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white anklets, gloves, and flag belt. As I grew watch live fire demonstrations. We got to play at
older, I participated as a Cub Scout and then as being a soldier (or in my case, a marine.)
a Boy Scout. Somebody must put out the small The third holiday that causes so much

flags on the graves of the honored dead—might as puzzlement and thoughts of being a duplication
well be the Scouts! This year I will assist in placing is called Veteran’s Day and is celebrated on
flags at the Pioneer Cemetery in Hillsboro where November 11 in the United States.
both boys in blue and grey are united in death. Once again, the world which included

Now I get to add to our confusion. But wait, the U.S. forces had just the year before “on
there is more! The third Saturday in May is the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the
celebrated as Armed Forces Day. Here is yet eleventh month” signed an agreement to cease
another day to honor servicemen created by the Great War. Thousands of U.S. troops and

President Truman in 1949. He too was a Great sailors had been sent “over there” to support
War Veteran and officer. In the past, there had the effort of the allies from the tyranny of an
been separate days for Navy, Army, and the empire bent upon dominating all of Europe
Air Corps, and this became a united day for all and extinguishing freedom in the territory

Department of Defense active-duty personnel. they conquered. (Sounds too familiar this year
When I was in North Carolina in 1959, this as another conflict is raging as I write.) On the
was a day I remember fondly as we “kids” got to first anniversary of this, “Armistice Day” which
play on tanks, WW-II amphibious DUKW, and was created to honor those who had served, and

VOICES! | MAY 2022 31