Veteran's Day, November 11th 2010

This video from the VA shows how volunteers are helping our veterans every day as their way of thanking them for their service.  After watching the video decided to do this Veteran's Tribute to the WWII Veterns who after 59 years after the end of the War their WWII Memorial was dedicated.  Recently a group of WWII veterans from Oklahoma were flown to Washington DC to view this monument as part of the Honor Flight Network.


General Eisenhower quote from WWII Memorial

View from the Washington Monument of the WWII Memorial

The memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S. during World War II, the more than 400,000 who died, and the millions who supported the war effort from home. Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th Century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people to the common defense of the nation and to the broader causes of peace and freedom from tyranny throughout the world. It will inspire future generations of Americans, deepening their appreciation of what the World War II generation accomplished in securing freedom and democracy. Above all, the memorial stands as an important symbol of American national unity, a timeless reminder of the moral strength and awesome power that can flow when a free people are at once united and bonded together in a common and just cause.

If you have a family member or friend who served in WWII, you can look them up at WWII Memorial Registry -- found our Dad on there this morning for when and where he had served. 

It took until 1993 to commission a Memorial to WWII vets who have been dubbed the 'Greatest Generation' by Tom Brokaw and others.  Senator Robert Dole (R-KS) was the Head of Fundraising for this huge task.

 Nearly 59 years after the end of World War II, the National World War II Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, May 29, 2004.

The dedication of the memorial was the culmination of an 11-year effort that started when the memorial was authorized by Congress on May 25, 1993. Construction began September 4, 2001, after several years of fund raising and public hearings. The memorial opened to the public on April 29, 2004.

The dedication celebration spanned four days and included a WWII-themed reunion exhibition on the National Mall staged in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, a service of celebration and thanksgiving at the Washington National Cathedral, and an entertainment salute to WWII veterans from military performing units.  (Dedication of WWII Memorial)

Senator Bob Dole addresses more than 150,000 people at the formal dedication ceremony of the National World War II Memorial on Saturday, May 29, 2004. Dole, a World War II Veteran, chaired the World War II Memorial campaign. (Photo by Don Ripper/Latoff Inc.)

book God Bless all who have served over the many years spanning centuries and are serving today around the World.  Our Country is Free today because of all brave men and women  who have served our Nation in time of War and in time of Peace.  God Bless our Military and God Bless the United States of America.