Veterans Day

Today is Veterans Day. The original holiday was called Armistice Day to commemorate the signing of the peace agreement that ended World War I. This agreement was signed on the 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month in 1918.

Later in a presidential proclamation, President Dwight D. Eisenhower renamed that day as Veterans Day. A day to be set aside to honor all that served in the Armed Forces. Being that I am a US Army Vet from the Viet Nam era, this Holiday is of great importance to me. As well as it should be to all of us. Veterans whether they were combative or non-combative contributed to our freedom and to sustain the American way of life.

Yesterday I went to the local Wal-Mart with my daughter. As I wandered through the aisles in the store I came upon an old man. We may have been the same age, but he looked much older and haggard that I do.

This old man was wearing a faded Baseball Cap with the words Phu Bai on it. Phu Bai was the home of the 8th Radio Research Field Station and not too far south from Hue, Viet Nam. This is a place that I knew well because several of my Army buddies were stationed there in the late 1960’s.

I initiated a conversation with him by asking him if he had been in the Army Security Agency. He told me “No, I was in the Infantry and the MP’s.” I next asked him when he was stationed there. He replied 1965-1966.

He then asked me if I was in Phu Bai; I replied that I was stationed in Africa, but knew several guys that had been there. We spoke for a few more minutes. I wished him a good Veterans Day and shook his hand and thanked him.

He then asked me why I was thanking him. I told him that it was because no one else, besides family and other Vets do. There were never any Welcome Home Parades for Viet Nam Vets. As well as there hadn’t been for 1990’s war in the Mid East, nor will be one for the Vets of the Iraq War. We both were tearing at this time. I shook his hand again and smiled.

If you know any Vets call them today and thank them. It will mean more to them than you can possibly imagine.


The Beach Bum