Veterans Day 2014

Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Jimmy Gould, wearing his uniform from The Great War, plays "Taps" during Tuesday's Veteran's Day ceremony at Mountain View Cemetery.

The sacrifices of veterans, and their contributions in both war and peace, must not be forgotten 366th Wing Commander Col. David Iverson told a crowd of several hundred people attending the Veterans' Day ceremonies Tuesday at Mountain View Cemetery.

The event featured patriotic music, the traditional laying of wreaths by local veterans organizations and support groups, the playing of "Taps" and the firing of three volleys for a salute to veterans by the American Legion Honor Guard.

Offering a brief history of Veteran's Day, Iverson, the keynot speaker, noted that in November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11, 1919, as the first remembrance of Armistice Day -- the end of World War I. The armistice the year before had occurred at the eleventh hour of the day, thus all Veteran's Day events today begin on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of November.

In 1954, Congress amended Wilson's Armistice Day proclamation, recognizing all veterans for their service and sacrifice, thus creating the modern Veterans' Day.

"Here we are at the 11th hour of the 11th month, 96 years after the end of World War I, to remember the veterans who have secured and continue to secure our freedom and way of life," Iverson said.

"Throughout human history, fewer than 5 percent of people have lived in a free society," the wing commander said, noting that "Those free societies have always been protected by men and women willing to give up their lives to ensure the freedom and liberty of their countrymen."

He asked those present at the ceremony to "take a step back for a moment and reflect and pay tribute to every person who has taken an oath to defend the United States.... They are a special group."

In the United States today, he said, fewer than 7 percent of the population can claim the title of veteran -- roughly 21 million Americans. In the state of Idaho, there are approximately 132,000 living veterans and Elmore County has 4,280 former service members.

Those veterans have served in conflicts ranging from World War II to the current conflicts in the Middle East, as well as during peacetime.

He recalled the words of Gen. George Marshall, who said during WWII, "We are determined that before the sun sets on this terrible struggle, our flag will be recognized throughout the world as a symbol of freedom on the one hand, and of overwhelming force on the other."

Iverson said, "The commitment of our veterans has ensured our flag is a symbol of freedom and we continue to have the overwhelming force necessary to protect that freedom for future generations."

Iverson remined the audience that "earlier this year, we lost one of Idaho's favorite sons. Medal of Honor recipient Bernie Fisher passed away after serving his nation for over 25 years, including during the Vietnam War, and returning to Idaho to become an anchor of his community....

"Today, the oldest veteran alive in Elmore County is 95 year old Mountain Home resident Rex Kite. Rex was in the US Army during World War II, providing ordnance supplies to U.S. troops in England and France before and after the D-Day invasion.

"Like Fisher, Rex returned home after World War II and continued his devotion to his country by serving his local community and church."

Iverson went on to recall the words of John Stuart Mill, who said, "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

"Veterans, like Bernie Fisher, Rex Kite, and many of our fellow citizens here today," Iverson said, " have been willing to risk their personal safety for our independence....

"I challenge us all to remember that we owe our liberties and way of life to them.... We are in their debt, and on this day, let us pause and take time to thank them...."