It’s a Good Day to Thank Our Veterans
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
There is a lineage, stretching back to the 1500s, rooted in my family’s footsteps on American soil—some even tracing to the enigmatic history of the Roanoke Colony. Our story, resilient and enduring, is woven into this land itself.
Nearly every man in my genealogy donned a uniform, stepping into the long shadow of war both at home and abroad. This history of America, often measured by the battles fought, is truly honored in those who bore the burden of battle. The earliest centuries soaked the earth in the blood of our soldiers, countless lives lost on battlefields and at sea, early sacrifices searing the nation’s soul.
From those turbulent beginnings to the vast mobilizations of the twentieth century—four million Americans sent to the trenches of World War I, followed by more than sixteen million answering the call in World War II to stand against tyranny in Europe—the call to service echoed across generations.
The fight did not end there. As fears of communism’s rise gripped Asia, nearly seven million served in Korea, later joined by almost three million in Vietnam. Today, American boots remain planted around the world, advisors and sentinels aiding distant democracies against extremism and terror.
This day—Veterans Day—is a pause to recognize the men and women who stepped forward, choosing service across all branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard. Some devoted their entire lives to this cause; others still wear the uniform, their stories unfinished.
Among those I know intimately are my ancestors, Scottish immigrants who opposed Loyalists in the Revolutionary War’s Upcountry and fought to protect their way of life. My grandmother’s grandfather, a Confederate soldier, returned after four years of conflict, so long presumed dead that his own family scarcely recognized him.
Great-uncles braved the Great War. A brother of my father endured capture three times in the European theater of World War II—and escaped each time. My father, who served over a decade in the Army, narrowly missed deployment to Korea and Vietnam due to injury.
I, myself, just missed Vietnam—but many friends did not. And as wars in the Middle East raged on—almost unending for a quarter-century—friends’ sons ventured into harm’s way. Some returned; some did not.
Today, to all who served abroad and to those whose steadfast service stateside kept the wheels of war turning, I offer profound gratitude. Those of us who never wore the uniform salute you—guardians of the freedoms we hold dear.
Happy Veterans Day, to those who answered the call. May this day invite reflection on the magnitude of your sacrifice and the enduring importance of your service.
