By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
Aniwodihi (Painttown)
CHEROKEE, N.C. – On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, veterans will be honored at an event on the Qualla Boundary (Cherokee, N.C.). At 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, the Steve Youngdeer American Legion Post 143 will host a Veterans Day celebration at its headquarters off of Acquoni Road. All are welcome.
I’d like to encourage everyone to take an hour, as that usually is how long the event lasts, and just come out and say thanks to veterans.
Sam Lambert, an elder of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and a veteran of the U.S. Navy, salutes during a Veterans Day Celebration on Nov. 11, 2023 at the Steve Youngdeer American Legion Post 143 headquarters in Cherokee, N.C. (SCOTT MCKIE B.P./One Feather photo)
Now, there is sometimes confusion about what Veterans Day is.
The VA (Veterans Administration) clears it up stating, “Many people confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. While those who died are also remembered, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military – in wartime or peacetime. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served – not only those who died – have sacrificed and done their duty.”
Information from the Air Force states the history of Veterans Day as follows. “Nov. 11, 1919, ‘Armistice Day’ marked the first anniversary of the end of World War I. In 1926, Congress passed a resolution calling for an annual observance which then became a national holiday in 1938. An armistice is a formal agreement to end hostilities. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, 1918, fighting in WWI officially stopped after Germany signed an armistice agreement with Allies earlier in the day. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation that changed the federal holiday’s name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day. The name change aimed to pay tribute to all Americans who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.”
President George W. Bush once said, “Throughout the course of American history, courageous men and women have taken up arms to secure, defend, and maintain these core principles upon which our nation’s freedoms depend.”
According to information from the Pew Research Center, in 2023, there were more than 18 million living veterans. They report that 78 percent of those served during wartime. Of those, 43 percent served during the Gulf War era, 30 percent during the Vietnam War era, 4 percent during the Korean Conflict era, and less than 1 percent during World War II.
Let’s look at our state – North Carolina. According to information from the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, a branch of the Veterans Administration, there are currently 703,142 veterans in North Carolina with 538,052 being wartime veterans. The breakdown by war is as follows: Gulf War era – 305,666; Vietnam War era – 216,848; Korean Conflict era – 38,992; and World War II – 10,277.
Lew Harding, former Steve Youngdeer American Legion Post 143 commander, said during a Veterans Day celebration in Cherokee in 2019, “Thank you to all the veterans, each and every one of you here. You are our heroes. We love you and we appreciate you, and we will never, ever forget what you have done for us.”
Let’s all take an hour on Monday, Nov. 11 and join Post 143 and Unit 143 Ladies Auxiliary as they celebrate veterans.
