Remember them even for a moment

Tuesday Nov 11.
We will be commemorating the 90th Anniversary of the ending of the First World War.
Let us not forget the troops from the USA, who died in their thousands from 1917 to the end of the war.
This war placed us where we are today, will you please take a moment to remember the Fallen who gave their lives for our peace and freedom.
All told, there were 46 million casualties. The signing of the Armistice gave rise to Adolf Hitler and the Second World War.
The Armistice was signed at 5.00am and came into effect at 11.00am, 11th day, November 1918.
The carnage during this war was indescribable, this particularly applies to some of the campaigns that should not have started, let alone continue.
Please remember the troops from the UK, its commonwealth troops, including the Canadians, the South Africans, and especially the Anzacs that fought and died at Gallipoli and the Western front. Also include the Dominion troops and Indian servicemen.
Let us not forget the Russians who fell on the Eastern front, their problems at home giving rise to the Revolution.
Let us not forget the Italians who fought on the Southern front, many more of them died from the cold in the mountains, than from battle.
Lastly, let us not forget the troops from the USA, who died in their thousands from 1917 to the end of the war.
THE POPPY.
During the battles on the Western front, enormous numbers of shells were fired by the artillery of both sides. This churned up the ground to such an extent that seeds from poppy plants, probably lying dormant for decades were brought to the surface where they germinated and flowered to give a most amazing sight of beauty amongst all the death and destruction.
After the war when the British Legion was formed and services were taken it was decided to use the poppy as the flower for the wreaths to be laid at the memorials that had been erected in honour of all those that did not come home.
Every village, every town, every suburb of every city in the UK has a memorial dedicated to the dead from that area. Everybody was affected in some way by this war.
Today in the UK there are still 3 VETERANS still alive, 1 UK veteran ( the 4th ), has lived in Australia for a number of decades, that served in WW1. Sadly a 5th died on Thursday at the age of 108.
I do not know if there are any other vets from any other countries still alive today.

PLEASE, remember them.

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Phil.

Amen!! It is too bad that most of my generation ( I believe X) and Y and whatever the new generation is labeled never get a good look at what the greatest generation and before, did to make this country great. Can you imagine thousands and millions of men and women all working together to fight for this country at once? Many stories I have read about WWI, WWII and the some on the Korean war just amaze me how tough those individuals were. It seemed so much like 'Country first' back then compared to 'Me first' now....

+1

Thanks for the reminder and the info. :clap:

Amen to that.

The war to end all wars.... :(

+1. November 11 is THE principal day for this in the rest of the western world. Memorial Day is only in America. My grandpa was a Great War Vet; he would be 113 today if he hadn't died 20 years ago.

+2

My dad was in the South Pacific during World War II as a Marine. We lost him in 2001. I miss him.

Sadly, we are losing his generation now.

One grandfather would be 94. Army. However he passed away earlier this year. The stories he would tell. My other grandfather is 88 and is still with us. He was in the Navy.

I had two Great uncles who were born in Austin hitch rides on wagons, walked, jumped freight trains and "borrowed" horses to get to Canada and volunteer before America got involved in the war. They both died far from home of influenza during the pandemic. I don't know much about them except my Grandfather cussed them on a regular basis for leaving all the farm work to him. My Grandfathers last surviving sibling died this year at 103. All she had to say about the two World Wars was that the Germans were too *&$% stupid to let it go at one ass kicking. You have got to love the political correctness of the seniors.

I am going to spend this morning at the Veterans Day ceremony with my Uncle Ernie that flew F6F Hellcats against the Japs. :clap:

I was fortunate to have spent quite a few years working at a local museum.
I got to visit with the veterans on a daily basis.
That was certainly a high point in my life.

I also got 3 years of drinking Shiner and listening to war stories, with my father-in-law.
He was in North Africa, from Operation Torch to India, then sent to Burma.
He was gone over 2 years.
A Great man, that I miss greatly.

Here is a pic of dads planes taking off the USS Chenango for Africa in '42.
I just visited on the phone with the pilot in "June"

My dad was in the Army Air Corps (not the Air Force) in WWII. He was a load master in what later became MATs. He was in all 48 states (not fifty then) but never went overseas. He spent about 30 years in the Texas Army National Guard. His unit was not activated during the Korean conflict or Viet Nam, but was activated during the Cuban Missile crisis.

Two of my uncles also served during WWII. One was a medic and the other a rifleman in infantry companies. Both were at Normandy on "D" Day, both made it home after the war. Neither one ever told war stories. But, I did hear some wild tales about London and Paris.

+1, thanks for the info Phil.

If you want to hear the moving story about the Star Spangled Banner, click on the link, then on the Speaker icon. It's worth the couple minutes.
http://www.kvet.com/pages/buckyandbob.html

or try this direct link:
http://www.kvet.com/cc-common/mediap...ational_anthem
http://www.kvet.com/cc-common/mlib/1...1226383105.jpg


Freedom is not Free.

Chris

My Dad was not in the military he had bad flat feet ,worked on a farm and with Moms help was raising 5 brothers and sisters. None of us had been born He used to say that what bothered him most were people thinking he used it as an excuse to not go. He would never show them anything to prove he could not get in . Just said if people would spend 50 % of their time minding their own business and 50% of their time leaving other peoples business alone things would be a lot better
I still have some of the ration stamps that they used back then
He was never so proud in his life as the day he saw me in a uniform. I signed up and was in Nam 7 months latter as a combat medic.
My neighbor was a WWII vet, and we would talk about his time and mine in the service.
Everyday for 17 years he was in my house to visit he has been gone now for about 9 years and I still miss him coming over. He was in the group that Gen Patton came to help