The true meaning of Veterans Day
Veterans Day. What does it mean to you? For some people, it is a day off work or some really good sales at the mall. If you served in the military or know someone who did, then there is a deeper meaning for you. You know that Veterans Day is a day set aside to honor all who have served in the U.S. military. But there’s more.
Veterans Day began as Armistice Day, a commemoration of the end of World War I. Back then, it was called The Great War, and indeed it was –- the world had never known such a widespread conflict that involved so many nations. The armistice went into effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year 1918, which is why our observance is always Nov. 11. In 1954, veterans groups lobbied successfully to rename the day Veterans Day and expand it to honor all who served.
Veterans Day often gets confused with Memorial Day. While it is always good to thank a service member for his or her service, Veterans Day is the best holiday to do that. Memorial Day specifically honors those who have fallen in service to their country.
With that in mind, we would like to take this opportunity to honor all who served in the U.S. military from Christ Reformed United Church of Christ, with special thanks for the service of Glenn R. Goulet Jr. and Andrew S. Reisenweber, who are on active duty. This list includes members who are still with us and those who aren’t, and appears here thanks to the efforts of James Rinker:
Air Force
John C. Barthlow II, Korean War
Melvin D. Brown
Andrew S. Reisenweber, War on Terror, Afghanistan
Scott H. Riner
David L. Rinker
Army
Hartzell Ambrose, World War II
William Ambrose, World War II
William E. Anderson Sr.
Douglas W. Arvin, World War II
John C. Barthlow III
Irvin Batt, World War II
James Blackford, Operation Desert Storm
H. Frank Brown, Korean War
Brian C. Bruneske, Vietnam War
James K. Caniford, Vietnam War (formerly MIA)
Harry A. Dailey, World War I
James S. Dailey Jr., Korean War
James W. Dailey, World War II
John L. Davis
Thomas Dockeney, World War II, Army Air Corps
Glenn R. Goulet Jr., War on Terror, Iraq
Glenn R. Goulet Sr., U.S. invasion of Panama
Allen C. Grant, World War II
John H. Grozinger
Everett “Bill” Henry, World War II
Fred B. Hess, World War II
Leo G. Kesecker, World War II
Edward Lossman
Charles B. Mann
Gilbert McKown, World War I
Paul McKown, World War I
Lester H. Plume, World War II
Charles Roush, World War II
Ray L. Sencindiver, World War II
J. Lee Sleyzak
Alexander Spradling, War on Terror, Iraq
Robert Starliper, World War II
Dorothy Stephens, Vietnam War
Herbert J. York
Navy
William E. Anderson Jr.
Hersell Anglin
William Anglin
Robert Bauer, Korean War
Charles N. Gray, World War II
Rev. Dr. Thomas E. Hartshorn
James Clendon Keller
Edward J. Marple Sr., World War II
Paul W. Mason Sr.
Albert L. Miles, World War II
Dr. Harvey D. Reisenweber, Vietnam War
Amy Sadeghzadeh War on Terror, Iraq
James Steryous
Warren W. White Sr., World War II
Robert Wolfe, World War II
Service branch unknown
Gilbert W. Miles, World War I
Lisa Gough is a member of the Christ Reformed United Church of Christ Web Committee. She is a former director of communications for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.