VETERANS DAY A History of Service & Sacrifice
World War I resulted in the deaths of 9 million
soldiers, sailors, and airmen. The “War To End All Wars” ended at 11 a.m., November 11th, 1918. The
leaders decided to cease fighting on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th
month, but the shelling continued until the final seconds as commanders tried
in vain to take more territory before the war ended. American Henry Gunther was
killed 60 seconds before the fighting stopped. Acting against orders of his
sergeant, Gunther fixed his bayonet and charged astonished German troops who
were aware the armistice was nearly upon them. They tried to warn the American
soldier to stop his attack, but in the end they stopped his charge with a burst
of machinegun fire. He was officially the last American killed during what was at that
time known simply as “The Great War.”
Soldiers returned home from the trenches of France
with horror stories—the likes of which the world had never before heard—and
small groups of grateful citizens realized there had to be some small way to
repay the debt of this battlefield sacrifice.
At first, November 11th was celebrated as Armistice
Day. But the prediction
that the horrors of the Great War would be terrible enough to
cause nations and their leaders to avoid another conflict did not prove correct. World War I
only got its current official name after the next worldwide conflict that would
take millions more lives. The surprise Sunday morning attack on Pearl
Harbor drew the United States into a war that had already caused tremendous
casualties around the Pacific Rim and across much of Europe.
By the time World War II had ended, American
soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines had witnessed and survived horrors that were unthinkable
back in 1918. US Troops in France, World Battlefields across Europe, Asia,
Africa, and all the world’s oceans would sometimes take tens of thousands of
lives per month. Pilots
and aircrews were blown from the sky. Sailors disappeared into the icy depths. And
on land, soldiers and Marines faced enemies who seemed willing to commit any atrocity
in their effort to promote and advance their ideology. In many cases, the
images and the true stories were hidden from the American public,
because the truth was deemed just too inflammatory for those on the home front
to see. But the men and women who spent time “in theater” were once again asked
to bear the weight of unspeakable sacrifice.
And when World War II ended in a blinding
white flash on a southern Japanese island, people once again looked for a way
to thank those who lived through the hellish battles and incredible sacrifices required
to protect the nation. The holiday set aside for those who survived “The Great
War” became a day to honor all those who served. On June 1st, 1954, the United
States Congress officially replaced the word “Armistice” with the word
“Veterans” in order to honor all those who served in the Unites States Armed
Forces.
Even the horrors of World War II could not
convince world leaders that war was not the answer to their differences. Within
five years, Americans were fighting and freezing in Korea. Just over a decade after that, blood was flowing in
the jungles of Vietnam. And, lest anyone think that American service members had it easy while serving
between major conflicts, there are many “forgotten” events that required the service
and sacrifice of those who wear the uniform and serve beneath the flag. Each of
these “incidents” made news for a week before slipping off the front pages and
drifting into obscurity. But those who were there—those who volunteered to
serve and witnessed, first-hand, the struggles required to keep free people
free—will never forget places like Beirut, The Gulf of Sidra, Mogadishu,
Grenada, Berlin, the Balkans, the Port of Aden, and the countless other locations
that never made the national news, but still hold memories for the few who
stood between America and her enemies.
As the 21st Century dawned, the United
States once again felt the fury of a surprise airborne attack and soon this
nation’s sons and daughters were once again called to fight. Tens
of thousands once again answered the call. And, as is true of every military operation:
All gave some, and some gave all. You see, every single veteran,
regardless of the branch of service or the time at which he or she
served, wrote a blank check to the United States of America. That check
could be redeemed for anything, up to and including the life of the service
member.
Those who served did so knowing that they
could be sent anywhere and asked to do almost anything in support of policies
they did not create and could not amend. They made this promise because they believed
they could make a difference as part of an organization dedicated to service
and sacrifice. Each of them chose to become part of something bigger than the
sum of its parts.
