The Golden Boy 

I think this gets overlooked in the US. While the US lost many, many people in WWI- it's nothing compared to the damage that was done to the people of Europe and the physical and political landscape that affects the world today.

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month is a very poignant date that should be observed, not just in a patriotic manner.

In no way does this detract from Veterans Day, just there's a lot more to it.

Drillium Dude 

To all my Brothers, Sisters and the overwhelmingly supportive civilian sector - I appreciate your sacrifices and undying support. Go USA



DD

RobbieTunes

It's probably not politically correct now, but we used to have school on Nov 11, and the whole school would stand up, and at 11:11 am, we would have 1 minute of silence. Catholics were allowed to say the rosary, as long as it was silently. After that, over the PA, we would say the Pledge of Allegiance, and sing the Star Spangled Banner. The entire school. Period. We had kids who did not participate actively, but they were not ridiculed or belittled, as we understood it with manners and courtesy.

Today, there'd be litigation.

Italuminium

I regularly ride near the cemeteries of Margraten and Henri Chapelle.

Some days merit a detour and a very, very deep bow, helmet in hand. Good thing it's a bike helmet now.

Not to ruin anyone's mood, but the United States had a hell to pay for our freedom here in Europe.

IMG_0134 by Constanteyn Roelofs, on Flickr

IMG_0139 by Constanteyn Roelofs, on Flickr

Wileyone 

I remember backpacking through Holland in the Seventies. When the locals found out we were Canadian we were treated like King's. I think in our 2 Week stay there we didn't have to pay for anything. Hospitality gone wild. I guess it was their way of thanking us for their liberation during WWII.

Chrome Molly

I still remember the grade school occasion of 11/11 at 11:11. Thought of it today, sort of thing that stays with you.

gomango

Couldn't pull off 11:11 today, but did kick off the day with it in my homeroom.

Thanks for your service Vets!

Noticed and appreciated.

sloar 

My time in the Marine Corp changed my life. I was heading down a bad road when I was young and its hard telling where I'd be today.

steelbikeguy

let me add my appreciation for all of our folks in active service and veterans! It can be a rewarding experience, but it can be pure hell too. I was one of the fortunate ones who served in peacetime. My time in the Marines was the foundation for the rest of my life... thanks to all of my NCO's, officers, and fellow enlisted dudes!

Steve in Peoria
(and for those who wondered... I was a "Hollywood Marine")

p.s. if anyone is looking for a way to show their support for our vets, let me say that I donate to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund (www.semperfifund.org) and Disabled American Veterans (www.dav.org)

Bruce27

Thank you to all Veterans. I'm not a Veteran myself, but my Father and Father-In-Law were Veterans. Truly believe they were/are the backbone of the USA.

Michael Angelo 

Thank You veterans for all you have done and sacrificed so we can have this great country of ours.

calamarichris

I had the good fortune to be stationed in the Netherlands while in the Army. We were a gas-stop on the way to Reforger. (REturn of FORces to GERmany, in the event the Soviets invaded through the Fulda Gap and overran East Berlin.) I spent my first two Veterans Days putting on my class-A's and performing in the color guard at Margraten Cemetary, and I couldn't believe more of the guys in my unit weren't jumping at the chance.
...Until of course I missed it my third year and saw what happened while I was doing color guard: there were a bunch of awesome old Dutch guys who dressed up in period-correct uniforms and drove around a bunch of jeeps, deuce-and-a-halfs, and even a half-track from town to town. Everyone was waving American flags and if anyone found out you were American, you weren't making it sober to the end of the day.
My Grampa was a radio operator on the B24's that bombed Germany, and his plane was shot down twice. They made it back to Britain the first time, but had to ditch it in the Channel the second time; and when those planes hit the water, they don't ski or slide, they pretty much come apart. Grampa and one other guy survived, but no one else. I always felt guilty enjoying Grampa's parades and thanks.
Just went to a ceremony at Gramma's retirement home today. She was a butterbar (2nd Lt) and nurse, cleaning up the carnage in Patton's wake. I got to stand up next to her when they asked us to stand, but I really didn't deserve to.
I kissed her goodnight and said, "thanks for your service, Lieutenant Garvey", and she said, "Thank you for yours, Corporal Adams."
We're so lucky. So lucky, and mostly because of what her generation did for humanity.

The Golden Boy 

HA! I had a blast during Reforger 88. I was in 3rd Cav.

Reforger was a month long war game exercise played all over Germany. It was a giant game of laser tag. Only the Soviets were watching. I remember doing tons of railhead operations, I remember the mud- we got there while it was drizzling- and we had just gotten situated and we were already in the “red” for the amount of damage we’d done to the German countryside. Armored vehicles apparently aren’t good for crops growing in farm fields. And for some reason, villages built in the middle ages weren’t constructed in mind to have 70 ton main battle tanks driving through town… go figure.

This really was a cold war preparation for opposing the Soviets- we got there, I had a BRAND NEW M577 command vehicle- 3 hours on the engine. It was immaculate. But it was 20 years old- it had been pulled out of storage for this exercise. FWIW- I blew the engine on that vehicle- I was the first 113 class vehicle behind the M1A1 tanks- they took off and I tried to keep up with them. I had that thing pegged- I must’ve been going 35- and all of a sudden I saw white smoke coming out of the smokestack- and I lost power. The entire engine compartment was covered in oil. Those vehicles were not meant to keep up with vehicles designed 30-40 years later…

BTW- those were the same bunks at every barracks in the US Army.

USAZorro

The picture begs for the story behind it. (USNR - 1982-1986)

RobbieTunes

I can relate to that. Training exercise in 100 degree heat, Fort Pickett, VA
Yes, I got chewed out big-time for no skivvie shirt, but at least I had my gas mask.

sloar 

Rob, you stud!

verktyg 

Gungy flicks....

Mo-betta



I looked good "high and tight"....

verktyg

Chas.

sloar 

lets be honest, we were all studs!

The Golden Boy 

That's a whole lot of slick right there Chas!

Wileyone 

Kewl.... I hope those Pants never come back in style. There's some strange looking "bulges" ya got goin on there.

The Golden Boy 

I'd been stationed down in Panama for over a year and the overthrow of Manuel Noriega's government went down. Our area was the Amador peninsula- it was the long peninsula on the Pacific side of the Canal. After the first couple of days we took possession of Noriega's office building on Amador-

The pic is me kicked back behind Noriega's desk. Just past that open door was a library- shelves of books and awards and plaques. The pictures behind me were originally in there- but the press brought out those pix. The one of Gaddafi is autographed- IIRC- it says "to my good friend General Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno- Best Wishes, Muammar." No ****.

I still have a couple of his business cards, an envelope and one of his cigars.

By the way- in the lobby of that building there was a Picasso statue. It was a bunch of concentric rings. So here's 19 year old me batting at the thing like a cat toy, trying to get the inner ring spinning one way and the middle ring spinning the other, and the outer spinning the opposite way... Batting at a million dollar sculpture like a cat toy... yup.

fietsbob

No Pictures , Classified Duty, on a Submarine.

In 91 on a Bike tour I looped thru Belgium Twice , visited New Friends I made,

One Lived in Ypres, was a Landscape Maintenance worker For the British War Graves Commission.

The daily act of homage | Last Post Association

Italuminium

you sir win the internet for today. What a story.

RobbieTunes

That makes sense on so many levels, I just had to laugh out loud.

qcpmsame 

The Dutch people have a very special place in my heart. My uncle, Honson Owen, was a bombardier in B-24s during WWII, his aircraft was shot down over Holland, he managed to parachute to a "safe" landing. The Dutch resistance hid him for almost a year, from the German occupiers. A traitor turned the family he was with in to the German authorities, they were killed for harboring him, and he went to a Luftstalag for the remainder of the ETO war. Our family (mother's side) didn't know anything for almost 2 years, nearly the end of the war. he was on one of the first/early raids flown for the American USAAF, in occupied Europe.

Our family owes the Dutch people our sincere thanks for giving him his safety until the traitor acted, and for giving their lives for his. I am determined to visit as many of the major cemeteries in Europe, as possible, and to show my gratitude to the Dutch people, as well as the others that suffered from the Austrian tyrant's murderous actions.

Bill