Veterans Day

This was Veterans Day 2004.








It shows my grand daughter, Cera, her father, Mark, and me, the old fart, at a
reception honoring veterans at her middle school in Louisiana.

He's a vet of Desert Storm and I am vet of Vietnam.

I will always remember when she called and asked me to come. As I was still
working, her mother, our daughter, attempted to discourage her. She didn't
want her to be disappointed.
Her mother also knew that I avoided attending those kind of events because
all of the memories that get stirred up in me.
Cera called, I can't even imagine the courage that it took to make that call.
She explained what the occasion was. I listened to her saying that it was
important for her if I would attend. It was my grand daughter calling and
asking me - what could I do but accept.

I will be forever grateful for that invitation! It was the FIRST time that I felt
that I was home at last.
I met heroes from Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima, Tarawa, Korea; now bent with
time's burden and bearing wounds, both visible and invisible that will never heal.
Vets from the 'Nam, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom. The last is a phony war
fought for a phony cause but those that fight it are heroes and their grievous
wounds are real enough to demand respect of those of us that went before.

"Now and then, a veteran ... will come here to live again the brave days of that
distant June. Here will be raised the altars of patriotism; here will be renewed
the vows of sacrifice and consecration to country. Hither will come our
countrymen in hours of depression, and even of failure, and take new courage
from this shrine of great deeds." Army General James. G. Harbord, at the dedication of an American battle monument was built in
Belleau Wood. He was the commander of the Marines during the battle,
and was made an honorary Marine.