A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....11-11-04....Thank You, Veterans

Dutchess

[Billie]

A Tribute to our Veterans...Past and Present

In 1918, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month, the world rejoiced and celebrated. After four years of bitter war, the Allied powers a signed a cease-fire agreement (an armistice) with Germany at Rethondes, France on November 11, 1918, bringing World War I to a close. The "war to end all wars" was over.

A Tribute to our Veterans The Origins of Veterans Day

In 1921, an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. This site, on a hillside overlooking the Potomac River and the city of Washington, became the focal point of reverence for America's veterans.

Similar ceremonies occurred earlier in England and France, where an unknown soldier was buried in each nation's highest place of honor (in England, Westminster Abbey; in France, the Arc de Triomphe). These memorial gestures all took place on November 11, giving universal recognition to the celebrated ending of World War I fighting at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). The day became known as "Armistice Day."

Armistice Day officially received its name in America in 1926 through a Congressional resolution. It became a national holiday 12 years later by similar Congressional action. If the idealistic hope had been realized that World War I was "the War to end all wars," November 11 might still be called Armistice Day. But only a few years after the holiday was proclaimed, war broke out in Europe. Sixteen and one-half million Americans took part. Four hundred seven thousand of them died in service, more than 292,000 in battle.

Armistice Day Changed To Honor All Veterans

An answer to the question of how to pay tribute to those who had served in this latest, great war came in a proposal made by Representative Edwin K. Rees of Kansas: Change Armistice Day to Veterans Day, and make it an occasion to honor those who have served America in all wars. In 1954 President Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day.

On Memorial Day 1958, two more unidentified American war dead were brought from overseas and interred in the plaza beside the unknown soldier of World War I. One was killed in World War II, the other in the Korean War. In 1973, a law passed providing interment of an unknown American from the Vietnam War, but none was found for several years. In 1984, an unknown serviceman from that conflict was placed alongside the others. To honor these men, symbolic of all Americans who gave their lives in all wars, an Army honor guard, The 3d U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard), keeps day and night vigil.

A law passed in 1968 changed the national commemoration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. It soon became apparent, however, that November 11 was a date of historic significance to many Americans. Therefore, in 1978 Congress returned the observance to its traditional date.

National Ceremonies Held at Arlington

The focal point for official, national ceremonies for Veterans Day continues to be the memorial amphitheater built around the Tomb of the Unknowns. At 11 a.m. on November 11, a combined color guard representing all military services executes "Present Arms" at the tomb. The nation's tribute to its war dead is symbolized by the laying of a presidential wreath. The bugler plays "taps." The rest of the ceremony takes place in the amphitheater.

Someday We'll be Veterans Too...Pray for Us as We Pray for You

God Bless You..our Veterans ...thank you for your service for our country...and for being there as a support for us as we carry on your tradition...

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 11-08-04 Military Monday 11-09-04 What they're wearing to the Inaugural Ball 11-10-04 Happy Birthday to the United States Marine Corps.

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. Mixer

Click on the photo to view the album. To
submit your photo, please contact dansangel or .45Man
at
danbh59@yahoo.com
and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

CLICK

[dansangel]

Thank you (((((dutchess)))) and (((((Billie)))))) for bringing us this wonderful tribute to our brave men and women, past and present who perform selfless acts of bravery to preserve our freedoms.

I especially want to thank my husband .45MAN for his eight years of service in the Air Force, my dad for his four years of service in the Navy and my son-in-law for his four and a half years of service in the Air Force.

Happy Veteran's Day

To all of our Veterans - past and present - we thank you for all of your selfless acts to ensure our freedom.

We may not always show our gratitude, but please know that it is there, in our hearts, along with a special place for you.

We promise to pray for you and your families, to ask our Dear and Merciful Father to wrap His arms of protection around you and those you hold dear.

Above all, we promise to honor your efforts each and every day throughout the year.

May God Bless you and your families abundantly.

[Mama_Bear]

Thank you dutchess for this beautiful tribute to our Veterans today, and Billie, for bringing it to us.

Yesterday's Marine Corps Birthday thread turned out to be an emotional thread for me. The many posts about their courage, dedication and incredible sacrifices touched my heart, and I suspect this thread today will also bring a few tears. We have so much to be thankful for and our Veterans, God bless them, are high up on our list here at the Finest.

[Billie]

Good morning, Meg. Thank you for your sweet post and for thinking of Dutchess.

Safe trip home, dear Sistah D.

[Billie]

Your tribute to our Veteran's is absolutely beautiful.

Good morning, Gabz. It is beautiful, isn't it? Dutchess created this one for last year's Veterans Day, and well worth a rerun today.

[GAAQ]

Thanks good to be here!

[Aeronaut]

Welcome to FR and the Finest.

[Billie]

Remembering My Daddy today and everyday 
Col Alex S Hall.... RIP 
I sent you a pix to add to the album 

Oh, ArmyBrat, when did you send it to me? I just checked the pictures I'm holding for the next group, and I don't have one from you. Could you resend? Did you send it to my regular email?

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

Thank you for your beautiful tribute to our Veterans. It is a privilege to honor our Heroes. I wish to send a special remembrance to my Grandfather Kenneth Eckrode who served on the USS Wichita in the South Pacific during WWII. May he rest in peace.

Dutchess, prayers to you and your family on your loss.

[Billie]

Simply beautiful Billie.. and lucky you getting to do 2 threads in one Week!!!

LOL! Lucky me, indeed. :) Fortunately, like the TGIF threads I do each week, today's only required updating the links. :)

Billie.. I am just going to link your whole thread, it is so beautifully done..

Making sure that Dutchess reads your comments. :) This beautifully done thread was created by Sistah D - I posted it for her as she will be flying home from Florida with her dad today.

[ArmyBratCutie]

danbh59@yahoo.com

that was the only email I found...isnt it the right one??
thanks :)

[MEG33]

Cspan now showing Arlington Veterans Day ceremonies.

[Gabz]

I love the sentiments of that poem.

The one I am familiar with is a slightly different version, but could easily be modified to fit your version.

The Soldier

It is the soldier, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the soldier,
who salutes the flag,
who serves under the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who allows the protester to burn the flag.

By Charles M. Province

Thank you Veterans, God Bless you.

[Gabz]

Dutchess created this one for last year's Veterans Day, and well worth a rerun today.

Definitely worth the rerun.

[Billie]

I wanted to share something with you all from an FR mail I got from Cheney Chick after our fun Fashion Show on Tuesday.

Louie wolf, if you remember, she is the beautiful blonde in the very first photo - in the blue gown. She is also a veteran, and wrote that when she saw the thread, she was

"sitting in a crowded female barracks at Ft Bragg in my army boots when I read it - not feeling too glamorous, to say the least. We just returned from Afghanistan on Sunday and we are outprocessing and hope to be home the weekend after next - just in time for my first anniversary!

Yay - more time for FR! Am sooooo happy to be back in the USA. This is such a great country - and I'm even more thrilled that our Commander in Chief will be here for four more years."

CC, I hope you don't mind - I just had to share that. WELCOME HOME! Thank you! Hope that your anniversary is the very best!

[Gabz]

FNC is showing it as well.

[granite]

[Gabz]

WELCOME HOME, CheneyChick. God Bless you and thank you so very much.

[Gabz]

That is MAGNIFICENT

[Mama_Bear]

Good morning, Gabz!

I love the sentiments of that poem.

I do too!

The one I am familiar with is a slightly different version, but could easily be modified to fit your version.

Well, today's soldier is tomorrow's veteran, so it all works for me. :-)

[Mama_Bear]

That is beautiful!