It’s been a year since Gilroy paid tribute to a fallen hero,
22-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Jeramy Ailes, who died fighting in
Fallujah, Iraq. The war continues. There are at least 2,053 others
like Jeramy across this country.
It’s been a year since Gilroy paid tribute to a fallen hero, 22-year-old Marine Lance Cpl. Jeramy Ailes, who died fighting in Fallujah, Iraq. The war continues. There are at least 2,053 others like Jeramy across this country. Today, Veterans Day, is a day to remember and thank everyone who has fought to preserve the freedoms enjoyed by the citizens of our great country.
In Iraq, as of Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2005, at least 2,054 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.
The reports come daily: “A suicide bomber has mingled among the policemen who drop by every day for an early lunch at the Qadouri Restaurant, one of the few remaining restaurants on what used to be a street full.
“American soldiers, armed with M-16 rifles, in full battle dress, rush to stand guard. The toll: more than 40 dead and two dozen wounded.”
The innocent are dying, too, and the end, sadly, seems to be nowhere in sight.
Support for our troops, regardless of personal position on the war, is imperative. The young men and women serving in the armed forces of the United States are performing their duty in hostile, unpredictable and explosive territory.
What can you do?
Write a letter to an American serviceman and deliver it to Karen Humber, 798 Eschenburg Drive, or Susan Hamilton, 1420 Longmeadow Drive. They, with the help of volunteers, will wrap it up with a goodie bag of recently donated items and ship it to someone who will really appreciate the gesture from “back home.”
Just say something simple … that you care about their sacrifice, that they are in your prayers or something about Gilroy’s salute to Jeramy Ailes.
And if you can donate something like socks, candy, toothpaste, or cookies, that would be most welcome, too.
There is also the The Jeramy Ailes Memorial Scholarship. Send a check to Fund, P.O. Box 464, Gilroy 95021. The scholarship will be awarded to a Gilroy High School senior.
While we keep those fighting close to our hearts as the war in Iraq proceeds, those who have fought through this tumultuous century should not be forgotten.
Only a few World War I veterans remain. Veterans Day actually marks the armistice of Nov. 11, 1918, which ended what then was considered the Great War. An estimated 2 million Americans served in Europe after the U.S. entered the war in 1917.
Perhaps only 50 WWI vets remain.
Despite World Wars, cold wars, the threat of nuclear war and unthinkable terrorist attacks, most of us remain secure and comfortable in our lives.
We owe such a great debt of gratitude to our veterans. Their sacrifices have allowed us to pursue happiness and enjoy the life and liberty that the Declaration of Independence speaks to.
Thank you, veterans, one and all.
