THOUGHTS ON VETERANS DAY

 

 

I'm going out on a limb here, but bear with me. Memorial Day and Veterans Day always involve reflexive tributes to those who "defended our freedom."

But there's a huge difference between freedom and security, and we should not confuse the two. Absent Britain long ago, no foreign enemy has possessed the ability to deprive us of our freedom. The Soviets could've destroyed us, but they couldn't conquer us. And in the world wars the enemy couldn't even get here.

Only Americans can deprive Americans of their freedom(s), and frequently it appears that some of them are succeeding. But here's the thing: generations of Americans have left these shores bound for places some of them never heard of, risking and often losing their lives TO RETURN FREEDOM TO CONQUERED NATIONS WHO HAD LOST IT. That is a magnificent testament to the character of the American nation, and IMO it does not get one tiny smidgen of the recognition it deserves, hence this post.

A heartfelt salute to those who served over the centuries, in war or in peace, and often both.

Family Ties

 

Most readers can tell similar stories to my family. My mother joined the Daughters of the American Revolution on Captain John Parker who commanded the Lexington, Massachusetts, militia on 19 April 1775, and Colonel James Barrett at Concord.  My mother had a cousin named Parker Barrett.

 

My father’s family included Lieutenant Colonel Tench Tilghman, George Washington’s aide from 1775, who took word of the momentous victory at Yorktown, Virginia, to Congress in Philadelphia in 1781.  It’s significant that Tench’s father remained a crown loyalist and a brother became an officer in the Royal navy. 

 

 

In the Civil War the families again parted ways.  Based on geography the Tilghmans/Tillmans went for the Confederacy by 8 to 1 although at least four died wearing the blue. The Barretts, on the other hand, were from Maine. 

 

As a lifelong shooter I grew up knowing of Sergeant (then Corporal) Alvin York’s combat marksmanship in October 1918.  But not until I saw the 1941 Gary Cooper movie did I realize that one of York’s commanding officers was Captain, later Major, James M. Tilghman from Georgia.

 

Meanwhile, a cherished friend is a retired vice (three-star) admiral who spent a typical amount of time away from home.  He says, “We have a lot of unsung veterans among us we need to also honor on this day.  These are our wives and kids.

 

“We held a ceremony of sorts this morning at this senior facility where the wife and I now reside.  We have five World War II veterans residing here, one being a WAVE Yeoman, and a lot from Korea and Vietnam. I am the senior military veteran in rank, so was given the opportunity to say a few words. 

 

“My words pointed out that our families were also veterans, mentioning the fact my wife orchestrated 30 moves in 40 years, including four ocean crossings and a lot of cross the USA moves, while I flitted from one assignment to another.  This included raising two great kids, who had as many as three schools in one year on one occasion, and whose lives were constantly in motion.  I owe my career to Doree and the kids.”

 

Forgotten Nurses

 

Recently there’s been discussion of issuing a Congressional Gold Medal honoring the 74,000 U.S. military nurses in World War II.  My wife’s aunt was one of 59,000 Army nurses, and the Navy had 14,000.  Together they served in the States and abroad, in field hospitals, evacuation centers, on hospital ships, and as flight nurses.  (My favorite example is the fetching young lady supervising loading a C-47 transport, accessorizing with a Colt .45 pistol in a shoulder holster.)

 

The official figure is 241 who died on active duty, 201 Army personnel.  Sixty-seven Army nurses –“The angels of Bataan”--were captured when Manila fell in 1942, remaining until freed in early 1945.

 

As of this month, five are known living, all well over 100 years of age.

 

Presumably medical facilities and personnel were immune to attack owing to international conventions.  But some nations—notably Japan—ignored such protection.  On a clear April night in 1945 the hospital ship Comfort steamed near Okinawa, illuminated as a noncombatant and painted white with red crosses on the hull.  Then a single Japanese plane passed overhead, came back for another look, and dived into Comfort’s superstructure, killing 28 people including six nurses.

 

Draftees to Volunteers

 

Within living memory, the height of American patriotism undoubtedly was the Second World War—“the good war”--although that pool is rapidly draining.  (I lost my last World War II veteran this year, a 103-year-old naval aviator).  However, even amid that four-year crisis, over 60 percent of military personnel were drafted. 

 

The U.S. military has been all-volunteer since January 1973, the month of the Vietnam War cease fire (predictably resumed two years later when Hanoi’s army smashed into Saigon and conquered the South.)

 

Since then, recruiting has waxed and waned.  The services struggled with serious shortfalls especially from 1999 to 2022, when enlistments hit a 40-year low.  This year, with patriotism surging again, every branch expects to exceed its goal.  Interviews show a significant reason is patriotism and return of “the warrior ethos” after years of tepid leadership from uniformed sociologists. 

 

For years, recruiters have noted the appeal of martial masculinity among young Hispanic males. Recent figures show 18 percent in the army—matching all branches combined--and 27 percent in the Marine Corps.

 

Today’s troops are tomorrow’s veterans, and they earn our respect now—and later.