SEDONA, AZ (November 13, 2009) - Each year on Veterans
Day Americans across the country take time to honor and remember the brave men
and women of our armed forces and their families for their service and sacrifice
to maintain our freedoms.
More than 200 people gathered Oct. 11 at the Sedona Historical
Society on Jordan Road to celebrate this important holiday and pay
homage to local veterans living in the community.
Former Historical Society president Ron Maassen conducted the
ceremony, introducing veterans from WWII, the Korean and the Vietnam conflicts and the wars in the Mideast.
“This is the sixth year we celebrate Veterans Day at the Historical
Society and I am happy to see our participation has been increasing
ever since,” Mr. Maassen said. “We are very proud to be here
honoring our veterans and their families.”
The celebration at the Historical Society was founded by local war
hero Buffalo Don Thompson, who with a few men captured the first
German general in WWII to fall into the hands of the allies.
Jim Eaton spoke of Mr. Thompson’s heroism and battles during that
war and about the Library of Congress Veterans History Project, and
effort by congress to record the history and lives of veterans
serving in wars, for posterity.
“Right now we have 19 million vets in our country,” he said. “That’s
19 million stories. Each day 1,700 vets die. The Veterans history
project preserves and honors the stories of Americans during
wartime. This helps us to better understand what they did for us. It
helps us better understand the price of freedom.”
Presently, the Sedona Library, in conjunction with the Library of
Congress, is conducting the Veterans History Project in Sedona.
According to Ed Jones and Jolene Pierson, who are working on the
project, they are seeking veterans to come in and record their
stories for the sake of history and for their families.
“We don’t have to go through Congress,” Mr. Jones said. “We are
conducting interviews at the library.“
A participant singing national anthem. (In background): WWII Veteran Laurence Hines, 94 years old.
He said often veterans don’t talk to their families about their war
experience and that the project provides a way for the vets to share
what happened through a recorded DVD that is shared with the
families of the vets, the Library of Congress and kept at the
library for reference for future historians.
“Think of it as a personal history,” he said. “We have soldiers who
fought in the wars and their families have heard a little bit but
with little details. This is a priceless healing for the families.
Veterans families have been pleased with the DVDs. For their
children, grandchildren and great grandchildren it’s good to have a
visual of their experience.”
According to Ms. Pierson, the Sedona Public Library would like to
interview any U.S. military veterans who served from World War I to
the present Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts.
Also, U.S. civilians who actively supported the war effort as
industry workers, instructors, defense contractors, medical
volunteers, USO personnel and others are all invited to share their
stories.
Interviews conducted by trained volunteers will take up to 90
minutes and be digitally video taped.
The interviews will cover biographical information; early days of
service; wartime experience; return to civilian life and reflections
of service. This project is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Sedona.
People can call Jolene Pierson, project chairperson, at 928-282-7999
or send her an email at
jpierson@commspeed.net.
Joel Harms, vice-commander of the Sedona Marine Corp League warned
terrorism is a constant threat and people need to remember how our
veterans are still fighting to protect our freedoms.
“We need to remember and thank those serving our country now,” he
said. “Terrorism has come to our country. Look what happened at Fort
Hood. These men and women were just doing their duty to protect our
nation. As we move forward into our next generation we need to
remember the reasons our veterans fought for.”
Sedona Mayor Rob Adams was in attendance and spoke of a
Veteran he
works out with who at the age of 44 is ready to re-enlist to join
his children currently fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“When a parent sends their child to war it is the greatest sacrifice
of all,” Mayor Adams said. “I’m going to make sure the City of
Sedona continues honoring the veterans each year at this event in
perpetuity.”
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