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Gainesville really knows how to celebrate Veteran’s Day. On Monday, complete with an Honor Guard, Old Glory and many distinguished and decorated defenders of our freedom, we will pause to remember and respect those who have served our country through the military.
A huge fireworks display will cap the evening dedicated to those who served in our Armed Forces to preserve and protect our freedom.
Did you ever wonder why Veteran’s Day is typically celebrated at 11 a.m. on 11/11? World War I, known at the time as “The Great War,” officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in Versailles, France.
However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”
Veteran’s Day is special to me and is filled with bittersweet emotions. Looking back, I’ll always remember my dad talking about landing on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
I can only imagine what that must have been like. It’s an adrenaline rush just to think about jumping from the boat and running across that beach under enemy fire with a full pack and rifle.
Dad never talked much about his war years while I was growing up. That was always a topic he kept to himself. Toward the end of his life that notion seemed to change. He wanted the grandkids to hear some of his stories and me too, I guess, since that was the first time I’d heard them.
After dad passed away, I found photos he had stashed away from his war years. That part of his life became much more real to me seeing him in uniform, seeing the look in his eyes, knowing the ultimate price so many of his friends paid to preserve our freedom.
Many family members have served our country. We have a rich family history in service. The McKinneys on my mom’s side served, with her dad in WWI and her brothers in WWII.
The Texas McMinns on my wife’s side of the family defended our freedom for generations. They’ve all left a rich family legacy of service.
It’s different and even more personal for me now. Just a few short years ago, our youngest son Kevin joined the Army. We watched him grow through the boot camp experience and into medical assistance training.
He graduated at Fort Sam Houston and headed overseas to be stationed in South Korea. He loves the Army and has excelled in the experience. His wife and family have joined him to make their home in South Korea during his tour there.
I worry about my son, daughter and three beautiful grandchildren living so far away from home. The face in every military picture I see in the news or online becomes the face of my son. I see the face I watched grow from a child to a man with a family of his own.
I know many of you share these feelings and emotions. You have family members or friends serving our country or who have served in the past. I hope you’ll join with me in support of our troops both at home and overseas. Let’s pause for a moment and thank them for their service to our nation.
This Veteran’s Day I hope you’ll join me with your thoughts and prayers for those serving in our Armed Forces. Pray to keep them safe and in thankfulness for their sacrifice and dedication to preserving our freedom.
Let’s thank them for their service to our country and for holding steadfast to the cause that has meant so much to so many for generations.
Editorials
Publisher's Pen 11-11
Pray for those who protect our freedom
- Editorials
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Publisher's Pen 1-5
We are all guilty of it. We want to make a new year’s resolution and make it stick.
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Publisher's Pen 11-11
Gainesville really knows how to celebrate Veteran’s Day. On Monday, complete with an Honor Guard, Old Glory and many distinguished and decorated defenders of our freedom, we will pause to remember and respect those who have served our country through the military.
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Publisher's Pen 10-14
We are now into the final weeks of the 2013 Cooke County United Way campaign and this year’s goal of $398,000 is in sight. CCUW has been around for 57 years and has always met its annual funding goal, according to executive director Angie Hare.
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Publisher's Pen 10-7
When I was growing up my dad taught me that to be successful you must keep a “PMA.” Just in case you don’t know, that stands for “positive mental attitude.” I still have it and I still believe in it.
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Publisher's Pen
Last Friday didn’t start out as an ordinary day. All the regular to-do items that I normally get were there, waiting. Meetings, appointments and all the task oriented stuff was ready for me in my overstuffed Outlook calendar file.
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Publisher's Pen 7-22
I’m here to say that Gainesville is no longer the best kept secret in Texas. Although Gainesville is widely known in some circles, our fair city has never really maximized it’s image for the tourist trade. Some folks like it that way.
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An Apology
Wednesday’s front page story on the death of a five-year-old boy contained more detail than necessary from the sheriff’s office report about the unusual truck accident that caused the tragedy.
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Publisher's Pen 7-8
Last month Gainesville was decked out in deep purple. Not the classic rock band, mind you, but purple banners, ribbons and bows. There was purple everywhere.
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Publisher's Pen 6-24
When I first came here I was fascinated by the positive attitude and community involvement of so many of the people I met.
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Publisher's Pen 6-10
I've had some close encounters of the third kind. For those of you who are familiar with the popular 1977 science fiction movie by Steven Spielberg, a CE3K is defined as an encounter with an animate being of unknown species. In the movie, they're talking about meeting space-aliens. You know, little green men.
- More Editorials Headlines
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Publisher's Pen 1-5
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