Veteran's Day Postings From Past Blogs - November 12, 2014

Photo from Bing Images, domain free

I didn't think I could improve on my past writing so I 
am posting blogs from previous years.  I have loved ones,

family and friends, who have served our country well

and to them I give thanks - and to all who continue to

fight for our freedom, be it behind a computer, or 

repairing them on jet planes, or in war zones, or what-

ever they do in the service or our country.  Thanks to

my wonderful son, Shawn Smith, who has been more 

on active duty during his U. S. Air Force Reserve time

than not, to his father, Edward C. Smith, who must have

been his inspiration, to my stepfather, US Army Col.

( retired ) for his long years in the Infantry, three of which

were served in Vietnam, to my son Jeremy's friend,

Toady Hop, an impressive Cal Poly decathlete, to my  

beloved lifelong friend, Warren Fukushima, who also

retired from the Army after three tours of duty in Vietnam -

to them and to the millions I never knew - I give my

heartfelt thanks and prayers for you and your loved 

ones for your continued sacrifices and love for our

country.

Here are the links to my past blogs on Veteran's Day.

I am proud to be an American.

http://rnsane.blogspot.in/2011/11/veterans-day-thoughts-november-12-2011.html#links

http://rnsane.blogspot.in/2012/11/on-veterans-day-far-from-home-november.html#links

http://rnsane.blogspot.in/2009/11/rest-in-peace.html#links

On Veteran's Day Far From Home - November 11, 2012

I'm still here in India on this Veteran's Day, remembering those near and dear
to me who have been in our Armed Forces.  Both my father and stepfather were 
Army officers, my oldest son's father was an Air Force officer and our son, Shawn, 
recently was promoted to master sgt in the Air Force reserves.  I am from Columbus,
Georgia, where  Ft. Benning is located.  It is the "home of the Infantry" and the
Army's Airborne School. I grew up as part of the military and watched thousands of
young men train and leave for Vietnam, many dear friends.  It has been the same all
 of my life, through other periods of conflict in the world - brave young men and women serving their country, many of them not returning to their families, making the ultimate
sacrifice for their country.

A friend of mine, a former California highway patrol officer from our old  Prodigy
"cops and crime" chat room, in which I participated, emailed me this video today.  I
found it very moving and I wanted to share it.  

On this Veteran's Day, my prayers are with those who have served, no

matter what country you are from - and to their families and loved ones.

Veteran's Day Thoughts - November 12, 2011

Thoughts on Veteran's Day

Row after row of tiny flags,

As far as one can see,

Remind the saddened visitor,

That freedom isn't free.

 

In hallowed ground, lay heroes,

Loved ones left behind,

Heading toward their destiny,

Not knowing what they'd find.

 

They fought in steaming jungles,

And in the bitter snow,

And left behind their comrades,

With tormented hearts, I know.

 

War seems never ending,

And our brave youth of today,

Continue heroic service,

For the good of the USA.

 

To all of our Armed Forces,

From beginning to present day,

We offer thanks and prayers,

On this very special day.

Carmen Henesy

Veteran's Day 2011

 

Copyright (c) 2011 Carmen Henesy

All Rights Reserved

Rest in Peace

Today is Veteran's Day in the United States.  I am an Army "brat."  My father was a second lieutenant at Ft. Benning, Georgia when he met my mother.  They divorced many years later and my mother remarried.  When my stepfather retired, he was a full colonel in the Infantry and had served three tours of duty in VietNam.  My son, Shawn, is an Air Force reservist for fifteen years now.  He repairs computer systems for the C5 and C15 aircraft.  

My prayer is for world peace.  I would hope that none of my three sons ever has to be involved in a war and that no mother ever loses a son or daughter to conflict anywhere in the world.  Why can't we learn to negotiate and settle our problems in a civilized manner?  Why don't we teach our children, from their earliest years, better ways of handling conflict?  As a nurse, I look at those sweet babies in the newborn nursery, lying there next to each other, without a shred of hatred or animosity in their minds and ask myself, why can't it always be that way?  

The following is not a happy poem.  It is an all too cold reality that takes place every day.  I am posting it on this Veteran's Day with my prayers for every single person who has lost their life in service to this country and for all the families who have suffered and continue to suffer without their loved ones.  

Rest in Peace

He was such a precious child,
Fair haired with eyes of blue,
Always into everything,
With laughter bubbling through.

Everybody loved him,
He just had that special way,
Of making it seem sunny,
On a cloudy, rainy day.

He'd always help another,
When things would go awry,
So all of us were saddened,
The day he said goodbye.

His unit reached Iraq,
And was only there a week,
When his mother got the news,
Of which she couldn't speak.

A roadside bomb exploded,
He lay in a pool of red,
His blood slowly oozing,
A paramedic pronounced him dead.

Carmen Henesy

Copyright © 2007 Carmen Henesy. All Rights Reserved