Veterans group denied entry into the Armed Forces Day parade
May 17th, 2008 by Steve OToday is Armed Forces day, but these guys will not be honored.
The first Armed Forces Day was held on May 20, 1950 in a proclamation by President Harry Truman to nationally salute those men and women in all branches of service who protect our country and our lives. Below are some of the more notable quotes from this day.
“Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 20, 1950, marks the first combined demonstration by America’s defense team of its progress, under the National Security Act, towards the goal of readiness for any eventuality. It is the first parade of preparedness by the unified forces of our land, sea, and air defense.”
Former Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson
“The heritage of freedom must be guarded as carefully in peace as it was in war. Faith, not suspicion, must be the key to our relationships. Sacrifice, not selfishness, must be the eternal price of liberty. Vigilance, not appeasement, is the byword of living freedoms. Our Armed Forces in 1950–protecting the peace, building for security with freedom–are “Teamed for Defense …”
General Omar N. Bradley
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
“Real security lies in the prevention of war–and today that hope can come only through adequate preparedness.”
General Omar N. Bradley, 1951
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
“Armed Forces Day this year should serve to emphasize the practical application of unification in action, and to remind us of the continued need for unity in our Armed Forces and among all of our citizens in the interests of security and peace.”
Robert D. Lovett, Former Secretary of Defense
“It is fitting and proper that we devote one day each year to paying special tribute to those whose constancy and courage constitute one of the bulwarks guarding the freedom of this nation and the peace of the free world.”
President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953
“Today let us, as Americans, honor the American fighting man. For it is he–the soldier, the sailor, the Airman, the Marine–who has fought to preserve freedom. It is his valor that has given renewed hope to the free world that by working together in discipline and faith our ideals of freedom will always prevail.”
Admiral Forrest P. Sherman
“Our Armed Forces and our national defense system represent a judicious investment of the nation’s resources in the cause of peace. The return on this investment, in terms of national strength, shows the determination of the American people to preserve our way of life and to give hope to all who seek peace with freedom and justice. “
The Honorable Neil McElroy, 1959
Former Secretary of Defense
“Close understanding between members of our Armed Forces and members of civilian communities is most important to preserve the high level of national readiness necessary for safeguarding the free world.”
General Nathan F. Twining, 1959
Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
“We cannot, in this day of exploding world competition on all fronts, be content to maintain the status quo. We must also realize that the preservation of our freedom in the years ahead may require greater sacrifices from us than those made by Americans who have walked before us.”
General Nathan F. Twining, 1960
Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
“Today we are strong enough to meet today’s challenge. But the very fact that we are strong may put off the challenge to another day. The Soviets think that time is on their side. We believe otherwise. But meanwhile we cannot afford to lower our guard.”
The Honorable Robert S. McNamara, 1961
Former Secretary of Defense
“…Word to the Nation: Guard zealously your right to serve in the Armed Forces, for without them, there will be no other rights to guard.”
President John F. Kennedy, 1962
“Only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.”
President John F. Kennedy, 1962
“The support of an informed American people is increasingly important to the Armed Forces in these days of rapid technological advance, quick reaction time, and grave threat to our freedom. I, therefore, encourage members of the DoD to observe Armed Forces Day by informing the American people of our ‘Power for Peace’ and by confirming their faith that in our strength we will remain free.”
The Honorable Robert S. McNamara, 1962
Former Secretary of Defense
“… Our Servicemen and women are serving throughout the world as guardians of peace–many of them away from their homes, their friends and their families. They are visible evidence of our determination to meet any threat to the peace with measured strength and high resolve. They are also evidence of a harsh but inescapable truth–that the survival of freedom requires great cost and commitment, and great personal sacrifice.”
President John F. Kennedy, 1963
“…Their contribution to our freedom and safety is measureless. Our national security depends on the maintenance of alert military forces as a deterrent to any possible aggressor.”
President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1964
“Armed Forces Day, above all, honors the dedicated individuals who wear the uniforms of their country. Each serviceman, wherever he may be, whatever his task, contributes directly and importantly to the defense of the nation. The task of each one is the task of all the Armed Forces: to protect the freedoms which underlie the greatness of America.”
General Earle G. Wheeler, 1967
Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
“Our servicemen and women shoulder the burden of defense as one of the responsibilities of citizenship in this free country. Having participated in protecting our rights and having met oppression on the battlegrounds of the world, they are able to appreciate and savor the blessings of citizenship in the country they serve.”
The Honorable Melvin Laird, 1970
Former Secretary of Defense
“At home and abroad, military men and women are showing purpose and dedication in defending American ideas. They are performing in our country’s best traditions under circumstances both difficult and complex. Thanks to their determined spirit of patriotism and professionalism, our country has a powerful and unified defense team, employing its forces in the constant quest for peace and freedom.”
The Honorable Melvin Laird, 1972
Former Secretary of Defens
Seems odd to me in this day and age that anyone would exclude a veterans group from a parade, regardless of their political standing.
Someone should remind Dubya what today is because he somehow forgot to mention anything about it in his radio address today. He must be out playing golf or something.
