Veterans Day

[2006gold]

Everyone have an outstanding day. Get up. Get out. Wear your colors with pride. Be recognized and accept the appreciation many will offer. A bit slow, myself, just coming out of spinal surgery, but will still don my ‘running through the jungle’ hat and a new shirt I’ve just purchased showing the flag an a statement - ‘these colors don’t run’ and go feast on the offers as I can.

Just read, and was surprised by, the fact that veterans make up less than 17.5% of the U. S. population - most of us Vietnam. Every one of us paid some kind of price, and for many years vilified for our service. Time to collect.

[Gideon]

Everyone have an outstanding day. Get up. Get out. Wear your colors with pride. Be recognized and accept the appreciation many will offer. A bit slow, myself, just coming out of spinal surgery, but will still don my ‘running through the jungle’ hat and a new shirt I’ve just purchased showing the flag an a statement - ‘these colors don’t run’ and go feast on the offers as I can.

Just read, and was surprised by, the fact that veterans make up less than 17.5% of the U. S. population - most of us Vietnam. Every one of us paid some kind of price, and for many years vilified for our service. Time to collect.

The wife and I went out this morning. We also had shirts with an American Flag, but with a Bible Verse on it. “Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord.” Psalm 33:12

[cScjhb]

I lived most of my life in Seattle, WA. Like so many others in the area, I got involved in the boating community. During my time of yacht club membership I made many friends. Some of them lifelong. One of those friends was a man named James Wiley. Jim and his wife Ruby were in a very large minority being black in an almost totally white yacht club community. But after everyone got to know them the color difference disappeared. You could not meet any finer people.

The point of my story now on Veterans Day is Jim was one of the original Tuskegee Airmen. He was a true American hero who flew 101 combat missions. He didn't talk about it much. That generation never did. But his story can be found on the internet. There are so many like him whose stories don't get told enough or remembered. Jim passed away 20 years ago in the year 2000 in Seattle. I am proud to have known him and to call him friend. I know there are countless stories like this and Veterans Day is a time to honor those like Jim who kept us free and continue to do so..... Jim