This past Wednesday was Veterans Day. Since this is a day when we thank and celebrate our veterans, I called the greatest veteran I know—Granddaddy. Here is the tail end of our conversation, as best I can remember:
me: Well, happy Veterans Day! Thanks for fighting and keeping us free.
him: It was an honor to serve. We just did what we had to do.
I have heard those same words from many interviews and conversations with men and women of that generation. If you ask them, you will, too. I cannot even begin to express the respect and gratitude that I have for them. For that generation sacrificing plans, relationships, comforts, and even life was just “something they had to do”.
There are a couple of items that I think do a good job of highlighting the spirit these men and women had. The first is the Medal of Honor Citations awarded during World War II. Most of these citations read like a dry textualization of a scene from Rambo. The second is the HBO mini-series Band of Brothers. Band of Brothers is not for everyone, but it is a phenomenal portrayal of extraordinary valor and courage from that generation of Americans.
As the holidays loom, just take a minute to pray for those who are currently fighting and to praise God for his grace in raising up a whole generation who fought and sacrificed to preserve our freedom.
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