Issue 45.12
Veterans’ Day is a special day for this veteran. The Golden Corral restaurant has had a free dinner for all veterans in years past and I hope this year also. The Elks club has had a dinner and speakers in years past. Some years ago Tuacahn has had a free patriotic program. Washington City has had a free lunch and program for veterans. St. George and Washington City each has had a parade. I have taken advantage of all of these events besides school programs with veterans invited to attend. For the last about twelve years Barney, Ralph and I have walked in the St. George parade holding a sign saying ‘WW2 Vets’. Barney passed away a few years ago so that left Ralph and I to walk the parade route together. Ralph and I each have, I called it a four wheeler, which is a walker with four wheels as an aid for walking.
The VA provided me with this aid. Last year Ralph wasn’t able to walk so I walked alone with my four-wheeler and a sign in front that said WW2 vet. There are getting to be fewer World War 2 vets to enjoy these things.
My most memorable Veterans’ Day (it was called Armistice Day then) was when I wasn’t even a veteran. I was twelve years old and in the seventh grade at Webster School in Butte, Montana and for our Armistice Day program, we had poetry recitations, singing and talks. The highlight of the program was when they introduced a GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) veteran. It was barely audible to hear the few words he spoke. When the program was over, some of us filed past him and touched his blue civil war uniform because he was too frail for us to shake his hand. He was a veteran of the war of the rebellion (the civil war) and could still get into his blue war uniform. He was a Union Soldier because the Confederate soldiers wore grey uniforms.
Our school assembly room was up a flight of stairs so in order for him to get to us, two World Wars 1 veterans, one on each side of him each took hold of an arm and almost carried him up the stairs. He was helped down the stairs in the same manner. This Grand Army of the Republic veteran was in his mid nineties. This gentleman was the last civil war veteran to live in that part of the state of Montana. This year I am a mere 87 years old but when I get to be that old and I am able, I hope two Iraq or Afghanistan veterans will take me and help me to a patriotic school program.
Sam Wyrouck can be contacted at 801-707-2666.