It is
with grateful appreciation that we give heartfelt thanks to the men and
women who have served in our armed forces, protecting our nation, and
preserving the freedoms we cherish.
When those of us now
referred to as "seniors" were young, we celebrated "Armistice Day" to
recognize the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I and to
honor those who bravely served and those who made the ultimate sacrifice
on foreign soil. The main hostilities of WWI were properly finished 101 years ago
at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, with
Germany signing the Armistice. Red poppies were distributed by members
of the American Legion Auxillary, as a remembrance of the sacrifices of those who served during the war.
The symbolism of the red poppy began with the poem IN FLANDERS FIELDS, penned by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) of the Canadian Army, after presiding over the funeral of a friend and fellow soldier and being moved by the poppy flowers that grew in the Flanders battlefields on the southeast edge of the town of Waregem, Belgium. The imagery created by that poem remains an important symbol of the sacrifices of war today. On June 1,1954, Armistice Day was changed to Veterans Day to honor all U.S. veterans.
Beautiful tribute to our Veterans by Richard Kerry Thompson. YOU RAISE ME UP |
Lovely rendition honoring our Veterans of HALLELUJAH by Sailor Jerri. |
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