Keeping War History Alive

I'm a veteran. I'm a soldier. I'm damn proud to say that.
As a former fighter for this great country, I look back quite often at the history that made us what we are today. I often think of that history surrounding world war II. That was a much different time in our country. Men fought with distinction every day. Going to the war and coming back made you a hero. Didn't matter if coming back was in a box or on a boat.

For years, our country neglected our veterans. Our country especially neglected our WWII veterans. This WAS and still IS the greatest generation to every walk. They fought in a war where our country needed us. They spoke up in a time when people were being oppressed and needed help. All of our military motto's come from them. Many of our modern fighting techniques were developed by them.

So how is it that the Vietnam vets got a dedicated wall to their fight much sooner than WWII ever did? I don't mean to take anything away from our Vietnam vets. They deserve just as much respect. The point isn't to shift to the veterans of Vietnam. It's to point out that WWII was largely forgotten.

In the next 5 years, the entire generation that made up D-Day and Victory in Europe day will be silent. All of them men who served will have perished to old age or premature death. We can't stop this. We also can't roll back time to show these veterans just how much we appreciated them. Unfortunately for WWII vets, we can do nothing but salute them to their death's. Our country has failed them. But we will not forget them.

The difficult part about this is that the heartbeat on the next war, Korea, is already coming. In 5 years, our Korean war veterans will begin washing out of society. Nursing homes will be free as more and more of these great men die.

We have to remember. We must make our history known.