Most Appreciated
Today I express my sincere appreciation and admiration for the many veterans who selflessly served our country in the past.
Thank you to the veterans of today, for your service. Your sacrifice, and your contributions to our national security, are not only appreciated, but are a godsend.
Thank you, Harold Williams. And thank you to these, who, incredibly, are living veterans of World War II from around the world.
To go one step further in a practical way, for those who believe in the power of prayer, this is a powerful way of spiritually blessing our veterans and military personnel.
Meaningful Memories
In Canada, we celebrated Remembrance Day, which is held every year on the same day as Veterans Day. On one occasion, I was in a large store. An announcement was made which I couldn’t quite hear. Then, in that busy store, suddenly the music was off, and then the fans were off. Everyone stopped where they were and stood respectfully still.
It was completely silent for one minute, November 11th at 11:11 AM. It was so easy for all of us customers to pause, fix our minds on something much more important, appreciate, give thanks and pray. Then the silence was ended as the overhead fans restarted and the music resumed. That meant a lot to me. Thank you Hobby Lobby.
Each year, a high school that I worked at would invite a veteran to speak to the students. What was extraordinary was that these students would sit on the hard gym floor for an hour, mesmerized by the speaker. Then, after the applause, many went forward to shake their hand and ask questions. How thankful I am that this was a priority in the school, and that the students had that opportunity to hear history first-hand.
Near where I live in Tennessee is a historical park called Sycamore Shoals. It is one of the most historically significant sites in Tennessee, because it played a pivotal role in the American Revolution. Here the Watauga Association, the first majority-rule system of American democratic government, was formed in 1772 when settlers elected five of their number to ‘govern and direct for the common good of all the people.’
Here is one of my videos from Sycamore Shoals’ Veterans Day ceremony.
Famous Veterans
One of my favorites, the famous actor James Stewart, was the first major American movie star to enlist in the military. He reached the rank of brigadier general, becoming the highest-ranking actor in American military history. During the Vietnam War, he flew as a non-duty observer in a B-52 on an Arc Light bombing mission in February 1966. He served for 27 years, officially retiring from the Air Force on May 31, 1968, when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 60. Upon his retirement, he was awarded the United States Air Force Distinguished Service Medal.
Have a look at the veterans on this list of prominent Americans . There are people from various walks of life, including sports, space, politics, the justice system, literature, music and film. It does my heart good to learn about—and give honor to–these big-hearted, courageous, devoted people.
You may also enjoy this related post I wrote on another website!
Here is a 1942 movie James Stewart starred in that was aimed at young men who were thinking of joining the Air Force:
[Photos courtesy of the U.S. Veterans Administration’s 2024 Veterans Day Teachers Guide]
Happily Writing 