Happy Veterans Day

[hooah54]

To Us and Those Like Us!

[oldbike54]

 Yes Mr 54  To all of my brothers , THANKS , and have a great day tomorrow .

  Dusty

[Farmer Dan]

 :1: Semper FI

[maquette]

Airborne! Sua Sponte! De Oppresso Liber!

Enjoy the day and remember our fallen even though it isn't Memorial Day. I prefer to remember them each day. YMMV.

Tom

[pyoungbl]

Yes!  In 2015 and 2016 the US is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam war.  In my city our ceremony will concentrate on the Vietnam vets.  There were about 2.5 million who actually served in Vietnam but today only about 850,000 still alive.  The youngest would be about 60 now.  Say 'welcome home' while you still have a chance.

Peter Y.
1st Cav Div, 1966-67

[toma nova]

I made the executive decision to give myself the day off tomorrow.  I have to use a vacation day but it will be worth it to have a day to myself - hoping to ride to have lunch with my brother, about 400 miles round trip.  I am also giving a veteran that works for me a day off with pay - manager's discretion.

Tom
USAF 85-89

[hooah54]

Semper Primus...First In Last Out...RLTW...wishin g all the veterans a well earned day of respect

[Guzzistajohn]

Thanks to all the brave men and women for serving this great country!

[Vince in Milwaukee]

Much respect to all my fellow Vets.  Semper Fi. 

[Rotten Ralph]

Special thanks to all on this forum who served.

Rotten Ralph
326 Medical Co.
101 Airborne
1958-60

[menzies]

Happy Veterans Day to all my brothers in arms!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Yeahoo Whoyah]

Armistice Day - Remembrance Day - Veterans Day.  11th hour 11th month 1918. 
Memorial Day is not to be confused with Veterans Day.  Today celebrates the service of ALL U.S. military veterans.  In May Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who perished while in service.  Anzac Day (April 25) is similar to Memorial Day in Australia & New Zealand.

[Demar]

Thank you veterans. 

[Tom]

I have the day of because of the holiday to honor al Veterans.  To all fellow Veterans.  THANK YOU! 

On the flip side.  Attention is being to divert Vets from the Judicial system.

http://westhawaiitoday.com/news/local-news/second-chance-vets

We're slow out here because of the distance from Wash. D.C..  There are about 100 courts nation wide to divert the Vets from the judicial system.  At least the program is up and running. I'm catching some that are coming through the system.  So far it's a 50/50 success rate. 

The homeless Vets in Honolulu number about 435.  There are some programs that geared towards them specifically.  On our island, we don't know because they can be camping in the jungle/weeds.  Any that come in get encouragement to go to the Vet Center and meet the Adjustment Counselors.  Makes no difference if they serve overseas, domestically, war zone or not.  Military service changes a person.  Sometimes not for the better.

Thanks for the rant.

[Cross-tie Walker]

USAF
1974-1979

49th Tac Fighter  Squadron Holloman AFB New Mexico
48th Tac Fighter Squadron  RAF Lakenheath UK

[slopokes]

happy veterans day to all.  18th eng bde 67-68   1st air cav 69   war sucks---

[ChuckH]

Thanks guys and a salute to all those who served. 

My wife and I are still involved in reunions for the ship I served on back in the day.  The ship served as part of the Amphibious Fleet during WW II (the invasion of Okinawa) and then again with two trips to Korea during that era.  The next, and very last reunion, will be next September in Mobile, AL.  The group is getting very old and health issues are hampering any travel plans for many.

Anchors away. 

Chuck H. -- US Navy, '52-'56, Engineman 1st Class.

[blackrabbit]

Bless all those who served!
Some of us may think it was no big thing to serve but as you grow older you realize it was and IS a big thing. Hooray for us ALL.

Larry
U.S. Navy (AMH-2)
"TOP GUN" Miramar, NAS
 Fighter Squadron VF-143, "Pukin Dogs" (F-4 Phantom) 1963-1968
WEST PAC: USS Constellation (x2), USS Ranger
"Gulf Of Tonkin Yacht Club"

[Sasquatch Jim]

 I went to Kamehameha park to attend a ceremony honoring the veterans and last few survivors of the 442nd regimental combat team
 and the 100th battalion.  These were Nisei outfits many of whom came from my neighborhood and there were a few of these old white haired heroes left and present.  These were units in WW2 of the most heroic the army ever had.  In a day when because of racial prejudice, commands were reluctant to award medals to non white soldiers,  These Nisei became the most decorated unit the U. S. has ever had.  Their record still stands.  They fought in Italy and France and Germany against the most elite units the Germans ever fielded.  They never surrendered a man.  Some of their units literally fought to the death rather than give in.  They were replenished by more Nisei as the casualties mounted.  The new guys fought just as hard as the originals.  By wars' end the 442 had suffered 90%
casualties in wounded or dead.  And remember, these were men whos' families were in concentration camps on the West coast because the government didn't trust soldiers of Japanese descent. Dan Inouye was a member of that outfit who charged a machine gun nest and his rifle was shot from his hands.  Gripping a grenade he got up and continued his charge.   His arm was shot off hanging by a thread.  He used his other hand to take the grenade from the dead one and charged again putting the grenade among the German gunners.  His unit was able to over run the position because of his actions.  He survived the war without his arm and went on to become a Hawaiian senator for more than 40 years.  He personified the spirit of the 442 and the 100th Bn.  It is an honor to actually see these old heroes.  They won't be among us much longer.

[Rough Edge racing]

 I got this letter nearly 50 years ago from President Johnson , you know

Greetings, you are ordered to report for induction into the armed forces

  Just like the millions of other young men since the War Between the States...