Dispatches from Home – Armistice Day Then and Now.

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My Dad, the Marine, often shared a poignant memory with me. When he lived in Chicago in the 1930s, he recounted that on November 11th, if it coincided with a school day, he and his classmates, along with the entire school staff, would stand in the auditorium at 11:00 in solemn silence for two minutes. This act of reverence was in remembrance of the end of World War I, when the brutal conflict ceased on “The Eleventh Hour, of the Eleventh Day, of the Eleventh Month.”

Armistice Day, as it was then known, has since evolved into Veterans Day, a day of immense significance where we honor all veterans and active military personnel of the United States Armed Forces. Let us take this time to thank our country’s veterans and active military for their service, which ensures our freedoms. Lest we forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, dying in pursuit of the freedoms we all hold dear, as we celebrate those who continue to ensure them!

In the dark days of WWII, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “We, too, born to freedom, and believing in freedom, are willing to fight to maintain freedom. We, and all others who believe as deeply as we do, would rather die on our feet than live on our knees.” This bravery, this unwavering commitment to freedom, is what inspires us all.

To those who are willing to fight for freedom, I offer my deepest gratitude. Your willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice is a testament to your courage and dedication. Thank you!

With the utmost respect and gratitude, I sign off as Anthony Wayne Kalberg, a proud son of a Marine and a grateful citizen of a nation defended by brave men and women like you.

Dad with his fellow soldiers at Camp Pendleton. Dad is seated in the first row, second from the right.
Dad in Junior High in 1941. He’s sitting on the floor, 3rd from the left. I’ve often wondered how many of the boys in this snap were rushed off to Boot Camp three or four years later, quickly became men, and managed to survive to tell the tale of their survival in both the European and Pacific theaters.
My Uncle Ed is sitting with two of his fellow soldiers somewhere in the Pacific. The soldier on the right didn’t make it home.