Daily Archives: 11/11/2014
Another Veteran’s Day
(Repost)
It’s been quite a few years since those heady days of bursting out of the treeline riding atop 750 horses and fifty-four tons of American steel, running the simulations for the defense of the Fulda Gap from the Soviet hordes.
Or walked in the abandoned rice fields of the Korean DMZ or sat shivering atop the hills overlooking Freedom Bridge.
Or led a tank section over the limestone hills of Fort Hood, Texas.
Or “broke starch” every morning as a drill sergeant and stood in front of 250 apprehensive basic trainees at Fort Polk Louisiana.
Or greeted a trainee tank crew in the Fort Knox Armor Training Center.
I “wore the green”. I was in turn inspired, dejected, elated, miserable, happy, angry, bored, apprehensive, you name it. I was all those things. I was an American soldier, 1968-1977.
There were millions ahead of me and millions behind me, and we’re all veterans. Some of us are good shape. Some of us are less so. Some scars show. Some don’t.
Oft-quoted, Shakespeare wrote
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:Henry V, Act 4, Scene 3
I have lots of brothers. And sisters. And I salute them all.
(and a thanks to friend George for sending me the Shakespeare quote)
Today in History – November 11
1620 – In what is now Provincetown Harbor near Cape Cod, the Mayflower Compact is signed on the Mayflower, establishing the basic laws for the Plymouth Colony. (Old Style date; November 21 per New Style date.)
Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith
1634 – Following pressure from Anglican bishop John Atherton, the Irish House of Commons passes “An Act for the Punishment for the Vice of Buggery”. Today ‘buggery’ is becoming part of the curriculum of public schools. It’s not only not prohibited, it’s almost mandatory
1864 – American Civil War: Sherman’s March to the Sea – Union General William Tecumseh Sherman begins burning Atlanta, Georgia to the ground in preparation for his march south. We haven’t forgotten.
1918 – World War I ends: Germany signs an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car outside of Compiègne in France. The war officially stops at 11:00 (The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month). The French keep the railcar as a memento. Hitler delightfully has France sign their surrender in it at the beginning of WW II.
1940 – World War II: Battle of Taranto – The Royal Navy launches the first aircraft carrier strike in history, on the Italian fleet at Taranto. Italy loses three battleships sunk and two damaged. You’d have thought we’d see this and take a long look at our own fleet at Pearl Harbor, huh?
1942 – World War II: Nazi Germany completed their occupation of France after France’s puppet Vichy government surrendered to the Allies in North Africa. Not just ANY country can surrender this many times,once to one side, twice to another, in a single war.
1965 – In Rhodesia (modern-day Zimbabwe), the white-minority government of Ian Smith unilaterally declares independence. Rhodesia is known at this time as “Africa’s Breadbasket”. Now it’s known as “Africa’s Basket Case”. But those evil white interlopers aren’t in charge any more.