By Randy Young
Today marks one of the more deserved, yet overlooked holidays of the year. Veterans Days hasn’t always been Veterans Day. As a matter of fact, it was originally called “Armistice Day” in recognition of the end of World War I — “the war to end all wars.”
To be honest, it’s kind of hard for me to be a little confused about why more emphasis isn’t placed on Veterans Day. After all, without our vets, where would our nation — our world — be today?
All I have to do is think back to the history of my own family to be humbled at what veterans mean. My friend Doris Davies has been researching my family line for some time now (trust me, a trained genealogist is a pure blessing), and it turns out that I have a double handful of Revolutionary War veterans in my line, as well as more Confederate veteran relatives than I ever suspected.
And that doesn’t even get into the service of my ancestors who fought in WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam.
When our family gets together to clean up our family cemetery, I am always humbled by the headstone of distant cousin Lizzie Ozelle Wages. When WWII started, Lizzie, a nurse, volunteered for service. On Nov. 27, 1942, she was killed in an automobile accident on her way from Camp Blanding, just south of Jacksonville, Fla., to a new assignment in St. Petersburg.
On July 1, 1943, the nurses’ quarters constructed at Finney General Hospital where Southwestern now stands were dedicated to her memory.
Mounted to her headstone are her dog tags. The sight of them always gives me pause, and yet make me proud as well.
And now, as a teacher, I am regularly in prayer for the dozens of former students who have either served or are currently serving our nation — students like Matthew Keown, a Purple Heart recipient who made it home and in the last month was blessed with his first child, a son.
Freedom simply is not free. The rights we enjoy as a people have been paid for with the blood of young men and women since those original patriots of the late 1700s. Yet too many Americans seems to think that holding hands with our enemies and singing “Kumbaya” around a campfire will insure our freedom.
Consider the following exchange from the Arizona Republic. A reader wrote to complain about what he felt was showboating by Air Force pilots at nearby Luke Air Force Base:
Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base:
Whom do we thank for the morning air show from your jets? Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune! Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns early bird special?
Any response would be appreciated!
The response:
Regarding a wake-up call from Luke's jets'
On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four- ship fly by of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt. Jeremy Fresques. Capt. Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day.
At 9 a.m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend. Based on the letter writer's recount of the fly by, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the President of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured.
A four-ship fly by is a display of respect the Air Force gives to those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects.
The letter writer asks, “Whom do we thank for the morning air show?” The 56th Fighter Wing will make the call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives.
Only 2 defining forces have ever offered to die for you....Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
Lt. Col. Grant L. Rosensteel, Jr.
USAF
To our veterans, there just aren’t enough words to adequately recognize what you mean to us and what you’ve done for us. Given that fact, I’ll do the best I can with these words:
Thank you.
