mama_Bear]

Afternoon to you! You know it just doesn't seem right around here when you are not posting your graphics........and some of us start to worry. Worrying is one of the things I do best. ;-)

[knighthawk]

Why Are You Marching Son?
I'd really like to know,

Because of Valley forge
or perhaps the Alamo
or one if by land, two if by sea,
a trumpets call, or a will to be free

What of a man who
stood straight and tall
Who wept silent tears,
when he saw brave men fall
No matter, no difference
the blue or the gray
All were his brothers
how often he'd pray
What of Antietam, that
now peaceful stream,
where the waters blood red
glittered and gleamed
Appomattox, Chickamauga,
Vicksburg, Bullrun,
Cumberland, Gettsyburg,
then Washington

Why Are You Marching Son?

In Flander field...how proud were they
whose forms beneath the poppies lay.
Men who saw Verdun,
died at the Marne...Soisson...
And those who tried the
the fearful foe Chateau-Thierry
Who fought and bled...
whose hearts grew weary
But in whose minds,
one thought kept churning...
That the torch of
liberty keep burning

Why Are You Marching Son?

The planes swarmed in...
and the rising sun
Glowed fiercely
on the evil gun
Men whose blood runs
through our veins
Men who died, and whose remains
lie forever locked in waters deep
Now is it right that
they should sleep
While the warm sea
laps at a twisted hull
And see the torch
of liberty grow dull ?
Anzio...Casino...and the Po!,
St Mere-Eglise...LeMans...St Low!
Gardenlagen...Buchenwald
On and on the roll
is called! And why?

Why Are You Marching Son?

Bugles shrilled in the frozen night
and at first dawn, the awful site
Seas of men...row after row,
Left to die on blood stained snow
Pusan...Pyongyang...Suwan...Kyongju!
and blood-red ran the swift Yalu

In South Vietnam the big guns roared
and once again we fought a war
To honor a pledge our nation gave
to help that little country save
Her people from the certainty
that she'd be ruled by tyranny

No matter were
the big guns roar
Our fighting men,
like those before
Take up the torch
we all held dear
And face freedom's
enemies with out fear
Our fathers died
from sea to sea
And blessed the
torch of liberty

Why? Why Are You Marching Son?

[SheLion]

Please tell him that many on FR thank him for his service. And, thank you for your service as a military wife.

Mama_Bear! Thank you for the kind words! There are a LOT of us in here, I think! What a wonderful Tribute to our Vets!!! Thank you SO much!

[Mama_Bear]

God Bless our Country, God Bless our Vets!

And, God Bless you, Jim. Thank you for your service, thank you for your support of our military, and thank you for this website. FreeRepublic remains the best conservative forum on the internet, bar none. :-)

[ST.LOUIE1]

Please remove me from the Finest Ping/Bump list.
There is too much loathing and hate going on in the background for this old curmudgeon...

I think the "old curmudgeon" has his threads mixed up.

With sadness, I bid you goodbye... :o(

See ya, blackie.

[firewalk]

Thank you to all Veterans out there & Bttt

hiya Billie...thanks for the ping....

[The Mayor]

GOD Bless our Vets!

[OldFriend]

Wonderful, touching poem......thank you.

[SpookBrat]

Thank you for the ping Aqua! :)

[knighthawk]

It's from John Wayne's album, text by Robert Mitchum.

[newslady]

Thank you, Billie, for this tribute to our wonderful veterans. We will be eternally grateful to these fine Americans for preserving the freedoms which we take for granted.

[OldFriend]

TY