Veterans Day was started after World War I to honor the dead of that war to end all wars. The First World War ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month and so Nov. 11 is the day that most western nations, have chosen to remember their fallen soldiers.
In Maine, there is a program to honor a veteran by voting in their memory. You simply go to http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/voter_info/veteran/ and there you can fill in the name of the veteran you want to vote to honor. The Secretary of State’s office will then send you a button with the individual’s name on it. It is easy to do and the button will arrive quickly. Mine was here in two days.
I have chosen to vote in honor of my great-uncle Edward Harvell who was killed on Dec. 30, 1944 in the Battle of the Bulge. He was a member of Patton’s 3rd army, 4th armored division. His unit, the 53rd Armored Infantry Battalion, was part the actual group that broke the German encirclement of Bastogne, Belgium on Dec. 26, 1944. He was killed four days later while helping to keep that corridor open.
I visited Bastogne a few years ago while on Christmas vacation at my in-laws in the Netherlands and came away with a new understanding of the sacrifice that our fallen soldiers paid. While there, the snow was on the ground of this peaceful region with its forested hills and steep valleys. While trying to explain who Edward was to my teenage son, I realized that Edward never got the chance to raise a family. He was a mere 18 years old when he gave his life for this country. Returning to the Netherlands I realized how blessed I was and that it was because of the sacrifice of many others who gave away all their tomorrows, that we may have our todays.
So I will cast my vote in his honor on election day and would encourage others to do the same in honor of a veteran of their chosing. They, after all, are a big reason we have the right to vote at all.
Great post Lance. Too often we forget the greatest generation.