By Mark DeVecchis
“Sad will be the day when the American people forget their traditions and their history, and no longer remember that the country they love, the institutions they cherish, and the freedom they hope to preserve, were born from the throes of armed resistance to tyranny and nursed in the rugged arms of fearless men.”1
Roger Sherman’s warning is still very timely. He was warning us back at the time when this country was founded. In many ways the founding fathers were so prescient that it is downright unnerving. In reading the original documents, both those of the founding such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States and The Bill of Rights, as well as other documents, the Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers which let us know what the Founders were thinking, I have come to really appreciate how unique they were for their time and ours, and how relevant they still are. They knew of the caveats to consider and addressed them in their writings. They studied the philosophers like Locke, Montesquieu and Hume, among others. Brilliant minds that were studied and applied to the times, the early to late 1700s. But one can say that for all their problems and political impediments, the problems were not new, nor are they today. Just the surrounding circumstances.
But those in the past were dedicated to freedom and that call today is still answered by those who still rise to the Country’s call. Our Veterans. Who are these men and women who serve the United States? If you eran, it is those who were in the military forces of the United States. It does not distinguish male, female, black, white, war zone or not – only that they served. It does not designate that they were drafted or enlisted but rather that they gave their time and possibly their life to serve their country.
And while maybe not agreeing with current policy, they were there and are there to protect America’s interests what this day is all about –those who serve and have served to protect our country. Most veterans I know did not do it for the recognition, the discount offered for lunch, awards, specials, or story time – they did it for any number of reasons… It was the right thing to do; they believed in America; they were drafted, they had nowhere else to go, or it seemed like fun. Maturity tempers their fevers, and they are trained to be soldiers and to defend the home ground and America’s interests, much as it was done when this Country was founded. To preserve and protect the freedoms
about through the Revolutionary War. One can say it was June 14,1775, the day George Washington was authorized to take command of the Army and it became
And what did the veterans and America get in return?
Former Marine and Georgia Governor Zell Miller wrote in his book Corps Values, that we received, “Soldiers who hold to values. Over the years, the more I have thought about them, the more convinced I have become that these values constitute a formula for the survival of a society in which individuals can achieve for themselves and, at the same time, contribute to the advancement of mankind as a whole. What are those values? I will list them… 1. Neatness 2. Punctuality
in military service since the beginning were a new breed these attributes. Warriors out not to conquer, but to secure the blessings of liberty and freedom for those who do not have it or were in the process of losing it. A country that started out to secure their own freedom and then being dedicated to helping mankind in their struggle for freedom and a better life since that time – and the United States wants to share that freedom, philosophy, and independence of spirit and mind.
That generosity has taken us many places since then. One of the largest and most all-encompassing was World War I. This was to be the “war to end all wars.” It was a hopeful dream all to be quickly dashed. While States had 116,708 deaths. Allied losses, including ours, were 5.7 million. The Central Powers were about 4 million.3
It was at this time in 1921 dier was buried at Arlington creating what is now known as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. “The idea of honoring the unknown dead of World War I originated in Europe. France and England
November 1920. Italy and other European nations soon followed. The commanding general of American forces in France, Brig. Gen. William D. Connor, learned of the French project while it was still in the planning stage. Favorably impressed, he proposed a similar project for the United Sates to the Army Chief of Staff, General Payton C. March, on 29 October 1919. March felt this would need to be a Congressional decision and asked for a delay since at that time America had unknown dead but felt they would be 1920, Congressman Hamilton Fish, Jr., of New York introduced a resolution calling for the return to the United States of an unknown American soldier killed in France
and his burial with appropriate ceremonies in a tomb to be constructed at the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery. The measure was approved on 4 March 1921 as Public Resolution 67 of the 66th Congress. It included a provision for the construction of the tomb of the unknown soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.4
Veterans day, originally known as Armistice Day, a Congressional Resolution on November 11, 1926, in celebration of the end of the 1918 on the 11th hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month, the end of the “War to end all Wars”. Had World War II not broken out 12 years later, we would still know the day as Armistice Day.
Veterans Day became a National Holiday by order of Congress on June 1, 1954, Public Law 380 enacted the change and signed by President Eisenhower changing Armistice Day to Veterans
Day. Afterwards, Veterans’ Day was moved to the fourth Monday in October to extend the weekend. Having originally been established based on the end of the War month, there was much confusion and dissension from the public in general, and in 1978 Congress returned it to its original date.
Veterans of the United States began their existence for the United States on June 14, 1775, the date of the founding of the United States Army. They were people who had been an armed resistance because they believed in a new way of life and came to the colonies for that reason, but certainly did not include those who shirked from work or the Revolutionary War most of these folks had been involved in the French and Indian War, called the Seven Years War in Europe (17561763), which is referred to by some as the First World War. Roughly eight coun-
tries became embroiled in our young George WashingGlenn, Pennsylvania, on May 28th, 1754. Only twelve years later to go into the Revolutionary War on April 19,1775, took intrepidity and a desire to throw off the yolk that was around their necks. The yolk that had followed them from their old country or country of birth to this country to eliminate the mistreatment, torture and squalid conditions they were in. They came here for that “new birth of freedom” for themselves and their families. And unfortunately, throughout our history, that has been something we have needed to do to continue to keep ourselves free.
This became a military to set people free, worldwide, and that continues to this day. A look back shows the United States in Korea, Vietnam, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan. None of these wars or engagements were lost,
There is
roughly estimated that for every soldier on the front lines – that soldier being shot at and shooting at the enemy, there are ten people behind them in the logistics of it all.
There are the medics, clothiers, cooks, truckers, pilots, warehouse people, fuel depot operators, mechanics, ammunition production workers, transportation, food production - preparation and hospitals, surgeons, doctors, nurses, aides, technicians, radio controllers and communications as only starters. With the advent of electronics and computers that list has grown enormously. It takes a lot of people who are all essential to the successful outcome of the operation.
One soldier I knew was quick to point out that he was not on the front lines and in some respects felt that he had not wholly done his job. He which was ammunition! that ammunition were more with that supply!! Thankfully, not everyone needs to be on the front line, but when our Nation goes to war, the country goes to war. Farmers pro-ical personnel…and as above, the list just goes on and on. Historians discuss what was the turning point in our Saratoga was the one for the War – Gettysburg for the Civil War, but what was it for World War II? While there can be many answers, I would argue that the turning point was Pearl Harbor along with the American peoples resolve. It took Congress one day to declare war on Japan. It is said that Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, who planned the attack on Pearl Harbor reportedly said, “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleepingble resolve.”5
Here is a look at some from our own community, and others, in military service
throughout the years.
the Arc Light missions over Vietnam, bombing Hanoi. Many of us remember that. While successful, the negatives were astounding: An announcement on television news the day before it was going to happen. Their orders at the same altitude and distance, and even when escorted by F-5 jets not to engage the their plane’s wheels left the ground. Same pattern, height and speed allowed the enemy to zero in on the planes with some consistency. How many of us have ever had to deal with this level of intensity and anxiety?
World War II. Their plane took a hit and shrapnel hit asically pushed the man’s intestines back in and held them there (he was not a medic) as fuel was low and one engine out. They maintained their camaraderie and sanity by taking bets on whether they would make it back or not.
Hugh joined the Army
the Vietnam War pilots were trained “on the job” and Hugh became a “scout helicopter” pilot. What was a scout heliand fast with a co-pilot over the Vietnam jungle looking for the enemy. His helicopter was initially not allowed to be armed! In some instances, even the Viet Cong conserved their ammo for what was to come. The scout would report the enemy location and the Cobra Gunships would then come in. Eventually, after Hugh armed his helicopter with a .50 caliber machine gun, that rule did change. Whenever one of these scouts were shot down, a mayday would go out and Huey Helicopters would go in to rescue them. Hugh, in his military career, was shot down seventeen times and survived.
George was in World War George was with Patton’s Third Army, and he was in a tank. Anyone who knows anything of Patton (or even saw the movie) knows he moved hard and fast. Our tanks at that time were not equal to the enemy’s tanks. Georges was hit tanks were fueled by gasoline and of course carried artil-
George along with the others crawled out of this tank and he talked of remembering the gasoline running down over his face as he exited the hatch!
Viet Cong had a myriad of tunnels everywhere to escape to or to move to another location. They could also live underground and pulled in their dead and put them in openings carved in the dirt inside go into these tunnels to ferret out the enemy. Obviously, they also came into contact bodies on these openings. The win or loss of a battle was determined by the number of the opposing sides dead. Young soldiers feeling invincible had to be repulsed at the whole experience.
supplies and equipment into the war zones while in the Air Force. It could be anything from Humvees to tanks, fuel or ammunition, or airborne soldiers. It was all part of that network that utilized all the facets of an engagement available. He as a pilot got the airborne soldiers to their destination at the proper altitude, location and speed for their disembarkation.nam War was assigned to
was restricted as to when he could attack – enemy planes -
the pilots walking casually come up and shoot down the
their airwing, this pilot told his second to continue with the mission and he would be back. He peeled off and, in a surprise, attacked the enemy airstrip, totally crippling their was a highly effective mission. He was Court-Martialed. Obviously, the military has its rules. When asked, he said he would do it all over again.
Jack was in Korea. While on mail carry duty, he stopped to observe enemy positions to see if they were getting close to him. Upon making a small turn, he was hit by a bullet in the arm. Had he not turned, he would have been hit in the middle of his back instantly killing him.
Jim was a supplies clerk. Jim’s job was to get material to the soldiers in Vietnam. He was stateside (in the United States), but his mission was crucial. Getting supplies to soldiers is one of the most important jobs one can have. While some might say it was a clerk’s job – but without it,
From a friend of mine
“Without warning, eight German planes (Focke-Wulfel, below the radar, and came right over where we were sitting (in their planes), to the
ed policies or inconsistencies put soldiers on the front line and those supporting them perhaps at a risk they should never have had to take only to abandon the engagement after countless deaths. If we have a weak spot, this is it. War needs to be deeply thought out for the entire country will support, know what the outcome needs to be and allow our military to do their job. If those criteria and others cannot be met, we should not be there, but if they are, we should not leave when the mission is half done or compromised by restricting the military on what they can or cannot do. A war must be fought to win. The last war that was “declared” was World War II, and once that was done, we set up to accomplish it. No nation on Earth had the power, resourcefulness and resolve that the United States did. When the use of a country’s war machine is called upon, it needs the support of the country itself. The twin
Young people today need to made and the blood shed to make this Country the most unique in history.
Enemies foreign and domestic, remember, current military soldiers, our Veterans, remember their oath: I, (name), do solemnly support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the president of the United States and the orders me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God. Those soldiers and veterans along with those who believe in the United States of America are here and defend her with their lives and sacred honor.
was on his dive down. He kept going down and down. He did not pull out and he crashed at the end of the runway. The other planes kept going and
He continues, “We went out to where the pilot was lyand found out that he had a bullet in the middle of his forehead. He didn’t look to be Americans were young, and Germans were young.
What is sad is that politicians lead us to war. Misguid-
We all saw the politicians on the Capitol steps in a show of unity and agreement that we needed to go after the perpetrators of this heinous attack. We were also aware that this would be a longer-term engagement than others because the enemy would need to be searched out and destroyed. Our military has an incredibly good capability to do this, but is hit from behind when actions are compromised by those who are most expected to uphold what was originally expected. Sun Tzu, a Chinese military strategist (5th Centu-
Those who wish us ill in these times, stand on notice that there are many veterans and current soldiers who will come to the rescue of the United States. Our history does not show that we are a Nation willing to give up everything soldiers and others have fought and died for.
Looking again at Roger Shermans quotation from the beginning, I believe he would say; “Well done soldiers, well done. The Nation is proud of you!” I would agree, thank you Veterans for your devotion to our amazing country. Thank you, veterans, for living your Oath and being instrumental in keeping our country free!ica!
American statesman and lawyer, as well as a Founding Father of the United States.
2. Zell Miller, Corps Values, Zell Miller Foundation,
3. http://www.centre-Robert-Schuman.org/
4. https://www.tapsbugler. com/burial-of-the-unknownsoldier/
5. https://blogs.va.gov/ the-sleeping-giant-the-birthof-the-greatest-generation;
Come Home Victorious.” Veterans History Museum of the Carolinas, KDP, 2020, p
