Thanks to the VETS!!!

[CalHunter]

Happy Memorial Day to all of the vets on the board. You know who you are. and a big Semper Fi to all of the Marines on the board.

[Coastie]

Thanks Cal and just to put things into a little perspective, the following cut and paste may open a few eyes.

America's Wars: U.S. Casualties and Veterans
American Revolution (1775"“1783)
Total servicemembers 217,000
Battle deaths 4,435
Nonmortal woundings 6,188
War of 1812 (1812"“1815)
Total servicemembers 286,730
Battle deaths 2,260
Nonmortal woundings 4,505
Indian Wars (approx. 1817"“1898)
Total servicemembers 106,000 (1)
Battle deaths 1,000 (1)
Mexican War (1846"“1848)
Total servicemembers 78,718
Battle deaths 1,733
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 11,550
Nonmortal woundings 4,152
Civil War (1861"“1865)
Total servicemembers (Union) 2,213,363
Battle deaths (Union) 140,414
Other deaths in service (nontheater) (Union) 224,097
Nonmortal woundings (Union) 281,881
Total servicemembers (Conf.) 1,050,000
Battle deaths (Conf.) 74,524
Other deaths in service (nontheater) (Conf.) 59,2972
Nonmortal woundings (Conf.) unknown
Spanish-American War (1898"“1902)
Total servicemembers 306,760
Battle deaths 385
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 2,061
Nonmortal woundings 1,662
World War I (1917"“1918)3
Total servicemembers 4,734,991
Battle deaths 53,402
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 63,114
Nonmortal woundings 204,002
Living veterans fewer than 500
World War II (1940"“1945)3
Total servicemembers 16,112,566
Battle deaths 291,557
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 113,842
Nonmortal woundings 671,846
Living veterans 4,762,000 (1)
Korean War (1950"“1953)
Total servicemembers 5,720,000
Serving in-theater 1,789,000
Battle deaths 33,741
Other deaths in service (theater) 2,827
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 17,730
Nonmortal woundings 103,284
Living veterans 3,734,000 (1)
Vietnam War (1964"“1975)
Total servicemembers 8,744,000
Serving in-theater 3,403,000
Battle deaths 47,410
Other deaths in service (theater) 10,789
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 32,000
Nonmortal woundings 153,303
Living veterans 8,295,000 (1)
Gulf War (1990"“1991)
Total servicemembers 2,183,000
Serving in-theater 665,476
Battle deaths 147
Other deaths in service (theater) 382
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 1,565
Nonmortal woundings 467
Living veterans 1,852,000 (1)
America's Wars Total
Military service during war 42,348,460
Battle deaths 651,008
Other deaths in service (theater) 13,998
Other deaths in service (nontheater) 525,256
Nonmortal woundings 1,431,290
Living war veterans 17,578,5004
Living veterans 25,038,459

1. Veterans Administration estimate as of Sept. 30, 2002.
2. Estimated figure. Does not include 26,000"“31,000 who died in Union prisons.
3. Years of U.S. involvement in war.
4. Approximately 1,065,000 veterans had service in multiple conflicts. They are counted under each conflict, but only once in the total.
Source: Department of Defense and Veterans Administration.

[CalHunter]

Very interesting info coastie. I had no idea of the death ratio between the union and confederates and must confess that I had never thought about that particular aspect. God bless all of our vets.

[James B]

Thanks. I came home from the Vietnaum war. Many of my friends didn't. My thanks to them and their families and to all the other vets who served our country.

[Red Hawk]

Thanks to the vets as well

<S>

[Knightia]

THANKYOU Vets for all you have done!

All gave some& some gave all!

Those of you still out there& still on the job have my prayers

[knifemakerbill]

thanks, calhunter and others. it was my honor to serve during the viet nam war era, and to finally get recognition, instead of having to sneak thru the airport on my return because of protesters, makes it all the better. i pray that we never again treat vets as they were treated during that time. let's all show our support for the men and women who have stepped up to their duty and keep them in our prayers daily.

[apmaurosr]

A sincere thanks to all the vets and their families.

Ant

[CalHunter]

There used to be a time when at least 20 or more members would have posted a thankyou to our vets. Have the golden years already passed at HN?[]

[Aught Six]

I give my sincere thanks to all those people who gave up their lives and dreams to keep our country together against sometimes overwhelming odds from our enemies. It's because of that sacrifice that we today can enjoy our three-day weekend, along with all the rest that life in America has to offer us.

I spent yesterday walking around Old Town Manassas, which was pretty quiet and had few people out and about. I was glad I had a chance to take my time at the city's museum and walking outside with cannon on one side and modern life on the other. The peace I experienced there wasn't always so, as I could see from the tintypes of scenes at Manassas Junction back during the First and Second Battles of Bull Run. It was very humbling and helped to reinforce the notion that peace can disappear seemingly overnight. We'd better appreciate what we have and who got it for us in the first place.