A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....Veteran's Day, November 11, 2002

Mama_Bear and Billie

[Billie]

The 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the llth Month

Veterans Day November 11, 2002

God Bless Our Country....
....God Bless Our Veterans







.

Honoring Veterans Everywhere....
....Picturing Some of FR's



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 holidiay 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.

Realizing that peace was equally preserved by veterans of WW II and Korea, Congress was requested to make this day 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.

We Will Never Forget

Every year the President of the United States urges All Americans to honor the commitment of our Veterans through appropriate public ceremonies.

Taps

Fading light dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright.
From afar drawing nigh -- Falls the night.

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky.
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

Then good night, peaceful night,
Till the light of the dawn shineth bright,
God is near, do not fear -- Friend, good night.

Composed By Major General Daniel Butterfield. Army of the Potomac, Civil War. Major General Butterfield is buried in the Post Cemetery at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Thank you, Veterans, and thank you, FReepers, for all you have done to preserve our freedom in America. A thank you, too, to Mama_Bear, who provided the information for today's thread when I wasn't sure what to 'do' for Veteran's Day today. I had the background done, and the layout, but it was as far as I had gotten when she came to the rescue. : ) Thank you, Lori, I know how much the Military means to you and everyone who participates here.

God Bless All, Past and Present.

THIS WEEKEND's THREAD

11-09,10-02 Week in Review

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 an FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[Billie]

[ladtx]

In memory of my fellow Vietnam helicopter pilots who were killed in that war the following were lost on NOV 11. Todays losses are especially poignant on since they fell on Veterans Day. God bless them all.

1966 MAJ William F. Callinan -- 170 AHC 52 CAB, Age 36, Bangor, Maine
1966 CPT Milton F. Smith -- 170 AHC 52 CAB, Age 25, Dania, Florida
1966 CPT John J. Livingston -- 117 AHC, Age 26, Cedar Hill, Missouri
1966 WO1 Terrence M. Rooney -- 117 AHC, Age 22, Denver, Colorado
1966 CPT Walter R. Speare III -- 119 AHC, Age 24, Bedford, Oregon
1966 1LT Dee W. Stone Jr. -- 119 AHC, Age 23, Forest Hill, New York

In memory of WO1 Terrence M. Rooney -- 117 AHC: KIA, South Vietnam.
Always smiling
Terry was one of our newest pilots at the Dragon Flight, 55th. Avn. Co., Yoido Island, K-16 Korea. I remember him as always smiling and saw him off in a taxi as he departed the 55th. for a leave before his deployment to Vietnam. I will always remember him. His smiling face looking back from the taxi as he departed will always remain in my memory. Jesse Shannon -- Friend in the 55th Avn Co Korea

Unit patch of the 117 Assault Helicopter Company "Warlords".

A pair of 117th AHC "Annies"

IN THE SHADOW OF THE BLADE

SCOUTS OUT!

[SassyMom]

Good Morning, Billie! Thank you for this wonderful tribute to our veterans. Thank you to all of our veterans!!!!!!

[Molly Pitcher]

Billie, I join you in your salute to our Veterans, and remember with great love my own special WWII vet...my father, who died 2 years ago today.

[Billie]

Good morning, All. Please come and say thank you to our Veterans.

[Severa]

Good morning from VA Beach!

Doing ok here. Hubby has duty today, he'll be back home sometime tomorrow morning. Kids are doing great. I'm holding up ok, other than looking forward to sinus surgery on the 25th.

Have a great day everyone!

[big'ol_freeper]

Hooah!!

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks, Billie. Happy Veterans Day to all the Vets.

If I had my graphics here at my Dad's house, I would post my flag at half-mast and Taps link for those that have paid the ultimate price in the name of Freedom.

[Physicist]

Dear veterans, thank you.

Thank you from the very bottom of my heart.

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Billie.

[big'ol_freeper]

A tribute to all who fight for liberty: Freedom

[anniegetyourgun]

I'm just sure those "annies" were named after me!

[ladtx]

I'm just sure those "annies" were named after me!

Here's a better picture of the "nose art" on the front of the aircraft.

Is that you annie?----- LOL

[Mixer]

Good Morning everyone. For those of you that have the day off enjoy the extended weekend.

This is a great day for all Americans. For those that have served our great country this is a day of thanks to them, and their families. Without them we couldn't have the best Armed Forces in the world.

[COB1]

Good morning, Billie.
I won't be posting today, and I wanted you to know that it has nothing to do with you.

[jwfiv]

Good morning to our hostesses, and Semper Fi to all Freepers.

I'm the son of a sailor, brother of a soldier, and uncle to a Marine and a soon-to-be-Ranger.

Proud of 'em all.

God bless America and our President and all the men and women in uniform.

[lodwick]

Sunrise over rice paddies

[Moose4]

Good morning, everyone. I'd like to join everybody in thanking all those who have served this country in the Armed Forces. As a lifelong professional civilian, I've never been able to pull my weight except by paying taxes, while you've been out there defending us and enabling us to become the greatest country in the world. We can never repay the debt we owe you.

I'd like to put in a request for prayers for the friends and family of Joseph Tobul. Tobul was flying his restored F4U-4 Corsair "Korean War Hero" at the Celebrate Freedom Festival here in Columbia, SC yesterday, in formation with other aircraft flown by his son and two grandsons. His Corsair lost power and began spewing smoke. Joe Tobul tried to make it back to Owens Field, but when he couldn't, he deliberately steered the Corsair into a wooded swamp to avoid slamming into a subdivision. He crashed 75 yards from two houses and was killed instantly. Joe Tobul was a Marine veteran of Korea, from Santee, SC, and was 68 years old.

Here's a link to the thread on the crash from yesterday.

More pictures from the Celebrate Freedom Festival

This is a picture I took of "Korean War Hero" the day before it crashed, on Saturday:

And here's an appropriate picture, from the start of the show on Saturday: Joe Tobul in "Korean War Hero" (flying lead) and his family flying their T-6 Texans in the missing man formation:

God bless you Joe. And thanks.

}:-)4

[daisyscarlett]

Wow you guys....I have chills...What a beautiful tribute to all veterans....I love the text, the background and the pledge....Thank you so much....

[Phil V.]

Good morning, BILLIE!!!

Thank you for all that you do to recognize service to our country. Today I'm collecting on my investment . . . Grandpa Day with my granddaughter, Dallas, making tamales! . . . . These kinds of simple family activities remind me of how much we have to protect and preserve. Again, thank you for the recognition.