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

[daisyscarlett]

Hi Pippin...Hope you get the new place you want....

[Mama_Bear]

He certainly deserves it...he is very special...

He's one of my favorites, for sure. :-)

[blackie]

Nothing mixed here but a few metaphors, Louie...

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thank you for this lovely tribute to our veterans and their loved ones. When the dust settles around FR, I hope we have the whole family contributing again - from separate rooms if necessary. My six siblings and I had worse scrapes than this one, but we were forced to eat at the same dinner table the same night and we'd end up laughing together at some dumb joke. We have Clinton, Streisand and Osama to unite us. I would gladly fight beside any Freeper (DU disruptors, excepted) in this war.

---

Long after their honorable discharge, our veterans still symbolize what it means to be a citizen. Go to any community in this country and you will find veterans in positions of service and leadership. In so many ways, veterans live out the meaning of patriotism and idealism and concern for others. Those of us who are the children and grandchildren of veterans have seen those qualities up close -- each of us is better because of the influence of a veteran. And so is America.

America must, and will, keep its word to those men and women who have given us so much. Veterans have been promised good health care when they are sick and disabled; they must be treated with fairness and respect.  And to families across this land with loved ones whose fate is still undetermined, America owes the fullest possible accounting of our prisoners of war and those missing in action.

Every veteran once stood ready to give all for our country, and they know that a true soldier never welcomes war. This nation loves peace. We work and sacrifice for peace. Yet America must always be prepared to confront and defeat the enemies of human freedom.  And when war is forced upon us, we will see it through to victory.

At this hour, members of our military are serving on the scattered battlefields of a new kind of war. In Afghanistan and beyond, they're on the trail of killers who brought death to the innocent and war to our country. That mission will go on until the terrorists who struck America are fully and finally defeated. 

This new kind of war also requires us to confront outlaw regimes that seek and possess the tools of mass murder. We will not permit a dictator who has used weapons of mass destruction to threaten America with chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons. This great nation -- -- this great nation will not live at the mercy of any foreign plot or power. The dictator of Iraq will fully disarm, or the United States will lead a coalition and disarm him.

Over the generations, Americans in uniform have defended this nation without seeking to dominate any nation. American troops do not come as conquerors, but as liberators.  We believe in self-government for every land; and we believe that freedom is the hope of people of all cultures.

By standing for freedom today our military follows in a great tradition of courage and faithful service. Free nations are in debt to the long, distinguished line of American veterans, and all Americans owe our veterans our liberty.

On this Veterans Day, we honor veterans and we honor their families, and we offer the thanks of a grateful nation. May God bless our veterans, and may God continue to bless the United States of America. 

                                                                                   - President George W. Bush

Remarks by the President to Commemorate Veterans Day Arlington National Cemetery, Nov. 11, 2002

[daisyscarlett]

Thinking of you today, whoever....Know how much Veterans Appreciation Day means to you...

[daisyscarlett]

Good evening, Mr. L...

President Bush (news - web sites) holds his hand over his heart an the American flag passes during a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Monday, Nov. 11, 2002. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

[daisyscarlett]

Thank you for taking the day off to spend with us here on the Finest...Your patriotism shines through all your posts and graphics and is a joy to behold....

[JustAmy]

Good Luck on the move and enjoy your new apartment.

[ST.LOUIE1]

I hope to be spending Christmas in my new place :^)

Merry Christmas, Pip! : )

And don't you be so busy you can't come by and say hi.

And give me a hug. : )

[Pippin]

OKAY, I can start posting more regularly once I get settled in :^)

But please keep me on the FR's Finest ping list!

[Pippin]

((((((((((LOUIE)))))))))))

[Pippin]

Thanks, Amy!

I'll be posting again before Christmas, so save me some egg-nog, LOL!!

[Pippin]

Thanks, Daisy, I hope so too.

Even if I don't post much for a while, please keep me on the ping list, I like keeping up with my friends :^)

[Mo1]

Mo1-how about a picture of your Dad for our next collage group?

I would be honored to have his picture in the collage group .. thank you

My Mom says Dad never liked talking about his time in the war so I'm still trying to learn more about his service, I do know that he served with the Army in the 69th Infantry Division

Here are a few of his pictures during the war .. you can pick which one you like to use

In the first two pictures is the man standing on the left

[Mo1]

Look at that cross of sunlight on that flag!

It's that a great picture .. I was like HELLO someone is sending a message when I saw that picture

[ST.LOUIE1]

LOL! Made my day you did!

Thanks, Pipster!

[ST.LOUIE1]

Hi, BillieBlue!

God Bless Our Vets!

[Pippin]

;^)

[Mama_Bear]

When the dust settles around FR, I hope we have the whole family contributing again - from separate rooms if necessary.

So do I. This too shall pass. :-)

Thank you for posting President Bush's remarks at Arlington National Cemetery today. He always makes me proud.

[MeekOneGOP]

Gloomy day? Well, I'm hoping Sunday is brighter for you both.....
:O)