“Kids fight wars.” — Larry Mayes.
In May 2013, I wrote of the experiences of a friend, who served as a door gunner in Vietnam. Larry entered the service in July 1970, having been called up by the Selective Service. He was a young man who fought in an old war. He is one of the many who did so, and the Veterans Day roll call will include him.
The “The Big War” ended when an armistice was signed at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. In 1926, a congressional resolution designated November 11th as “Armistice Day,” to commemorate the end of “The War To End All Wars.” In 1954, after what became known as World War II, the November 11th designation was changed from Armistice Day to something that would honor all those who had served in the armed forces of this country: “Veterans Day.”
Larry Mayes noted that “kids fight wars,” and in my family, the “kids” were the ones enrolled in the Armed Forces of our country. My sister’s oldest daughter spent 25 years in that service, during which time she trained troops to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan. Kelli Daniels’ two sons, Marcus and Antoine Daniels, followed their mother into the army. Carmen Moore, my sister’s youngest daughter, saw her son Travis Moore enter the Marine Corps. Another of my nieces, Tonie Brown, served in the same Army where her mother Darnell Green had been a combat medic. And Alisa Graves, another of my nieces, saw her son Brian Underwood report to the same Army where so many others in our family had served.
These men and women of my family were young when they entered the service. Their uncle, my brother Charl Jerrom Woods, followed the path chosen by our father; I have the flag that the Army gave to my mother at my father’s gravesite. But the youngsters were all enlistees, unlike Larry Mayes. When number 167 was called, Larry answered and served. My family sent our young to prepare for the eventuality of an armed conflict, like what occurred in Iraq and Afghanistan. When the roll of veterans is called, the names of my nieces and nephews will be on it. Like Larry Mayes, they served, and did it willingly and well.
Happy Veterans Day.
cjon3acd@att.net