On Veterans Day

Today is Veteran's Day.





Veterans Day was originally celebrated to commemorate the end of World War One, one of the bloodiest wars in history.  Over ten million soldiers died during that war, and countless more suffered from wounds, disease, and trauma.  An entire generation of young men grew up having gone through an almost-literal hell on earth.

The armistice ending the war officially went into effect at 11:00 AM of November 11, 1918 - the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.  Every Veterans Day, at 11:00 AM, a wreath is laid on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in memory of those who have fallen in that war, as well as all the wars that followed.

In some parts of the world, people will wear red poppies on November 11 in memory of those who fought and died for their respective  countries.  Many such poppies bloomed in the fields between the trenches throughout the war.  These blooms, and the recent death of a friend in combat, inspired Lt. Col. John McCrae, a Canadian doctor serving on the front lines, to write the famous poem "In Flanders Fields."

I'd like to take a few moments to remember some of the veterans from my own personal past:

• Both of my grandfathers served during wartime.  My dad's father, who I am in part named after, served in the U. S. Navy during World War II and was part of the forces that helped drive back the Japanese in the Pacific.  He participated in some of the fiercest battles of that war.  My mom's father was an airman for the U. S. Air Force during the Korean War, serving as a waist gunner aboard a bomber.  His plane was brought down behind enemy lines on one occasion, but he managed to survive and make it back to friendly territory safely.
• I am also named for two of my great-uncles, both of whom served in the U. S. Army during World War II.  One of them was a member of the Air Corps, serving aboard a bomber in the Pacific Theater.  Late in the war, his bomber was shot down by anti-aircraft fire while making a bombing run on a Japanese destroyer.  No survivors were recovered.
• My father served in the U. S. Army for 22 years as an intelligence analyst and a Russian linguist.  He also briefly served in the U. S. Navy aboard a number of submarines.  Much of my life and many of my ambitions were shaped by the stories he told from his experiences and the self-discipline he demonstrated even after he left the service.
• My mother also served in the U. S. Navy as an intelligence analyst and a Spanish linguist.  She isn't quite as outspoken about her service as Dad is, but she'll still talk about it when it comes up in conversation.  I honestly don't tell either of them how much I appreciate them, both as veterans and as my parents, often enough.
• One of my cousins served in the U. S. Navy until fairly recently.  During the invasion of Iraq, he served aboard a small craft that patrolled the waters around Basra and upriver in the Shatt al-Arab, ensuring that terrorists would not be able to attack American and Coalition soldiers using the waterways.
• Many, many other friends and family members who, for the sake of time or poor memory, I cannot list here.

Today is Veterans Day.  Be sure to thank a veteran for his or her service today, and thank God for the service of those you can't speak to directly.