Veterans' Day

The Armistice of November 11, 1918 set the stage for World War II. Now we honor all veterans on this day, as we should.

I read military history throughout the year. Currently I am going through a book on the most significant (not always the most famous) battles in world history.

Many battles and campaigns centuries ago set the stage for events of today. When I read Gibbons' Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire or Norwich's Byzantium, the conflicts of today are previewed. Americans are called "Crusaders" from the First Crusade in 1095 AD! Muslims forget that they took Jerusalem and the Holy Land from the Christian Byzantine Empire. Muslim ships captured and enslaved pilgrims on the way to the Holy Land.

Our military men and women are the finest in the world. Many have sacrificed their lives or their health for the cause of freedom. We should be thankful to them today and every day for their leadership.

Someone asked me yesterday, "Have you seen the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier." I said, "I saw it as a child. Then we took our son to see it. Then we took our son's family there as well."