Belated Veteran's Day Post

Let me tell you about my neighbor Ed. Ed is a normal guy who lives in the neighborhood and has a nice word whenever I see him. We share a love of non-fiction writing, particularly American history. I believe the last book I lent him was the excellent Michael Beschloss book "The Conquerors".

You probably have an Ed in your neighborhood. But you don't have this Ed in you neighborhood. You see, Ed is a veteran of World War II. He was a grunt in Patton's 3rd Army and beat the Germans back across Europe. Here's some background on that great Army:

Third Army's battle record began on August 1st, 1944 at 1200 hours. That was when the Third Army was officially operational as a combat army.

In nine months and eight days of fighting, the Third Army compiled a great record. Not only did the Third Army astonish the world, but it's deeds, in terms of statistics, challenged the imagination. The Third Army gave a new meaning to fluid warfare. The Third had only one general order from Patton; "Seek out the enemy, trap him, and destroy him."

The Germans never knew what to expect from Patton. His methods of operation were very different from British General Montgomery and the more conventional American generals. Patton's Third Army tore open the German lines of defense and trapped thousands of German soldiers. Most of them were either killed or they surrendered.

The history of the Third Army is a story of constant attack. They drove on in fair weather or foul, across favorable terrain or across mud, ice, and snow.

The soldiers in the Third Army knew the value of teamwork. Aircraft and artillery teamed with infantry and armor to a perfection that amazed not only the enemy but other Allied Armies. The XIX Tactical Air Command's bombing and air cover, coupled with the Artillery's timed, precision barrages, wrecked all enemy hopes to profit by American inexperience.

The Third Army was an army on wheels. Thousands of trucks driven by soldiers who called themselves the Red Ball Express carried tons of supplies to the army to keep it fighting and on the move. The Red Ball Express also set up special convoys that carried nothing but gasoline just to keep Patton's tanks rolling toward Germany.

One of the Third Army's greatest assets was American ingenuity. American soldiers were creating new instruments of war on the spot to overcome new problems encountered day after day.

They fought in heat and fought in snow. They beat the Germans and helped free a continent from oppression.

My friend Ed is in his mid-eighties now, he can't hear very well and is suffering from the maladies that go with age: broken bones, a minor stroke, etc. His mind, however is still very sharp.

The point of this is to make you aware of the others who are like Ed. You may see them as you drive past their house or in the supermarket while shopping. They may wear a hat that signifies their service or they may not.

Sadly, these men, dubbed the "Greatest Generation" are getting smaller and smaller every year. Every November there are less of them to tell their stories.

I tell Ed that he is a hero but he's having none of that. He says "I'm not a hero, I served with heroes." That is how he wants it.

Every year, my kids make Ed a card to wish him a happy Veteran's Day. Ed thanks them and gives them a smile. He doesn't harp on it too much when they're around. I know that he has kept every card they've made for him over the last four years.

Ed served at a time when we didn't worry about "root causes" for enemy actions. We didn't care about anything more than the fact that Hitler and Tojo were ruthless son's of bitches who threatened their neighbors and had to be stopped.

Ed answered the call as so many in his generation did. He performed to the highest level he could and beat back a mighty army.

I wish to thank Ed and all the others out there who are like him.