Jack’s Winning Words 11/11/20

“We must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”  (JFK)  One of the great things being done for veterans are the Honor Flights, allowing “old soldiers” to experience the various memorials in our nation’s Capital that honor those who have served, suffered and died fighting to protect our freedoms.  A high tribute to veterans is to live today as proud Americans.  Enough rancour…More appreciation for what we have.  ;-) Jack

FROM RS IN TEXAS:    The older you get, the more you learn (hopefully).===JACK:  Not necessarily.  You often get more set in your ways.   ...but not me.

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  Today is Veterans Day in America. I wondered this morning what percentage of the U. S. population actually have served in the military, whether in combat or peacetime. Google that and you will get many different answers from various sources (depending upon the date of the information) that average out at about 7% of the population. Less than 1 % of the current American population is currently on active duty somewhere in the world.  I’ve posted here before that I served in the Army in both the Middle East (Iran) and Viet Nam. In normal (non-COVID) years, I march in the Memorial Day Parade. That parade, like all other big events was cancelled this year. The Memorial Day parade organizers arrange groups by the wars in which they fought. The lead group, which has diminished greatly over the last few year is the WWII group, followed by the Korean War Group. Our Viet Nam War group is the third group and usually the largest group. The various Middle Eastern and Gulf Wars groups follow us with a small group for the Invasion of Granada in between. The Memorial Day Parade is Milford’s biggest parade, both in terms of the length and number of participants in the parade and the number of people who turn out to see the parade. People literally line the parade route from the VFW Hall on W. Commerce Rd all the way through the downtown to Central Park. The crowd of several thousand is usually several people deep. It is heartwarming to hear the constant applause of the crowd and the shouts of “thank you for your service”. We in the Viet Nam contingent did not get that type of welcome when we returned home back then.===JACK:  As a child I have faint memories of seeing old Civil War veterans, Spanish-American War vets and WW 1 vets in parades.  How about that?

FROM HONEST JOHN:  My brother in law went on one for Korean War veterans....loved it....also got a trip back there....had served there for three years===JACK:  "Hats off" to your brother and others like him.  I know of a Nam-Vet who had intense anger because of the way America treated him because of his service in that war.  It did not dissapate until after he took and Honor Flight to the  V-N Memorial.  General Sherman once gave his famous "War id Hell!" speech on the grounds of the Michigan Military Academy at Orchard Lake.

FROM GOOD DEBT JON:  Timely

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Those Honor flights are SO appreciated by all veterans I know who have taken them! What a great idea!~! I wish Bill had lived to experience one, but we did visit Arlington, and the memorials at one time together. The Korean one was not done, at that time..===JACK:  Arlington is an experience all by itself...as is any military cemetery..