The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 marked the end of WWI by the signing of the armistice. Armistice Day was first observed on November 11, 1919 on the one-year anniversary of the end of WWI. In 1954, President Eisenhower signed a bill that created Veterans Day to commemorate the sacrifice of all veterans and to recognize them for their service.
As we observe Veterans Day this year, I look around me at the many freedoms I have and I am thankful for those brave men and women who have stood strong to protect and defend these freedoms. May we never forget their sacrifices. In our own family, we honor these veterans we hold dear; my dad, Glenn Campbell, who joined the Navy at 17 to become a radioman serving in the South Pacific during WWII; our daughter in law, Kari McAnally, who also joined the Navy at 17 and became a Mandarin linguist serving in Hawaii and Japan, flying as an aircrew member; and, our son in law, Ryan Crunk, who enlisted in the Army after 9/11, became an Army Infantryman and served with the 82nd Airborne in Iraq, subsequently losing his leg in combat. From the bottom of my heart, I say thank you to all veterans past and present. We owe you our freedom.
Randye McAnally
Fredericksburg Farms