Veterans

To the editor, Although I often disagree with Journal Editor Mike Moore's positions, his column last week concerning what society owed veterans rang true to the bone. Even Mr. Chris Campbell's quote that "he earned the right to have an opinion" showed that being a veteran gives one an entirely different perspective on many things and issues as opposed to the general population. Mr. Campbell's quote brought back a long buried memory. Many years ago I read an article where the issue of voting rights was being discussed.

Dear Editor: I saw this weekend that the memorial for World War II veterans was dedicated. What a shame that it took 60 years for these brave men and women to be honored. My father, Paul Hoppe, who died in 2003, was a veteran of this war and didn't get to see this happen. He served in parts of Europe and Italy with a group who repaired bridges and roads that had been destroyed by bombings. He didn't talk about this to us and I don't know how close to the front line he actually was. Regardless of that, I am very proud of him and thankful that he and so many others served in this war so I can have the freedoms that I and everyone else have now. This country is quick to help others but sometimes drag their feet in honoring our veterans whether they are living or deceased.

Dear Editor: There were two letters to the editor on Tuesday that I found most interesting. The first was from Roger D. Bowman. He said President Bush was not his president because he was a "mere product of the Supreme Court. " I am sorry Mr. Bowman, but there is this small thing called the Constitution. The Electoral College has been in place for quite some time now and until you can get the Constitution changed you must live with it. There are laws I do not agree with but I must follow them unless I can legally cause them to change.

Besides being a world-class caster, Wilmore's T.W. "Cajun Bill" Clements also has a respect for veterans of the armed forces. That respect led Clements to start a Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing chapter at the Bluegrass Sportsmen's League. According to a pamphlet, PHWFF provides basic fly fishing, fly casting and fly tying instruction for the wounded personnel ranging from beginners to those with prior fly fishing experience who are adapting their skills to their new abilities.

Danville will commemorate the third anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks by honoring all the local veterans. There will be special effort to honor the family of Marine Cpl. Nicholas Dieruf, a Lexington man who died in combat in Husaybah, Iraq, on April 8. Organizers are calling it "Celebrating American Heroes" Day, and it will include three military flyovers, a parade, speakers and musical entertainment. At 9 a.m. there will be a flag-raising ceremony in Weisiger Park, and then the Danville Pipe Band will play.

Dear Editor, American Legion Post 46 Honor Guard and VFW Post 3634 would like to thank Boyle County Judge-Executive Harold McKinney for being at the National Cemetery in Bellevue to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for this country. Judge McKinney's comments were appreciated by us all. He always finds time to thank our veterans. A 21-gun salute, Taps and laying of a wreath were part of the ceremony. To the other four people who showed up for this important occasion, many thanks.

CRESTON - Wiley and Elizabeth Vannoy would have been proud of what their descendants did Memorial Day weekend to preserve family history and honor veterans. More than 100 Vannoy descendants placed a monument at Cold Springs Cemetery near the Cold Springs Primitive Baptist Church in southern Casey County. The second and third generations of the Vannoy family donated time and money to erect a new flag pole, flag and monument with 39 names of veterans in the family who served in the military.

Jerry Abbott served for two years in Vietnam, and he returned with two Purple Hearts and one Bronze Star - and several bullets left in his back. "You have to get shot up to get 'em," Abbott said with a grin. "I walked into an ambush. " Viet Cong snipers were hidden in the trees. He and others in his unit hit the dirt while the snipers rained fire on them from above. "I got shot five times in the back and hit with a B-40 rocket in the back," Abbott said. That was in 1971, he said.

Dear Editor: November 11 is a day to honor all those Americans who have served our country in the armed forces. It's a day for us, as a nation, to reflect on the values, commitment, and sacrifices of our men and women in uniform. Many of us extend this tribute to remember those who are no longer with us. This is particularly important when the painful loss of our nation's brave military personnel is so keenly felt. Honoring those no longer with us can be an important part of Veteran's Day. However, there is an additional group of people who need to be remembered and cared for on this special day. Veteran's Day should be a time to reach out to the families and friends of those who have given their lives in service to our country.

FRANKFORT - The Kentucky Historical Society recently received a gift of $20,000 from the Kentucky Veterans Program Trust Fund Board to create a new Web site that will profile the military history of the commonwealth. The donation will allow KHS to share Kentucky's rich military history. "We feel strongly that this new Web site will positively affect the well-being of Kentucky's veterans by sharing their compelling stories with the citizenry across the length and breadth of the commonwealth," said Marty Pinkston, member of the Kentucky Veterans Program Trust Fund Board.