VETERANS DAY SPEECH AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
I was asked to give the featured speech at an elementary school for their Veterans Day program.  I've been busy preparing.  Here is what I plan to say:

I’m honored and privileged to be here as the guest of such a fine group of young people.

This Day was set aside a long time ago to remember and honor all the men and women that served our nation from the Revolution over 200 years ago to this very day.

We honor all who served, but most of all we honor those men and women that gave their lives to save our liberty and preserve our freedom.  They are the heroes.

Many men and women served our nation in time of  war.  My generation served during WW II.

I served in the Army Airborne.  We were paratroopers.  Yes, we jumped out of perfectly good airplanes.  Many young people ask if I was scared on my first jump.  I tell them, “Yes, I was a little scared.”  I had never been in an airplane much less jump out at over a thousand feet.  I jumped or someone pushed me out.  I don’t know which.

My parachute opened.  As I floated down I looked all around.  I had never been so high or see so far.  All of a sudden I saw the ground coming up . . . fast.  I hit with a thud.  I learned it’s not the jump that hurts.  It’s that sudden stop when you hit the ground.

The 11th Airborne Division was deployed to the South Pacific and the Philippines.  The islands and jungles were not well suited for Airborne operations. The first two attempts almost ended in disaster.  So, they were used as replacements for ground infantry.  I was assigned to the 11th Airborne in preparation for the invasion of Japan proper.  People ask how many combat jumps I made.  I tell them, “One . . . out of the back of a truck.”

The war ended abruptly when the atom bomb was dropped on two Japanese cities.  I was among the early troops to land in Japan.  I served there the next two years on Occupation Duty.  These photos were taken while I in Japan.

Enough about me.  I want to talk directly to each and every one of you.  I learned over the many years that you young people have a certain wisdom few grownups recognize or understand.  To explain I like to tell stories about my own son when he was a young person like all of you. 

One day when he was 4 years old I was preparing to fertilize the yard. He was running around barefoot.  I filled the spreader on the driveway and spilled a little.  As usual my son asked, “What ‘cha doing, daddy?“  I told him I was fertilizing the yard.  As usual he asked, “Why?”  I told him to make the grass grow and went on about spreading the fertilizer. 

In a few minutes I looked over at the driveway.  I saw my son standing bare foot in the fertilizer I spilled.  He was bent over looking down at his feet.  I shouted at him, “Son, why are you standing in that fertilizer?” He replied, “To make my feet grow.”  His feet did grow larger, but not because of the fertilizer.  He got older and his feet got bigger.

Another time was a Saturday.  He was 10 years old. He and I were cutting and stacking firewood.  He never understood why because we already had a big stack of firewood.  I thought it was good for him and me to do a few chores together.

Some friends came by with a football.  They wanted him to go play with them.  I said no because we had wood to cut and stack.  He grumbled and a few tears filled his eyes. I told him when I was his age I had to cut and stack firewood almost every day. We had wood burning stoves for heating and cooking.  I said it was good for me then and it is good for him now. He began to saw with a vengeance.  

He suddenly stopped, looked up and said,”Daddy I know why you like to cut firewood so much.”

“Yeah, why?”

  “Because it makes you feel like a little boy again.”  I thought  about that for about 3 seconds.  I said, “Go play football.  I’ll finish up.”

So, all of you have a certain wisdom.  What matters is how you use that wisdom.  My generation is history and will soon fade away.  You, each and everyone of you, are the future of our nation.  You will serve and decide what our nation will be in the future.

Today is now.  Tomorrow today will be history.  It is what you do today that will determine what tomorrow will be.  It's your decision.  You can decide to make today a day to learn so tomorrow will be better.  Or, you can decide you don’t want to learn today, and your tomorrow will be no better than today.

There are many people that will help you today so your tomorrow will better.  Your Mom and Dad, your grandma and grandpa, your teachers, your coaches, all  will all give you their best so your today will make your tomorrow better.

So, do your best.  Our nation depends on you.  Some day you will get to serve your nation.  Serve it well.

It’s been a rare privilege to be here with all of you this day to remember and honor all those who have served our nation well.

Thanks.  Goodbye.  HAVE A GREAT TODAY and a BETTER TOMORROW!