Veterans Day is an opportunity to publicly commemorate the contributions of living Veterans. More than 24.5 million Veterans of American wars or peacetime service are living.

Jim and I took a drive around the Keweenaw and spotted this patriotic display. I thought it was appropriate for honoring all the men and women who've fought for our freedom and those who gave their lives also. Let's take some time today and give thanks for these brave people. Not only should we give thanks, but personally tell a Veteran ....Thank you

Indeed past as well as future veterans warrant all of our honor, praise and gratitude. It is impossible to assemble mere words of thanks for their travails as defenders of liberty and freedom. I humbly offer my thanks and prayers to those who served, and to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in freedom's name.

Wheatman

To all the vets today with many a prayer and a huge thank you for all their dedication and service to keep us free. I can only imagine how many ugly things that many of us haven't had to experience. Only a few years after my father's death did I learn that my father earned 5 bronze stars for action as an officer on an LST in the Pacific theater. He and so many others must have held inside brutal thoughts. He was proud to say he was Navy (and so was my mom - herself a Navy Wave) but those of us today often only see the glory side. God Bless our American Veterns!

With much gratitude and humility indeed I thank all of our veterans for their sacrifice and service. To those still with us, you are a national treasure. Those who gave all will be forever young and cherished in our hearts. We owe all thanks to you and our God for our precious freedom. The least we can do is always remember.

I want to personally thank my Dad,Ken Thomas.Not is he only a veteran...but he spends countless hours...as chaplain of the Traverse City VFW post..speaking at many funerals...sometimes several a day...comforting the families of those veterans that have gone on to thier greater reward. Thanks Dad...you are (and always have been)an inspiration. Thank you, also, to my many Aittama uncles for thier service to our country. My generation has no idea what they went thru!

MARTIN WENBERG DOLLAR BAY, MI.
TED HOLMES DOLLAR BAY, MI.
BOTH POW'S
BATTLE OF THE BULGE
DEC. 19, 1944

So sad that too many of us have to live decades before we really "get" how great the men and women are who serve our nation.
Deepest gratitude and respect to all who have served and who serve today. Let's all make this a day that we tell someone what it really means to serve. Tell our friends and kids, grandkids, anyone. This country would be nothing without their sacrifices.
Thank you to my dad who lost a lung to schrapnel in WW2 and passed in 1994, and to my husband who served stateside during the Vietnam era, and my brothers and cousins, uncles and the women who served and those who are the glue holding home together while others have to go off to fight.
Thank you.

MARY DREW

YOUR FATHER PETER WOULD BE PROUD OF THE
GREAT JOB YOU ARE DOING. SAY HELLO TO YOUR
MOTHER CECI.

My personal heros and all Copper Country men who served with honor: FATHER: Fred A. Studer, France WWI, HUSBAND E.Gary Curtin. Battleship U.S.S IOWA. Korea; Uncles John Studer France WWI, Arthur Hulkonen, POW "Battle of the Bulge" WWII, Kenneth Wilcox, Capt. USNavy WWII

Thank you to two WWII veterans for what they did during the war and after; my father, Robert F. Moen and my Uncle, Lewis C. Sutton, Jr. After coming home they struck up a friendship. Then Uncle Lew fixed up my dad with his sister, and the rest is history.

These two men will live on in my sons, for my eldest's middle name is my father's middle name (as is mine) and my youngest carries Lewis as his middle name.

I had a very good talk last night with my eldest son (3rd grade) about why he has no school today. In that discussion we touched on my father (who passed in 1975). It was an opportunity to tie the present with the past. Although my son has heard of Saddam and Bin Laden he had never heard of Hitler. My heart broke a little knowing that what I was explaining, although educational, was stealing another piece of his innocence.

Over the past 68 years I think we all have been loosing a little more innocence than is good for us.

Whether with us in body or spirit, Peace to all.

God and a Soldier All people Adore
In time of war, but not before;
And when war is over and all things righted,
God is neglected and an old
Soldier slighted. (Anon)

ELDRED AZ,

Thank you so much. I'll tell my Mom you said Hi!

Thanks and Happy Veteran's day to the Vets!!!

z+z+z+z+z+z+z+Z...= Freedom!! Thanks Z-Man!

I will always thank my grandfather for telling me very seriously "Always thank a Vet if you see them on Veterans day, Always."
In memory of Elmer Hakala, and all who have served.
Thank you, and thank you to all who wait at home and for your own sacrifice.
Semper Fi Grampa.

And a thank-you to my dad and his brothers who served in WW2 from Dollar Bay-- The Seppala boys--Stuart, Robert and Kenneth (I think Uncle Ray was too young to serve).

Very proud daughter and niece.

Our thanks and appreciation to all the Veterans for their loyal service and for our freedom. May God bless you all!

In proud memory of my father, Keith G. Johnson, 8th ID, 28th Infantry, wounded in the Battle of the Bulge and in the battle for Duren.

And may we all remember:

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!

Thank you Veterans!

All who had friends or relatives who served in WWII can honor those brave men & women on the National WWII Memorial website at:

http://www.wwiimemorial.com/default.asp?page=registry.asp&subpage=intro

You may enter information about their branch and type of service - including the folks who worked in the war time plants, etc, and helping out at home.

Alfred Posey- Army WWII
Alfred Deslongchamp -Army WWII
Joseph Halle - Army WWII
Sgt.Robert Hall - retired, Marines Viet Nam years
Pfc.Wm. G. Beaudoin- gave the ultimate sacrifice in Korea Sept 15,1951.

May they and all rest in peace and may God Bless
Jon Hall,Navy, and all other service men and women now serving their country.

Thanks to all Vets and a special thanks to my husband and my bro-in-law Ken Anderson who are WWII vets (Navy) and my 2 brothers John Jr and Norbert Spellich who both served in the Korean War. John,Norb and Ken all grew up in Dollar Bay and my husband lived there for several years. Our little town sent many young people off to War. It always gave me goosebumps when they had the services at the Memorial Plaque
As I young girl I remember when one of the Michelich boys was killed in the War.(Peter)? Several of us kids rode over to the church and watched as they emerged. WE were very somber younsters that day. Have never forgot it

Thank you to my husband Don who served during Viet Nam, Desert Storm and retired as MSGT from a Prime Beef Unit. Good job, Don - Prime Beef -All the Way!! To all the spouses of military personell - remember, you serve too, you who wait home. You are appreciated!! To all folks who live near any military bases - remember, "Jet Noise - The Sound of Freedom!!"
God Bless America!

A P.S. to my message above: A Heartfelt Thank You to all the men & women in our Armed Forces - Go Air Force! Go Navy! Go Army! Go Coast Guard! Semper Fi! So raise up your glasses against evil forces - whiskey for our men; beer for the horses. :)

God Bless all the Veterans. Those who have gone before us and those yet to serve. May you all fly high, so we can fly free. Bless you, Bless you, Bless you.

Thank you for your thoughts. I can say that it wasn't much of a pleasure to serve, but it was an honor. If you'll permit a hello to all my fellow Korean DMZ vet brothers who may be reading this.

to SDC, Ferndale,Mi>
Was your Grandfather John Seppela? He was a great guy and he cut my hair for many years while I was growing up.

Mary Drew,
I remember your parents from when I was growing up in Lake Linden. What happened to your DAD?? Where is your mom now? They were wonderful people. How I miss the UP this time of year. Take care. You all do awesome work at this site-it is like home for all of us displaced yoopers.

Reuben Waara - WWII
Gordon Niska - USMC Retired

Always thought the brick memorials that list that
towns WW11 veterans are a true tribute. Thanks
to all our veterans of all conflicts.
Jerome Beckius-army Pacific
Elizabeth Beckius-flight nurse,Europe
Robert Stienen,the uncle I never met,Ranger,
killed on Omaha beach.
Bless our vets.

Julie said it best............Freedom was never, is not, or never will be FREE. You earn it....and you keep earning it every day.....
Thanks Julie................

DWN, IL
Yes, John Seppala was my grandfather. He use to cut hair in his garage....gave a lot of "Blue Plate Specials" up in good ole Dollar Bay. He was a super Grandfather.

Thank you for remembering.

In memory of my uncle Ferd Wieber, killed in combat, while fighting in europe in WWII.

I SERVED IN WW11 PARATROOPERS WITH ANOTHER BROTHER IN THE AIR FORCE AND ANOTHER IN THE MARIENS WE ALL THOUGHT THAT PEACE WOULD COME BUT IT IS A NEVER ENDING JOB BE PROUD OF THE SERVICE MEN.AND SUPPORT THEN ALWAYS.

Bouquets to all the veterans who have kept us free and especially to those now keeping the war from our homeland. 911 was a declaration of war and we should all be so thankful that we have a president with guts and moral fiber to try and keep our homeland safe. My husband was shot down on his 23rd mission flying B-17's during WWII, was captured and became a German POW. He says it was all worth it - so Bless all those who are protecting us now. Keep the peace! Marcie B