Veteran's Day: Share Your Stories And Memories

Veteran's Day commemorates the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, when an armistice signaling the end of World War I descended. On the eve of the day's 50th anniversary, America is once again at war.

The death toll for US service members since the Global War on Terror began 8 years ago surpassed 5,000 this year. President Obama may yet send tens of thousands more men and women to Afghanistan.

To honor our veterans, we want to hear your stories about those who have served and how war has impacted your life. You can either upload a video blog or submit a written story below.

Comments

[TetVet1968]

Remember Pearl Harbor -- Keep America Alert!

America's oldest living Medal of Honor recipient, living his 101st year is former enlisted Chief Petty Officer, Aviation Chief Ordnanceman (ACOM), later wartime commissioned Lieutenant John W. Finn, U. S. Navy (Ret.). He is also the last surviving Medal of Honor, "The Day of Infamy", Japanese Attack on the Hawaiian Islands, Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, 7 December 1941.

(Now deceased) 'Navy Centenarian Sailor', 103 year old, former enlisted Chief Petty Officer, Aviation Chief Radioman (ACRM, Combat Aircrewman), later wartime commissioned Chief Warrant Officer Julio 'Jay' Ereneta, U. S. Navy (Ret.), is a thirty year career veteran of World War One and World War Two. He first flew aircrewman in August 1922; flew rearseat Radioman/Gunner (1920s/1930s) in the tactical air squadrons of the Navy's first aircraft carriers, USS LANGLEY (CV-1) and USS LEXINGTON (CV-2).

Visit my photo album tribute to these centenarian veteran shipmates:

http://news.webshots.com/album/123286873BFAAiq

http://news.webshots.com/album/141695570BONFYl

San Diego, California

[OffTheBus]

Here's another moving veterans' story, about Michel Thomas, a WWII vet who was awarded the Silver Star 60 years after being nominated for it in France in 1944:

http://www.defendamerica.mil/profiles/may2004/pr052804b.html

Mr. Thomas did not seek this recognition, but when the Los Angeles Times published a long profile of him in 2001, by former humor columnist Roy Rivenburg, that ridiculed Thomas and falsely portrayed him as a fraud, Thomas's surviving wartime comrades rallied to his defense. They sent letters and affidavits on his behalf and John McCain and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney forwarded the material, along with documents from the National Archives, to the Army's Decorations Review Board.

On May 25, 2004, Thomas was the first veteran to be awarded a military medal at the new WWII Memorial, when WWII vets Bob Dole and Sen. John Warner pinned the Silver Star on him, at a moving ceremony attended by family, friends, and former WWII comrades.

Bizarrely, the then-editor of the L.A. Times, John Carroll, stated publicly in February 2004 that he was "proud" of his paper's profile of Thomas, which "had a little fun at his expense."

When Thomas died in January 2005, reporter Roy Rivenburg posted an article on his personal web site renewing his allegations that Thomas was a phony who had fabricated or exaggerated his WWII experiences, including an approving link from a friendly blogger headlined, "That Lying Old Fraud Michel Thomas Is Dead."

[grn1]

LA Times is propaganda for more war

[Roy Rivenburg - Huffpost Blogger]

Michel Thomas' stories have been refuted by numerous sources, including an Oscar-winning documentary, a Justice Department Nazi hunter, military records, and such newspapers as Newsday, the N.Y. Times, and Le Monde. A few brief points:

1) In 1987, after Thomas' testimony at the trial of Gestapo chief Klaus Barbie, the prosecutor asked jurors to disregard Thomas’ words, explaining: “With the exception of Mr. Thomas, all the witnesses are of good faith.”

2) Thomas repeatedly changed his story about helping to liberate Dachau. The version he told in a sworn legal affidavit was labeled erroneous by his own biographer—and by the battalion commander whose unit Thomas claimed to have accompanied into the camp.

3) Thomas lied about his military status, claiming he was a U.S. Army officer instead of a civilian employee, even though the L.A. Times uncovered 1946 military records with Thomas’ signature next to the words “civilian assistant.­”

4) His tale about rescuing a stash of Nazi Party ID cards is flatly refuted by military records and 1945 articles in the New York Times and London Express. Every wartime source credits a German civilian, Hans Huber, with saving the ID cards and reporting their existence to Allied forces.

For more details: http://offkilter.org/thomas.html

[jeffinseattle]

1970-74 AK4 VA-22 US Navy, served on the USS Coral Sea (!971-1973). !971
'Nam cruise on the USS Coral Sea ( Last Tet Offensive, Mining of Hyfong
Harbor,etc). Squadron lost 4 pilots, 2 MIA.
Today I salute all my fellow brothers/s­isters[vet­erans] active and non-active.
I come from a family of veterans. My late father served in the Navy during
WW2 in the Marshall Islands; and my late uncle fought at the Battle Of The
Bulge, and served under General Patton.
Today is also bittersweet, since I lost my mother this past Saturday at the age
of 94. She and my aunt would visit ( while my dad and uncle were overseas) the
veterans in the burn-unit of a local hospital. My mother regularly gave to the
disabled veterans.
Today, I salute her, too.

[takeyourballandgohome]

Oh, that little cherub would be on the tax payors tab btw.

[takeyourballandgohome]

My neighbors hold their annual barn sale....le­aches (yes, they are Repubs)...­we live on busy roadway so hey, silly veterans. I hang a monstrous flag out of my upstairs windows, today nice as it's breezey, hard to miss. I have a CD of the USNaval Academy chorus, so blast my CD player out the window non-stop.

As much as I can notice, no one notices. These people are who our troops and veterans have fought for, so that they can just take their unemployment, educate their special needs adopted child from S. America (discipline child)away at a boarding school, out of sight, out of mind. Cute...onl­y in America.

[popart]

i was in the army in the sixties...­.and i dont think i or any of my buddies would have been comfortable
being called hereos....­.we were just doing what we were told to do....kill or be killed was not our choice...i­t was made for us....we just wanted to come home alived and in one piece. freedom patriotism just empty words....i­n wartime everyone is a victim....­the living and the dead. there are no heroes. we all just hope that if someone has to die that it is not me.

[grn1]

Thank you sir, glad you made it

[mansterEZ]

Semper Fi to all those who serve and commit themselves to be a responsible citizen of the world.

[frank1569]

Does anyone find it a bit ironic that on the day we honor those who served this country (incl. my Navy Dad, RIP) many of whom were executed by various enemies, the NYDaily News runs w/this headline:

"Families of DC Sniper Victims Celebrate Execution"

Really? We're 'celebrating' the murder of one of our own by 'our' government on the same day we're remembering those who fought and died for 'freedom"?

What article is missing from today's NYDaily News? "Since 2007, more than 70,000 service members have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury — more than 20,000 of them this year..."

And how, exactly, do we honor that kind of stomach-twisting statistic, BTW?

There is something seriously, seriously wrong with us...

[grn1]

Not with you Frank, you recognize the tragedy

[david43a]

Of all of the choices I made while a young man, one that I have never regretted
was enlisting.
Most all of the otherchoices were...to be kind lets say, learning experiences!

To all who have served, to all who are serving and to all who will serve in the future...

I owe you no less than my life, freedom and future.

Thank you!

[MOCONSERVATIVE]

My sentiments exactly.

[Meet Danet]

On this Veteran's Day, we pause as Americans to thank the veterans for your service and dedication to our great nation.

God Bless you, and God Bless the United States.

[edwoodjr]

This should be THE true American Holiday! Without the men and women who serve or have served our country, we wouldn't be here. In support of our vets, we need to be sure they are well taken care of on their return from overseas deployment or retirement from the armed forces. We should NEVER hear of a vet who cannot get appropriate care from his or her government once their tour/service has ended.

[battlez]

IT IS THE SOLDIER
It is the Soldier, not the minister
Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet
Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer
Who has given us freedom to protest.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier, not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

©Copyright 1970, 2005 by Charles M. Province

[grn1]

And it is the corporate politicians who sht on everything the soldier has done

[HGfromOmaha]

To my fellow Marines & all veterans across all branches. Thank you for your service and support. For my friends who've gone on before, you will never be forgotten.

Semper Fi.

[TyneCrescent]

I would just like to give thanks to my fellow retiree brethren, Veterans, active duty and their families for the sacrifices we have made and continue to make. God bless you all.

Each Veteran's Day since my retirement, I put on my uniform and participate in a civilian service remembering the vets by reading the names of those from my county who have been lost in conflicts.

At my church, I read the poem, "Flanders Fields," each year to honor and respect my fallen comrades.

And for those still serving, I hope you will have a safe return as I did, from the "sun and sand" of the Middle East, and that these conflicts will soon come to an end. Peace to you all!!

[SecondBase]

Thanks for serving our country.

For the actives... When you get back to the world, don't stop taking care of each other. Maintain contact and check in with your people. There may be more times when you will need to be there for one another.

Best to you and yours,

Sgt. USAF Security Service (1971-1975)