When this edition of the Northern Sentry arrives in homes and businesses the activities of Veteran’s Day 2025 will be over. On the 11th hour of the 11th Day of the 11th month of 1918, the Armistice was signed to end World War 1.
As it was explained to me when I was younger, Veteran’s Day is not to honor those who died, and those who served and passed, that day is Memorial Day. Veteran’s Day honors all of those who served, or are serving, which is why the Veteran’s Day celebrations at our schools are so important. At North Plains elementary on Minot Air Force Base, they literally rolled out the red carpet, albeit it was a red runner over the carpet, for the many veterans and active duty military who were in attendance. I watched as young children escorted veterans to their seats so they could enjoy the 30 minute program that began sharply at 2:00 PM with the Minot AFB Color Guard advancing the colors. Every time I see the MAFB color guard in action, I can only guess the number of hours they spend practicing their presentation to the point of perfection.
If you haven’t had a chance to read our Northern Sentry Tribute to Veterans section, please do. If you missed a printed copy, it is also online at northernsentry.com. I was once asked “what does it take to be a part of that section?” And the answer is pretty simple. We look for veterans who are willing to share their stories of service. I can’t tell you the number of times that I have asked a veteran to share their story with me and they will say “well I really didn’t do anything special.”
I normally ignore that statement, and keep asking questions, as any good journalist should do. There is a saying that if you keep talking long enough and ask enough questions, you’ll end up with a great story…and that is the way I have found it to be with my stories about those who have served their country as members of the Armed Forces. It was even true of my Dad, who was a Navy veteran. He was born in 1928, and so he ended up in the Pacific Theater but by the time he got to his assignment on Guam the war was over. The bombs had been dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and Japan had unconditionally surrendered. But as Dad told me “some of the Japanese troops in Guam didn’t get the message” and so for a while caution was an everyday practice.
We didn’t talk about his service time very much. I had an uncle who was in the Royal Air Force and was on a Lancaster bomber. I guess the fact that he returned to Canada after Word War II truly was a story. I do know that my Uncle Gerry took a tremendous amount of pride in his flight jacket and logbooks from his time in the service. We did have a couple of sessions at the kitchen table reviewing his flights. I was too young to ask questions, well questions that made any sense. But I loved how he talked about the mission they had and the determination they had to “get into the underbelly of the Germans.”
Recent years have brought me across so many veterans that with a little encouragement and patience will share their stories. I struggle with the word “story” because the word story is often related to fictional experiences. But these were not fictional experiences, and when our veterans share their time as members of any service we should listen and appreciate. I have had several veterans who just did not want to re-live their military experiences. What they experienced was not a “war story”, it was an experience that may have changed their lives forever. There are 2 words that I make sure I share with every veteran regardless of whether they shared their story with me or not…”Thank You.”
What, Snow?
A friend of mine told me a little story the other day, about his grandkids. I was complaining about the snow coming early. He looked at me and said that when he took his grandkids to the airport after the snow to fly to Disneyworld in Florida, the youngest looked a little distraught.. “I asked him what was wrong? And he said, All the kids in school get to go out on the playground and enjoy the snow. I only get to go to Disneyworld.” I guess it’s all in your perspective.
Today’s Chuckle
It gets hard to spread a little sunshine now that so many people have the sunblock of cynicism.
