Veterans Day Tribute

Tomorrow is Veterans Day. It is a day to honor those who served in the military in order to protect our American way of life. It is a day that should certainly be celebrated with respect for these veterans.

A number of years ago I wrote a column describing how I enjoyed several successful turkey hunts on the Veterans Day holiday. Several veterans complimented me about the column.

Sometimes I reflect about the veterans in my family. When I was growing up, I came to realize that besides my father who served in the Navy during the North Africa campaign, during the invasion of Sicily, and in the Pacific War, I had five uncles who served in the military during World War II. One of these, my mother's brother, Blaine Reigh, was lost as his plane flew into combat from the Aleutian Islands. Another, "Red" White, was on the beach in Normandy on D-Day. My uncle Bill Rhodes became a Navy frogman who was described in the "Saturday Evening Post" as the man who was shot at more than any other in the history of warfare without being hit. My uncle Paul Tate served in the Navy during the war, and my uncle Sheldon Tate was a Marine.

Like many other veterans, these men had differing interests regarding hunting and fishing. To my knowledge, Uncle Red and Uncle Sheldon did not engage in the outdoor sports. I never heard them echo what some veterans have told me about seeing enough action with weapons during a war. Uncle Paul and Uncle Bill both participated in hunting and fishing and enjoyed some success. Uncle Bill often hunted deer with Dad and me. He was more interested in seeing me shoot a deer than he was in killing one himself. When Uncle Bill was bass fishing on the big river below Huntingdon, he, like my dad, placed me in positions where I could be successful.

Dad became the most enthusiastic sportsman of my family's veterans. After the war, he pretty much taught himself to hunt deer - and later wild turkeys after rabbit hunting declined. He continued to hunt enthusiastically into his mid-70s. He even killed several turkeys after turning 80.

There were many other veterans who were enthusiastic sportsmen – too many for me to name without carelessly forgetting some. Some belonged to hunting camps where Dad was a member. Others were more likely to hunt alone.

Veterans Day is a day to honor all veterans. I extend my respect and my thanks to them for their service.