Remembrance/Veterans Day

[Tabby]

It's that time again. My father and uncle were in the RCAF in WW11. My best friend's husband has fought in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and done several peace keeping missions in other countries. Corporal Nathan Cirillo was not only from my city, he went to my step-daughter's high school. Canada has a unique way to honour their dead soldiers. For Cpl Cirillo, the Highway of Heroes was unofficially extended all the way down the 407 to Hamilton - right along my route home from work. I will never, ever forget the people and flags hanging from each overpass already at 4 pm even though he wasn't scheduled to pass until sometime after 6 - and didn't actually arrive until around 8 or so. This video means a lot to me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsCVlM1CSPU

For my state-side friends, this is a really interesting American news segment on the Highway of Heroes. I can't honestly vouch for it's accuracy but it seems about right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc6t6HLt7vA

Does November 11 have any significance to any of you?

[Tabby]

This one has more photos of the overpasses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42Js07j ... e=youtu.be

This really and truly happens. Even the fire trucks with their ladders and flags. They arrive hours in advance and wait in the cold and the rain and the snow for a moment or 2 to watch the procession go by. It is the most moving thing I have ever seen in my life. I choke up on the memory alone, let alone this song.

[Rhianon]

Tabby: "Does November 11 have any significance to any of you?"

Dear God, yes. My entire life was lived under the shadow of the effects of WWII. My DH's, too. We didn't talk about it. PTSD wasn't even a term then, and as my dad said "I hired out to be tough." Today I heard a heartbreaking program on the CBC. It wasn't dramatic or sensationalized, but just the stories of some of the young men of today. It's not just about the old boys. It's damned complicated in our modern world--good/bad; is any war "right." I don't know.

But I will be at the cenotaph. Rain or shine.

[Abby Kogler]

My patriotic town (I live near Camp Pendleton) will have a sweet parade; Bpy Scouts, the Marine Band, our County Supervisor. Every year there are fewer and fewer WWll veterans. I never miss it. Last year my dad had died and I went and cried through the whole thing. This year I will not cry, will just be proud of so many of the men in my family, from the Civil War on...It has always been an important day for me.

[PaulaO]

My dad was in the Army Air Corps during WWII, stationed in Australia, and flew bomber missions in the Pacific. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Silver Star. He didn't talk much about it, just said he was doing his job. He never took advantage of the VA medical system because he felt he didn't deserve it.

I will be flying the flag tomorrow. I'm sad that the VA no longer collects money and gives out poppies around here.

[CanadianTrotter]

Does November 11 have any significance to any of you?

Firstly for my Grampy who fought and was shot in the line of duty in Ypres.

Secondly to all of my friends, high school chums and aquaintances that served in Desert Storm or peacekeeping missions.

Thirdly having lived close to the CFB Trenton 8 Wing where all of our fallen are flown to for their journey home.

[Chisamba]

when i was growing up in southern africa there was a lot of civil war, the Rhodesian war and in South West Africa, there was conscription, and all my high school male friends went to war for two years. Five of my best friends from high school, including my boyfriend, were killed. three of them were Selous Scouts, and to be honest, i think Tom wanted to join his buddies when he was the last one standing, we were at their funeral with two coffins draped in flags, and he said, see you soon, and he did.

my uncle flew in the second world war, he was forever weighed down by the thought of the civilians who died when they bombed. no smart bombs in those days, and in the dark, under fire, they had to drop bombs as close to their targets as possible. His job was to take photos, he was not a bomber, but the photos he took evidenced the drop zones. He remembered things frozen in time, one that haunted him as the terrified expression on a mans face, as he and his donkey fled as hard as they could away from the drop zone, but the fact that they were in the photo was proof they did not make it.

My father in law is bulgarian, he escaped from behind the iron curtain, by walking out of bulgaria. he was captured in Yugolavia and was interred in horrific conditions in concentration camps. He eventually made it to Italy, to a refugee camp, and was recruited from their to serve in the US armed forces. He served in post war europe, Korea, Vietnam, and remained in the army till forced to retire from cancer ( agent orange)

He was motivated forever by the loss of freedom in communist bulgaria, and served to that purpose , so that his children could grow up in a free world.

i think war is horrible, i think that we should be able to work out ways to ensure the rights of others without force, i just have no idea how, and it seems until then, we owe an incredible debt to those who fought so that we might have choice

[westisbest]

My uncle on my mom's side was shot down during the 2nd WW and buried alive. He had a photographic memory apparently and was doing reconaissance. He was sent to England to recover from his injuries but he had terrible PTSD and never got over that. He lived next door to us for years and the few family dinners he could bring himself to attend as he was a complete loner, I remember the panic and hysteria in his voice when he talked about the war . He brought home, along with his tortured memories a German luger that he may have got off a soldier in combat. So I don't need November 11 to "remember" it's stuck in the very essence of my soul. He died of a massive heart attack at about 65. I was glad that his suffering was finally over.

[boots-aregard]

My dad never talked about his service much (WWII in Europe. He was a navigator. Shot down over Chech. and a POW for 9 months).

I got him talking one day, though, with the video camera whirring away just over my shoulder, so that the whole family got 'the story' from him on tape. Pretty grueling stuff, but he came out of it OK, until the 'family' alcoholism messed up his life even more so some two decades later.

My mom was a nurse during the bombing of London, and (later) she worked for the doctor that pioneered plastic surgery outside of London. I've forgotten his name right now, but it'll come to me in a bit.

My sister served, was a sharpshooter, but she didn't see combat. No one else in the family served.

We didn't 'get' to celebrate veterans day this year because it's BRIDGE CLUB day, and that's sacrosanct. So yesterday, greatgranddaughter and I took my dad to dinner, and tomorrow, greatgrandson will wear himself out on the beach visiting my dad as well.

That said, traffic in town today has been horrid, because the construction crews are out. I would have thought they'd be off today, but not the case.

[Tabby]

Thanks for all the stories, everyone. I agree that war sucks and wish there was a way to avoid it.

[Paints]

Coming to this late.......
I am usually working on Remembrance Day but this year my DH and I went to the Cenotaph for the ceremony. We moved to Hamilton this year and DH's uncle served and died in WWII in a Hamilton regiment so it was especially important to him. It was incredibly moving and I was not the only one reaching for Kleenex.

Until the world can find a better way to resolve conflicts, we are forever in debt to those who protect us. I hope and pray that Trudeau institutes policies to take better care of our veterans.