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A flag raising will be held at 8 a.m. Wednesday at Friendly Center in observance of Veteran’s Day.

There are many ways to honor your veteran, but sharing this flag-raising ceremony with them would be a real deal.

Admission is free. The veterans have prepaid.

And it is convenient. I’ve traveled from Pearl Harbor to Bastogne to appreciate how veterans have patriotically defended our country. That’s fun but unnecessary. Veterans live just down our streets, waiting to be appreciated.

Although fewer and fewer Americans remember WWII or the conflicts of Korea and Vietnam, a cadre of accessible and wonderful military museums are available to bring them up to speed, as will Ned Harrison’s veterans columns in the News & Record.

At almost every flag-raising, new heroes have surfaced with special stories begging to be shared.

From each story springs friendships to last a lifetime.

The World War II Army Tanker Battalion — best known as Patton’s Spearheaders — comes to mind. This unit landed at Normandy and fought through Germany.

Newling Richey and Leo Showfety were among several Greensboro men who served with this battalion from start to finish. Thanks to their leadership, annual reunions of Patton’s Spearheaders are held in Greensboro.

There were stories on two of my favorite sailors, Bob Wright and Ernest Ferris. Wright’s top-secret faux “oiler,” the USS Bighorn, was actually a heavily armed U-boat killer in disguise. After WWII, Wright served as commanding officer of the Greensboro Naval Reserve Unit.

Ferris’ cruiser, the USS Columbia, survived kamikaze attacks for two days during the battle to retake the Philippines. Thirty-seven crewmen were killed and 141 wounded during repeated attacks. The Columbia sailed back to the United States under its own power for repair and overhaul.

Writing about the Army Air Force exploits of Bill Beavers, Gerald Primm and Frank Carrier harvested more special friends.
As waist gunner on 57 combat missions in the B-17 Flying Fortress, Beavers experienced it all: crash landings, getting wounded, being shot down, bailing out and being taken prisoner of war.

Primm completed more than 60 fighter-pilot combat missions in his P-38 Lightning and had his share of crash landings as well. He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for his combat aviation prowess.

Carrier was a decorated B-26 Marauder bombardier. Always the thinker, his bombing paradigm was three-pronged: Minimize time over the target, hit the target and get home safely.

Ken Roberts’ story demonstrated the brave and courageous contribution made by Merchant Marines to our success in WWII. It also demonstrated the unintended and unfortunate lack of veterans’ recognition accorded these heroes.

Lloyd Wilkerson had an amazing story of his Marine Corps service in WWII, Korea and Vietnam, from private to major general.
Marine Corps parochialism may have kept me from writing more about members of the Greensboro Marine Corps League Detachment. It is too late to claim modesty.

Flag-raisings on patriotic holidays are enjoyable and exciting. We should have more. In fact, I’m for more patriotism, the kind that doesn’t waiver.

An oft-disparaged military mantra comes to mind: “Hurry up and wait.” During these waits, stories of heroes are often spun, occasionally embellished and sometimes born.

Many Marine Corps League stories are of WWII vintage because 26 WWII veterans are active leaguers. One landed in the first wave on Guadalcanal. Others fought on Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Leyte, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

A good number of Korean War and Vietnam War Marines are active in our detachment. From generals to privates, fighter pilots to jeep drivers, they have incredible stories.

Finally, we have our War on Terror Marines — from Iraq and Afghanistan. Military strategy, technology and warfare have changed over the years, but warrior stories have not. And will not.

They will remain flag-raising fodder as long as there are veterans.
“As long as there is a USA, there will be veterans. It can also be said, as long as there are veterans, there will be a USA.” So said Retired Marine Gen. John H. Admire, Oak Ridge Academy headmaster, at the dedication of the WWII Memorial at Country Park in 2001.

Join us at Friendly Center this Veteran’s Day. Not only do veterans enjoy sharing their stories, they enjoy listening to yours as well.

Contact Harry Thetford at htthetford@aol.com