Happy Veterans Day!

I tried to find a nice article to post here today, about Veterans Day. I wanted something that just talked about the day, in a general manner, perhaps with some historical references.

I am sad to say that my searching turned up a ton of stories about where free meals/goods were being offered, what stores had special sales, what entities were open/closed today, how cold the weather is.... Sigh. A sign of how far we have fallen.

I was able to locate this nice video available at:

https://www.militarytimes.com/video/2019/11/10/a-salute-to-veterans-2019/

A tribute to the U.S. service members around the world who have put on the uniform and taken the oath.


If anyone sees a good article, or wishes to post a personal vignette, please do so in this thread!!

Bestselling Vet Authors Reflect on Veterans' Day
By Elise Cooper, November 11, 2019

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2019/11/bestselling_vet_authors_reflect_on_veterans_day.html

Quote

---

Veterans' Day was created after the armistice between the Allied nations and Germany on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. It was proclaimed as the day to "end all wars," and by 1938, it was recognized as a legal holiday dedicated to honor the veterans of WWI. In 1954, November 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars. Today, people should recognize it as a day to honor veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve for the common good. This country owes a lot to its veterans, and many veterans have made an impact on today's society, including bestselling authors who recently spoke with American Thinker to discuss how their military service influenced them.

Nelson DeMille is a prolific author. His books seem to always be on the top five of the bestsellers, which includes his latest book with his son, The Deserter. It is based on Bowe Bergdahl, a U.S. soldier stationed in Afghanistan who walked away from his post. But then the plot takes a twist and turn. Delta Force Army officer Kyle Mercer, the "Bergdahl" character, escapes the Taliban by beheading his captors and fleeing to Venezuela. After he is spotted by an old army buddy, the top military brass decides to send two members of the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) to that socialist, evil country to find Mercer and bring him back for trial of desertion.

As a Vietnam veteran, DeMille includes his military knowledge in the plots. "If I had not been in the Army and had not been to Vietnam, I would not have rushed into writing. I kept working on this Vietnam novel, and fifteen years after I left that place, I wrote Word of Honor. Years later I also wrote Up Country, another Vietnam novel. Both are based on my experiences over there. One of my latest books, The Cuban Affair, also had a Vietnam character that mentored this Afghanistan vet. I wanted to show how there is a lot of similarity between these combat vets even though they fought in different wars and in different times. In both cases, they saw someone not in uniform and had to question if someone was carrying. I hope through my stories that Americans see that those fighting only have a split-second to react. No one should be giving a moral opinion or decision unless they have been there."

---

-- many more Veteran authors at link above --

The 75th Anniversary Of D-Day - The Ben Shapiro Show Sunday Special Ep. 53
Four veterans of WWII and the D-Day invasion, some who were there at Normandy on that fateful June 6th day, join Ben to discuss their harrowing experiences and what life has been like since they helped save the world.

Sam Elliott pays tribute to SGT Ray Lambert on the 2019 National Memorial Day Concert

Quote

---

Happy 98th: Austin veteran of three wars is still holding steady

By Michael Barnes
Posted Nov 11, 2019 at 5:01 AM

Until recently, Joe Joiner had not told his children that he served in World War II.

“It didn’t occur to me to talk about it,” said Joiner, who turned 98 on Nov. 7. “Everybody my age served in World War II.”

Fewer and fewer people are now Joiner’s age. On Veteran’s Day, it’s imperative to note that, of the more than 16 million members of the United States Armed Forces who served during World War II, fewer than 400,000 American veterans were estimated to be alive today, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs....

...At 98, he still works at the family car lot six days a week. He drives a 2011 Mercedes that he bought used five years ago. He works out the gym five days a week....

https://www.statesman.com/news/20191111/...-holding-steady

---

What a guy! What a life he's led.