Today, at 11 AM, we marked the 100th anniversary of the end of hostilities in the Great War, which today we refer to as WW1.
The armistice was signed at the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month of the 18th year of the century, which was today for us in the present era.
I have a couple of connections to that war. My grandmother, who herself lived to be exactly 100 to the day, had two older brothers who served in the American Expeditionary forces in Europe. One was wounded and sent home, but before making it home to Montana he developed an infection while at an Army hospital in North Dakota and died. The other survived the war and returned.
Then many years ago I befriended the widow of a man who had served in WW1 as well. She even passed on to me his Army basic field manual, bearing the inscription Sgt R.A. Turner, US Expeditionary Forces, 1917. Reading through it is interesting, things have certainly changed.
More recently my father retired a Master Chief from the Navy Reserves after 38 years, including combat in Korea. 1950-1988. And my wife also served a hitch in the Army right after high school.
Hats off to all of our veterans!!!!!!!