Over the years I’ve shared several Veterans Day posts with you. If you’ve been a long time reader you’ll remember more than a few were connected to the Veterans Day festivities held at Martins Creek School when the girls were students there and when Pap was often among the Veterans honored.
As you might imagine this Veterans Day looks a little different from typical ones.
The school usually invites Veterans to come to school for a meal and a program honoring their service put on by the students and staff.
With the social distancing guidelines firmly in place at school feeding a large crowd of Veterans wasn’t an option.
Like many other 2020 events this year’s Veterans Program at Martins Creek School was moved online.
I hope you enjoyed the program! And if you’re a Veteran I sincerely thank you for your service for the good of me.
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Veteran’s Day is a day that I always want to thank all our veterans for their sacrifice. We love to trace our veterans back to the Revolutionary War. It seems each Veteran’s Day one of them stands out in my mind, and I like to honor them in some way even if it is to go on the FAG site and thank them. This veteran’s Day I sure would like to mention my great Uncle<Kenna Monroe Lester. He was just an ordinary farm boy when WW11 broke out, and I always thought that equipped him well for service to our country. He lost his Mother to the Great Flu Pandemic when he was just a small boy. Different ones including my grandmother helped raise him. I had the pleasure of meeting this great uncle who was small in stature, but that did not stop him in service to his country. He was awarded the Navy Cross for extreme valor even though serving in the army, 2 bronze stars, and 2 purple hearts. While I am impressed by the awards, not near as much as his action on the battlefield to help save the lives of his comrades. He settled down after his service, and led a quiet life in Wyoming County WV.
One of Tor’s last memories of Pap was talking about the Marine Corps. They were both so proud to have served.
Thanks to all Veterans.
Everybody ought to read this! An example of Appalachia’s finest. Killed just hours, maybe just minutes before World War One ended! 102 years ago tonight. He might have returned home is they hadn’t delayed the armistice. He was my 1st cousin 2x removed. My great grandfather’s sister’s son. Everett Robert Bates http://reflectionsofoldeswain.blogspot.com/
My dad and several of his brothers served in WW11. The youngest served later and at least one of them made it a career. I remember running to Grandma with the mail if there was an envelope with stripes. I can’t remember the colors of the stripes but I knew it was important to her as it was from one of her sons. I would go running to her yelling, “Grandma, You got a letter!” Once she asked how I knew it was for her since I couldn’t read. I said, “Because of the colors.”
I want to thank each and everyone of the veterans. I pray God Blesses you a hundred Foley. Thanks Tipper.
Beautiful program, Tipper! I lost one Uncle in WWII and I had cousins serving in Vietnam. I’m so thankful for all our Veterans!!
God Bless all veterans who left family and loved ones to go do your patriotic duty and protect your country. Veterans who served in the Vietnam War have a special place in my heart. Thanks to the merchants and organizations for your efforts in making veterans feel special today. Veterans are special and I thank you for your service!
Shirl, Vietnam has a special in my heart too. If you read below you will see I lost a cousin in Vietnam. We had several boys from our church and in my neighborhood that went to Vietnam, all came home safe except for Alford. He was only over there 6 weeks. I am of the age group of boys that went, but the draft stoped before my number came up. I didn’t enjoy my last years of high school because of thunking about Vietnam and thinking of Alford. He was killed in 1968.
I don’t recall ever having heard or read what, if anything, veterans themselves want from non-veterans. Closest thing I have heard or read is that they usually want the honor to go to those who didn’t come home or who were wounded in a life-changing way. But I honor them all for the courageous decision to enter service when – in Lincoln’s words – they go “not knowing when, or whether ever, I shall return.” And in that decision is an acceptance of all else also that goes with it.
But honor goes also to the mothers sisters and wives at home. I had a co-worker, back in the early 80’s, whose husband was an MIA in Vietnam. They had one daughter who, I seem to recall, he had never seen. I do not think she ever married again.
I am proud to have served and thankful that it was between shooting wars (Korea and Vietnam). I was a Cold War soldier, but during WW II my dad and five uncles all served in combat zones. I lost one uncle, soon after D-Day 1944. My two brothers and six of our cousins all wore the uniform and an aunt worked in a defense plant building B-24 bombers. If any reader should visit the military museum in Walhalla, SC, you’ll see a modest exhibit about our Oconee County family. While stationed in Germany I was able to visit my uncle’s grave at Normandy. He was from Long Creek, SC, and he and my dad loved fishing in the Chattooga River. May God bless and lead the United States of America.
Beautiful!!! Thanks Tipper, this touched me.
I would like to take this time to thank the veterans for their service. I had three uncles that were in WWII and Korea. One was a POW. I also had a cousin Alfred Whitt serve in Vietnam. Alfred was killed. He was captain of the first football team at Woodmont High School. The school has honored him by naming the football stadium for him He was one of the finest young man you could ever know. Thanks again veterans.