Every year, cities and towns across New Hampshire remember veterans in their own way. It is very heartwarming to our 110,000 veterans of New Hampshire that their fellow Granite Staters still take the time to remember.
This country is indeed blessed to have brave men and women stepping up to defend the freedoms of this great nation. The young people of today’s military, like those who came before, sign a blank check to the United States of America that states they will defend the freedom of all Americans leading up to and including giving their lives if necessary. We are humbled that these men and women of today and those who went before them are willing to give up all of their tomorrows so we can enjoy today.
Never before have so many Americans owed so much to these patriots. Our men and women in uniform today are less than 2% of our total population. They are the best-trained, best-equipped military in the world, period, and we are very fortunate to have them.
We must also remember the families of our service men and women as well. The worry, the hardships and the stress they endure when their loved ones are deployed is a huge burden. The recent conflicts and deployments around the world continue to cause concern for these families. If you know of service families with loved ones in harm’s way, remember them also. And to that end, we can never forget the Gold Star families – the parents, siblings, children and spouses whose loved ones paid for our freedom with their lives.
We are thankful that New Hampshire has many private sector groups that remember our veterans year-round because their sacrifices have protected our precious freedoms for 243 years.
Something that is very important to all veterans and active-duty personnel is to please stand during the national anthem and find other ways to get attention for a cause or concern, not by disrespecting the anthem or our flag. The more than one million American men and women who gave their lives from the Revolutionary War to today deserve it.
Francis Scott Key’s words say it quite well with the last few verses of our national anthem: “O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave / O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?” This nation is fortunate to have such brave men and women willing to keep us free.
In closing, I am reminded of being told of the horror and the savage fighting that took place in Korea in 1950 as the 1st Marine Division left the Chosin Reservoir, leaving Hagaru-ri on a road called Hell Fire Valley heading south with some 100,000 Korean men, women and children following them. The Korean civilians knew the Marines would protect their newfound freedom so they moved south with the Marines. A photojournalist traveling with the 1st Marines asked a 19-year old Marine private what he would want if he could have any wish. That exhausted Marine replied, “Give me tomorrow.” I believe that wish was also that of the 100,000 refugees following the Marines.
The extraordinary courage exhibited in protecting 100,000 people and their newly found freedom describes how our military defines the courage and commitment of all our veterans. Thank you, New Hampshire, for remembering our veterans. Lest we never forget.
(James H. Adams of Pittsfield is a Vietnam veteran and chairman of the State Veterans Council.)