We want to honor our veterans, and it is crucial to recognize that there are two holidays through which we are encouraged to do so: Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
The distinction is important to understand so that we can pay proper respect to our service members and women on each holiday. According to the Veterans Administration, Memorial Day was specifically “set aside as 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.”
- Memorial Day originated after the Civil War as a day to decorate the graves of soldiers, with early observances in communities across the nation. The day was originally referred to as Decoration Day. It was focused on remembering those that gave their lives.
- Veterans Day is celebrated in November and was initially referred to as Armistice Day. The treaty that ended the conflict in World War 1 stated that all action will end on “the 11th hour of the 11th day” of the 11th month.
A law was passed in 2000 to firmly separate the two to avoid any confusion. It was specifically stated that the intent was to honor American deaths from all wars.
Recalling Patriotic Heroes on Veterans Day
To honor 2025 Veterans Day, I’d like to relate a story about an American Hero. My favorite story is about Sgt. Alvin York who served in World War I. Sergeant York ‘s heroism was exhibited when he, along with 16 other men, killed between 20 and 25 Germans, captured 132 German soldiers, and neutralized a German machine-gun nest in October 1918.
U.S. Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant Alvin Cullum York (1887 – 1964)
His actions in this single engagement earned him the Medal of Honor. After returning home, he became a celebrated hero and a figure of national importance. The French revered him as well because the event he was honored for was during the Meuse-Argonne offensive.
That particular engagement was a pivotal and devastating battle in World War I. It significantly contributed to the Allied victory and the war’s end. Its significance lies in being the largest and bloodiest operation in U.S. history at that time. It forced a German withdrawal and demonstrated America’s growing military power on the world stage. The offensive was the American Expeditionary Forces’ (AEF) main contribution to the final Allied Hundred Days Offensive.
A 1941 film, starring Gary Cooper, depicted York’s life story, making him even more famous and helping boost patriotism during the early years of World War II. Through the years I must have watched that movie several times. It is fairly accurate about what he did but it had some Hollywood interpretation of his heroic act.
An important part of Alvin York’s life was his devotion to his Christian Faith. He believed without reservation no one has the right to take another person’s life. When he was drafted, he said he would serve in the Army but could not kill anyone.
The Army initially believed he just did not want to serve in the military. They were surprised to discover that York was an expert rifle shooter. This came from his years of hunting game at home in Tennessee. When he went on the rifle range, he amazed his platoon sergeant with his accuracy in shooting. His commanding officer is said to have convinced him that killing was necessary to save lives by ending the war. The movie tells that story quite well. However, I do not know how accurate it is. The officer in charge gave him a Bible and told him to go home and spend a few days thinking about it and read the delightful book. He found a passage in the Bible about defending against tyranny not being evil. The result was he went back to his Army post and said he was ready to fight the enemy. The rest, as they like to say, is history.
Marine Corps Lore
As a Marine I really should be writing about John Basilone of Second World War fame. Basilone was awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Guadalcanal in October 1942, when he held off a large Japanese force with two 30 caliber machine gun sections and was able to hold off a significant Japanese force that was attempting to capture Henderson Field. Without the support of the Marine and Navy Airforce that flew out of Hickman, the Marines would have been eventually slaughtered.
His two machine gun sections were confronted with a force that should have been able to destroy Basilone and his men. When one section was incapacitated, he moved an extra gun into position, repaired another under constant fire, and personally took control of it, holding the line until replacements arrived. He also fought his way through enemy lines to resupply his men with ammunition.
His bravery led to Basilone being the first Marine in World War II receiving the Medal of Honor for his leadership at a critical moment in the Guadalcanal campaign. It did not end there. He became a national hero and was sent across the country to sell U.S. Bonds for Defense. He kept insisting that he wanted to go back on active duty. They offered him a position as a trainer, which he flatly refused until they finally honored his request to serve in combat.
Medal of Honor and Navy Cross recipient John Basilone (1916 – 1945)
When you are O3 (Infantry) in Marine Corps’ combat you are serving in an action with extremely high casualty rates. This was especially true during the two World Wars as well as Korea and Vietnam. In World War II, the Marines were primarily engaged in the Pacific theater of War. They were engaging in what was referred to as an island-hopping engagement. Guadalcanal was the first island that was taken.
Basilone became active as the Marines were preparing to invade the island of Iwo Jima. This is the island that featured the famous flag raising on Mount Suribachi that became a symbol of an American victory. Sadly, Basilone was killed in action after single-handedly destroying an enemy blockhouse and leading a tank safely through a minefield. He is the only enlisted Marine in World War II to receive both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross. There are streets and many military facilities that bear his name. There were two U.S. Navy destroyers that also were named in his honor.
There is a Basilone Parade held each year in Raritan, New Jersey. The 2025 Basilone Parade was held on Sunday, September 21. I am happy to say I marched in that parade many years ago.
The long and the short of it is that Americans have given their lives since the Revolutionary War. That war took 25,000 lives, and every war we have engaged in has taken more lives. One of the bloodiest battles the United States has ever fought was on June 6, 1944, at the landing of Normandy Beach in France. This is where the U.S. experienced the highest death rate, in a single action, in our history to overcome the German occupation of France. The average age of an American soldier killed on D-Day was slightly under 22 years of age. American casualties on Normandy Beach were 6,600 with 2,400 killed. That is an extremely high kill rate.
As we celebrate Veterans Day, let us all be grateful for their service and for the sacrifices that they made. I believe that we, as American citizens, should always be mindful of those who gave so much—especially those who lost their lives—to maintain our freedom.
