Letter to the Editor

Remembering our soldiers -- past and present

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Dear editor:

At our Veteran's Day assembly this fall at Bronaugh High School we asked all Veterans to come forward to be honored and thanked for their service to our country. About 30 veterans came, more than half of which were World War II veterans. I was impressed that so many veterans from a war that ended 60 years ago came to show support at our assembly for all service men.

I noticed that when we asked these soldiers to introduce themselves they were humble and soft spoken yet proud. I thought of the horrors of war that some of these men saw in the battles they fought in, where hundreds, even thousands of soldiers in World Wary II were killed in a single battle. In World War II there were 407,316 American Soldiers killed and 670,846 wounded. In Korea there were 33,651 killed and 103,248 wounded.

In Vietnam there were 58,209 killed, and 153,303 wounded. As today's soldiers continue to serve America and as many continue to pay the ultimate sacrifice so that we may enjoy our freedoms it is good and important that they be honored and recognized for all they do for us.

We had a chance to visit with the veterans after the assembly and thank them for their service. I noticed they never talked about the horrors of war but mostly of just the countries they were in and the weather. I thought it must take a very strong person to carry those memories of battles and get on with a normal life. If it were not for the brave men and women in America, past and present, who have the courage to serve their country and fight for people who can't help themselves, then even our country could be taken over by the tyrants and terrorist we see on the news today.

I have developed a special respect for veterans over the years I believe from being involved in honoring veterans with some of my family. My great uncle, Don Thompson, served in the Navy in World War II, my father served in the U. S. Army in Vietnam, my uncle, Brent Thompson has served in the Army National Guard for 30 some years, my grandpa Hayes and stepgrandpa Lyons served in World War II, and my two stepbrothers, John Laffoon served in Korea and was in the Army for six years, and Richard Laffoon is currently serving in the Navy assigned to a battleship which has made several trips to the Middle East countries checking ships of terrorist countries for bombs, missiles, etc. to be used against America.

The main speaker for our assembly was Rep. Barney Fisher. I really liked and will always remember a quote he gave us: "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." I thought how that statement also applies to happenings in our everyday life.

Our soldiers, more than anyone else, have earned our gift of freedom and I appreciate more each year what they endured and sacrificed for us. I would like to say thank you to them for coming to our Veterans Day Assembly to Honor our service men and women, and say thank you to all our soldiers for their bravery and for the sacrifices they made to protect the freedoms we enjoy.

I was later able to interview one of the World War II soldiers who came to the assembly and would like to share some of his story with you.

-- Jaleana Thompson

Thompson's essay about World War II veteran Jim Woody appears on Page 1.