Veteran’s Day facts and stories
Veteran’s Day facts and stories
-
Veterans Day was originally known as Armistice Day and commemorated the armistice that ended World War I on November 11, 1918. The war to end all wars.Upon America’s entering World War I several state National Guard Units were called up for service in France with the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). These state units were combined into one division, the 42nd Division, also known as the Rainbow Division.
As a result, the “Fighting 69th” of the New York National Guard was renamed the 165th Regiment. The proud history of the 69th went back to before the Civil War and it was composed of mostly Irish soldiers. Notable persons in that regiment were Father Francis Patrick Duffy, Senior Chaplain of the 42nd Division; Major Wild Bill Donovan, Medal of Honor recipient; and Catholic poet Sgt. Joyce Kilmer.
On February 27, 1918, the 165th Regiment of the 42nd Division arrived for duty in the trenches in the Rouge Bouquet Chausailles sector, France. On March 7, 1918, at 3:20 PM at Rouge Bouquet, the enemy began an artillery barrage of the American trenches. One of the shells landed directly on the roof of a dugout in which 1st Lieutenant John Norman and 21 men of E Company were assembled.
The men were buried under mud, dirt and beams. Two men were rescued and five bodies recovered (thanks to the efforts of Major Donovan). The voices of other survivors including Lieutenant Norman could be heard from the dugout. After hours of intense rescue efforts, under heavy enemy artillery fire, the bodies of fifteen soldiers, including Lieutenant Norman’s still remained in the dugout. Rescue efforts had to be abandoned due to mudslides and enemy shelling.
Father Francis Patrick Duffy conducted Last Rights and the regiment placed a tablet at the dugout listing the names of those who died. Joyce Kilmer, the poet of the Fighting 69th wrote the poem “Rouge Bouquet” to memorialize the men who died that day. The poem was read aloud by Father Duffy for the first time at a special ceremony held on St. Patrick’s Day.
At the Second Battle of the Marne, during one mission at Muercy Farm, beside the Oureq River, in France, Sgt. Joyce Kilmer was killed in action by a sniper on July 30, 1918, at the age of 31. For his valor, Kilmer was posthumously awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French Republic. Kilmer was buried in the Oise-Aisne Cemetery, Fere-en-Tardenois, France.
The following is Joyce Kilmer’s poem for the men who died at Rouge Bouquet:In honor of Veterans Day, November 11, the following is a story and a poem.
-
Rouge Bouquet
by Joyce KilmerIn a wood they call Rouge Bouquet
There is a new-made grave today,
Built by never a spade nor pick
Yet covered with earth 10 meters thick.
There lie many fighting men,
Dead in their youthful prime,
Never to laugh nor love again
Nor taste the Summertime.
For Death came flying through the air
And stopped his flight at the dugout stair,
Touched his prey and left them there,
Clay to clay.
He hid their bodies stealthily
In the soil of the land they fought to free
And fled away.
Now over the grave abrupt and clear
Three volleys ring;
And perhaps their brave young spirits hear
The bugles sing:
“Go to sleep!
Go to sleep!Slumber well where the shell screamed and fell.
Let your rifles rest on the muddy floor,
You will not need them any more.
Danger’s past;
Now at last,
Go to sleep!”There is on earth no worthier grave
To hold the bodies of the brave
Than this place of pain and pride
Where they nobly fought and nobly died.
Never fear but in the skies
Saints and angels stand
Smiling with their holy eyes
On this new-come band.
St. Michael’s sword darts through the air
and touches the aureole on his hair
As he sees them stand saluting there,
His stalwart sons:
And Patrick, Brigid, Columkill
Rejoice that in veins of warriors still
The Gael’s blood runs.
And up to Heaven’s doorway floats,
From the wood called Rouge Bouquet,
A delicate cloud of bugle notes
That softly say:
“Farewell!
Farewell!Comrades true, born anew, peace to you!
Your souls shall be where the heroes are
And your memory shine like the morning-star.
Brave and dear,
Shield us here.
Farewell!”
***
After WWII, the name was changed to Veteran’s Day, but kept the November 11th date.
The Ultimate Sacrifice (from the Plain Dealer 11/11/06, from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs)
War: Total Service Members / Casualties:
- American Revolution (1775 - 1815) 217,000 served 4,435 casualties
- War of 1812 (1812 - 1815) 286,730 2,260
- Civil War (1861 - 1865) 3.2 million 214,938
- WWI (1917 - 1818) 4.7 million 53,402
- WWII (1941 - 1945) 16 million 291,557
- Korean War (1950 - 1953) 5.7 million 33,741
- Vietnam War (1964 - 1975) 3.4 million 47,424
- Desert Sheild/Storm (1990 - 1991) 694,550 147
- War on Terrorism (2001 - Present) 227,400* 3,185 (as of 11/11)
*(deployed to Iraq & Afghanistan)