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Saluting our Veterans

Your Veterans Day Tributes are amazing. Thank you for sharing them.

I’ll feature some on News Channel 7 at 10 on the CW (62/cable9)  tonight. Feel free to post your story here

Email pictures to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and post your comments and stories below.

It’s not to early to think about sending holiday cards to our troops in military hospitals and stationed overseas. The Red Cross has launched its Holiday Heroes campaign.

And take a look at Homeland Securities new website for our Vets.

Candice Wham Abercrombie

My grandpa, who turned 89 this year, served in the Army during WWII. His job was to put up a smoke screen so that the German’s wouldn’t see our troops landing on Normandy. I never knew that there were Allied troops there before the ones that landed on Normandy until about 10 years ago, when he told me the story. He still crys to this day about ... Read Morethe things that he saw and did. Says he remembers having to sit on dead bodies to eat his lunch. Because of the heat, the bodies would swell up and explode while he was eating. He remembers having to eat grub worms while sitting in the trenches. He lost 2 brothers and was shot in the arm himself - came home with a purple heart when the war was over.

Jimmie Davis honors her dad

My Dad is 93 years old and served in the 831st Aviation Engineers in WWII. They were famous for the airfield they built in 3 days at Chipping Ongar. Engineers from all over the world came to see it. They also went in a few days after the battle at Normandy to build an airfield. Daddy fell from the top of an airplane hangar at one point during the war and broke his back. He was back in action soon and his back is twisted because of it today. He woke up frozen to the ground many mornings and had a bed every other night on the ship going over. Every other night he had to find a piece of floor to sleep on because there were so many men on the ship. He is a man of character and integrity and loves his country to this day.

He was chosen to go on the Honor flight to Washington DC last week to see the Word War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, VN Memorial, and Arlington national Cemetary. when I asked him what his favorite thing was, he replied, “The people…they were wonderful!”  I am blessed to have such a wonderful hero as my father!

Learn more about honor flights here

 

Dianne Byars Harvey

My Dad, Etoice Byars a Navy veteran, born Feb. 26, 1924 - July 5, 2002,served as a gunners mate on the USS Indiana battleship during WWII. He talked about when battleship Washington ran into them and swept some of the men out to sea.They were asleep in their bunker. He said when Japan planes were hit and knowing they were crashing, would make a dive toward ships trying to hit them. He didn’t talk much about the war. His mother had to sign for him to join the Navy because he was only 17.

 

Christine Chavis honors her husband Fred.

 

My Husband, Fred Chavis, is a veteran who served in OIF in 2004-2005. we had only been married for 2 days when he got the phone call that he was going to war. 2 weeks later, he left. He has sacrificed so much for us and we want him to know how much we love him and that we will always be there for him no matter what. We are all so very proud of him.

 

John Jeter honors his grandfather

My grandfather, a career Army officer and Citadel graduate, fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He lived in Union, SC, and died several years ago. My father – he and I are both named after my grandfather – spent two tours in Vietnam. He’s a West Point graduate and also a career officer. He lives in Spartanburg.

I went to Vietnam. When it was still illegal to do that. I took the picture above. When my father saw the pictures of the Rex Hotel, where they used to have steaks on the rooftop patio, a few floors above where the generals and the media would hold the “Five O’Clock Follies” pressers, he started talking about his experiences flying helicopters there.

Danielle Webb

I want to thank you for recognizing and honoring those that have served in the military on this upcoming Veterans Day. My name is Danielle Webb.  Although I don’t have any overly exciting war stories to share, I followed a strong military tradition in my family (I have family that has served in every branch of the military) and served in the US Navy from August 2002 until August 2007.  I made two deployments overseas to the Afghanistan and Iraqi waters (in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom) - the first for about 5 months onboard the USS Mt. Whitney (LCC/JCC) 20, the second for about 8 months onboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower CVN - 69.  I was also a support mission off the coast of Somalia.  The 5 years I sent active duty have greatly impacted my life, and even though my decision to enlist in the military was a hasty one, I’m glad that I had the honor and priveledge to support my country when I did.  I now reside in Due West, SC, however I hope to one day resume the culinary background that I acquired as a cook in the Navy to open a bakery.  Thank you again for deciding to recognize and honor Veterans.   

 

Courtney Hughey 

 

I love Veteran’s Day.  To me it’s a day to remember and reflect on my days serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and the memories my fellow soldiers and I share.  It’s also a time to remember the ones we lost.  I lost my mentor in 2004 to a heart attack while in Kuwait serving and I owe a lot of who I am and my military career to him.  Veteran’s Day is also a day for me to thank the men and women that served before me, without them, I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did.  I think the day is so much about comradery and the bond and sacrifices that soldiers share.  I thank God for my service and for my country.

 

Jeff Burgess

I went in the military (U.S. Army) in August of 1996 after the summer of graduating from High School! I went thru Basic Training at Fort Jackson SC. After completing Basic Training I was sent to Ft. Lee VA for my Advanced Individual Training where I graduated at the top of the Class and was promotoded to PV2. I was trained to be a Food Service Specialist or a spoon as we were sometimes called. After Ft. Lee I was stationed at 2/9 Infantry at Camp Casey, South Korea for a year. I was glad to be able to experience a different culture and see a Country I will probably never get to see again but have memories that will last a life time. I was then stationed at Ft. Bragg NC at HHC 507th Corp Support Group from January 1998 until the end of my military contract in August 1999. The military gave me training and lessons I will always remember and made friends that I will cherish for a lifetime and still keep in touch with. I would learn that my Grandfather was a cook in the army as well during the Korean War but he never talked about it and this was told to me after his death and a few months before I started Basic Training.

Sgt Kenneth Jason Wilburn

On memory of Sgt. Kenneth Jason Wilburn who died during underwater exercises in the US Air Force in January of 2009. He and my nephew, Jamie Varner,  joined the Air Force together and were the best of friends all through childhood. Jamie is still active in the Air Force in Warner Robbins. Georgia. This picture was taken at Jason’s celebration of life ceremony. Pictured are his mother Lisa and Jamie Varner along with a picture of Jason by their side. May he rest in peace.

 

Casey Schuff honors My Dad. Carl Schuff.

Andrew Mcgoldrick I was a Marine. Three combat tours in Vietnam. The Corps was a little different in 1968. Semper fi brothers Happy Vets day.

Kandie Horne Cannon we are very proud of our Marine, Adam Horne

Jennifer Mooney My brother is a Marine. He’s been a Marine for almost five yrs now. He actually just deployed this past saturday to Afghanistan for the next 7 months to a yr. I’m so very proud of my little brother. 

Elizabeth Cox My dad was a Marine, so were two of my uncles. Also, my mom’s dad was a Marine. Thanks to all of the Marines who do so much for this country!

Bonita Ramsey Townsend My daddy and my son were Marines. I have a great nephew who is now a deployed Marine. God Bless them all and please keep them safe in Your Hands. I pray this for All our troops.

Deborah Bridges Whitt My dad retired from the Marines after 20yrs. He was in Korean War and the Viet Namn War. We are very proud of him. One of my brothers was in the navy and another brother was in the Marines and the reserves and went to Afghanistan. He is home now and returned to his job as a State Trooper. We as a military family are very proud of our country and all of our service men and woman.We thank them for keeping us safe and pray for all of them to return home safe. God bless them all and their families for their sacrifice for this country!!!!  My mom just reminded me when my dad was in Korea he was one of the Chosin Few.

Aleene Frost My grandson is a marine serving in the Helmand province of Afghanistan. He is to be returning to Camp LeJuene around Thanksgiving, not sure exactly what day. WHAT A THANKSGIVING WE WILL HAVE…..GOD HAS KEPT HIM SAFE AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS RETURN.

Thanks to all of you for sharing your amazing stories.  My heart goes out to the famlies without their veterans this year. Thanks to all our veterans for their sacrifice and service.