Veterans Day (or Armistice Day or Remembrance Day if you prefer) is observed each November 11th in remembrance of the signing of the Armistice at the conclusion of World War I. The formal signing occurred at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. While Armistice Day was celebrated for the first time the following year, 1919, it didn’t become an official U.S. Federal Holiday until 1926. In 1954 it was formally changed to commemorate all veterans rather than just those who served in World War I.
May those who served that have passed before this day rest in peace and all those that are still with us that serve or have served enjoy the honor, admiration and respect they deserve from all of us.
Below is an email I received from Brent Martin. I thought it was a positive story about his dad, Hobart Martin, that was worth sharing. Brent Martin is an Architect in Plymouth, IN that I have worked with on multiple projects including public, private and design-build work. I consider him a friend as well as a respected colleague. – Kevin
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To All:
This spring I spoke with my Dad about finding a fund-raiser for the American Legion in Hamlet, Indiana (where I was born and raised). This led to some conversations with Congressman Donnelly’s staff about doing a veterans affairs speech and dinner at the Legion, but we never really got things coordinated. Along the way, I briefly described my Dad’s service to the staff and last Friday I got a call asking if I thought my Dad would participate in a living history interview for the Library of Congress. I gave Dan, the guy who called, the contact information and about 20 minutes later Dad called to say: “Did you know Congressman Donnelly is going to come over to my house next Tuesday to interview me?”
Congressman Joe Donnelly and Brent Martin's Dad
No – I did not. Anyway, I participated – or more accurately I listened while the Congressman led my Dad through his WW II service history and his reminiscences. For about an hour, Dad recalled those days, nearly 70 years ago. Drafted at 19, he served until he was 22 in both the European and Pacific Theaters, including flying with Secretary of War Patterson to Hiroshima. I’m thinking back to the time when I was 19-22 – in college at Ball State – a somewhat typical hippie radical – and at that same age my Dad was defending the free world against tyranny. Really puts things into perspective.
So to all you veterans on my email contact list, allow me to paraphrase Congressman Donnelly: I thank you for your service to our county. You are truly American heroes. And to everyone else, let us never forget their sacrifice.
Highway 17 between Plymouth and Culver can be frustrating. There are a number of hills and curves allowing very few places to pass. There is also a significant amount of traffic in both directions making it difficult to pass when you do reach the few available passing zones. Add Burr Oak to that, with its inordinately long reduced speed zone and the bypass train stop across the highway. There have been more than a few times when I’ve come close to a collision with a frustrated (and possibly psychotic) driver coming from the other direction that has chosen to pass on a double yellow with no visibility. I’ve also been made late by his counterpart, the driver that choses to putt along at 40-45 mph with a line of 15 cars behind him, oblivious to (or again, possibly they’re psychotic) the waves of hate coming from the motorists behind him.
My wife, Becky, had a Justice Moment coming into town last night. She was coming into Culver to meet me, running late (my fault, not hers), and got stuck behind one of the slow drivers, driving around 40, maxing out at 45, and oblivious to the line of cars behind him and the choice words coming from my sweet wife in car number 6.
She followed him from our house to Burr Oak, but when he got to Burr Oak, he continued into town at 45mph… through the 35mph zone… and met a nice State Trooper waiting for him. I can picture Becky’s seat dance and fist pump “Yes!” as she and her fellow friends in line paraded by him. Sometimes it’s the little things that lift our spirits.
Veterans Day (or Armistice Day or Remembrance Day if you prefer) is observed each November 11th in remembrance of the signing of the Armistice at the conclusion of World War I. The formal signing occurred at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. While Armistice Day was celebrated for the first time the following year, 1919, it didn’t become an official U.S. Federal Holiday until 1926. In 1954 it was formally changed to commemorate all veterans rather than just those who served in World War I.
