I was born in 1952, so I grew up among World War II veterans. They were the deacons in my church, the school teachers and Sunday School teachers under whom I sat, the mechanics who worked on our cars and television sets, the police officers and fire fighters who patrolled our streets, the neighbors who lived next door.
I was too young to know what these men and women had been through, and they didn’t talk about it much.
Only later did I better understand that these deacons and teachers and mechanics and neighbors had fought tooth-and-nail against the fiercest global evil the world had seen, had won the victory by the grace of God, had buried their dead, hidden their scars, and come back home to be deacons, teachers, mechanics, and neighbors.
They watched as the world changed, and not always for the better. But their loyalty, dedication, work ethic, and quiet humility is a testimony to all succeeding generations. This was my parents’ generation (if it had not been for Second World War and it way it brought my dad and mom together, my sister and I would never have been born; but that’s another story).
Now these veterans are disappearing from the earth, called home one by one like heroes being furloughed Only a few remain among us to remind us of the glory of their cause, the courage of their lives, and the greatness of their times.
Today we salute them. Today we say “Thank You” to all who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States of America.