They Did Their Share

On Veteran’s Day we honor
Soldiers who protect our nation.
For their service as our warriors,
They deserve our admiration.

Some of them were drafted;
Some were volunteers;
For some it was just yesterday;
For some it’s been many years;

In the jungle or the desert,
On land or on the sea,
They did whatever was assigned
To produce a victory.

Some came back; some didn’t.
They defended us everywhere.
Some saw combat; some rode a desk;
All of them did their share.

No matter what the duty,
For low pay and little glory,
These soldiers gave up normal lives,
For duties mundane and gory.

Let every veteran be honored;
Don’t let politics get in the way.
Without them, freedom would have died;
What they did, we can’t repay.

We owe so much to them,
Who kept us safe from terror,
So when we see a uniform,
Let’s say “thank you” to every wearer.

By Joanna Fuchs

For the record and something I learned from family experience is that soldiers is not a term that describes all of our military.

United States Marines don’t like to be called soldiers. Unless you wish to cause mild offense, refer to them as Marines (usually capitalized). Members of the U.S. Army and National Guard are soldiers. Members of the Air Force are airmen. Members of the Navy are sailors.

The Veteran on the left served in 3 wars, World War II, Korean War, and Viet Nam. The Veteran on the right served in Viet Nam and is now part of the Patriot Guard Riders.

Our daughter Katie married her husband while he was in the Marine Corps and before his first deployment to Afghanistan.

Every year, on 11 November at 11 am – the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month – we pause to remember those men and women who have died or suffered in all wars, conflicts and peace operations.

This is our Marine with our daughter. This was taken at the Marine Ball.

Thank you to all our Veterans from all branches of service! Thank you for your service to your fellow man! We appreciate your sacrifice.

A year ago today we laid to rest a Veteran and brother in the Lord surrounded by other veterans from the Southern California Patriot Guard Riders.

My brother-in-law Nick served in Vietnam and suffered deeply. He died last October 29th and he was buried at the Riverside National Cemetery on November 10th, the day before Veterans Day.

Our son Josh wrote this tribute after Nick’s funeral that we all attended on Tuesday November 10th. This will be the first of a few posts from our time together celebrating Nick’s life on this earth.

“Celebrated the life of my uncle, Nick Titov yesterday. He was a hero for God, Country, and others by serving each sacrificially with Love. A veteran of the Vietnam War, who was laid to rest among 200,000 flag laden graves of fellow servicemen and woman, including my grandfather, Rex at Riverside National Cemetery in California. Thank you for your service to our country Nick! Thank you for your service to our country Titov family. Thank you Veterans and families! Your service and sacrifice can never be repaid, will never be forgotten, and is appreciated more than you know!”

The Patriot Guard Riders of Southern California attended Nick’s services. The Patriot Guard attends Fallen Soldier military funerals to show honor and respect to our country’s fallen heroes, their families, and their communities, and to shield them from protesters. They attend the funeral as invited guests of the Fallen Soldier’s family.

Nick enlisted in the United States Army and proudly served his country during the Vietnam War. His years of service were from 1967 to 1969. Nicholas’s job in the service was with Army Intelligence. He had obtained the rank of SP5 at the time of his honorable discharge.

Our niece Debbee and nephew David delivered Nick’s eulogy during the service. They shared some memorable times growing up with Nick as their dad. We cried and we laughed at some of the stories they shared. Our niece Michelle sang “No More Night”. Our brother Steve delivered a poignant message about death. One thing I took away from the message is that Jesus is the one who rescues us from our body of death.

No More Night

The timeless theme, Earth and Heaven will pass away
Its not a dream, God will make all things new that day
Gone is the curse from which I stumbled and fell
Evil is banished to eternal hell

No more night, no more pain
No more tears, never crying again
And praises to the great, “I AM”
We will live in the light of the risen Lamb

See all around, now the nations bow down to sing
The only sound is the praises to Christ, our King
Slowly the names from the book are read
I know the King, so there’s no need to dread

No more night, no more pain
No more tears, never crying again
And praises to the great, “I AM”
We will live in the light of the risen Lamb

The Patriot Guard Riders escort!

A United States flag drapes the casket of deceased veterans to honor the memory of their service to America. The flag is placed so that the blue field with stars is at the head and over the left shoulder of the deceased.

Riverside National Cemetery is a cemetery located in Riverside, California, dedicated to the internment of United States military personnel. The services are performed at one of several pavilions located on the cemetery grounds. The actual burial is performed at a later time. Because Nick’s funeral was scheduled on the day before Veteran’s day each grave site was honored with an American flag.

Dear has one brother and some of their family and our family were together at Nick’s funeral so we searched the rise above the ceremony for Nick in search of Dear’s father Rex’s grave at this same cemetery. Rex, Dear’s father, a veteran of the 2nd World War was buried here in 1985 a couple months before our Katie was born.  These are Rex’s sons and their families except for our niece Jenna with her husband Justin and Rex’s great grandchildren Skylar and Travis.

I thank God this week for our Veterans, for our son in law and for God protecting him during his service and two tours of duty in Afghanistan, for God’s comfort and protection of my sister Vera widowed when her Veteran who suffered for our country died last year, for my father in law who served his country and loved his wife and family, for our country-the home of the free and the brave.

Forgive me for giving you more than five for.., Friday’s Fave Five, and Foodie Friday and Everything Else but Veterans Day is worth it.  Thank you Susanne, and Michael Lee.

Photobucket is holding many of my photos from this post hostage. I apologize…