SIDNEY — The nation is pausing today to honor its heroes on Veterans Day.
“In spite of the issues our nation is presently facing and the uncertainty o where we are headed, one thing is for certain though. Our nation would not be the nation we are without our veterans, said Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jim Frye, who is a U.S. Marine veteran. Frye was standing in for Sheriff John Lenhart, who was attending a sheriffs meeting in Columbus.
“As we celebrate Veterans Day, Nov. 11, let’s all reflect and pay our debt of gratitude to al veterans, those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice, and all who have served this great nation,” he continued.
Veterans Day was originally known as Armistice Day. It was first observed on Nov. 11, 1919, when President Wilson delivered a message to all veterans.
A Congressional Act on May 13, 1935, declared Nov. 11 as a legal holiday. — a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and thereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day
“The father of Veterans Day was a World War II Navy veteran, Raymond Weeks, of Alabama, who had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans not not just those that served in World War I,” said Frye.
The first celebration was in 1947, he said. Congress and President Dwight Eisenhower signed a bill into law on May 26, 1954, establishing the holiday through Congress and replacing the word Armistice with veterans and it has been known as Veterans Day since.
“From the very first day, the American Revolutionary War from April 19, 17756, to Sept. 3, 1783, to our last war, Global War on Terror, from 1775, a total of 41,892,182 have served defending our nation,” said Frye,
A total of 651,031 service members have died during battle. There are 16,962,000 living war veterans and 23,234,000 living veterans.
“Of these 23 million living veterans, the annual number of suicide deaths has exceeded 6,000 per year since 2008,” said Frye. “I would like to thank Chris North and the Shelby County Veterans Service for all they do for our vets. Without them, our veterans would not get the services they need.
“Here at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, we have 13 veterans representing all five branches of the military,” he said. “So as we celebrate Veterans Day 2202, thank a vet because without our veterans these would be no Declaration of Independence or the United States Constitution.”
