►
From YouTube: Bay County Veterans Day Ceremonies - Nov. 11, 2016
Description
Veterans Day Ceremonies at the Bay County Veterans Memorial & USS Edson.
A
B
Let
us
pray
dear
Lord
today
we
honor
our
veterans
worthy
men
and
women
who
gave
their
best
when
they
were
called
upon
to
serve
and
protect
their
country.
We
pray
that
you
will
bless
them
Lord
for
their
unselfish
service
and
the
continual
struggle
to
preserve
our
freedom.
Our
safety
and
our
country's
heritage,
for
all
of
us
bless
them
abundantly
for
the
hardship
they
faced
for
the
sacrifices
they
made
for
their
many
different
contributions
to
Americans
victory
over
tyranny
and
oppression.
B
We
respect
them.
We
thank
them.
We
honor
them.
We
are
proud
of
them
and
we
pray
that
you
will
watch
over
these
special
people
bless
them
with
peace
and
happiness
and
teach
us
O
God
to
serve
you
as
you
deserve,
to
give,
and
not
to
count
the
cost
to
work
and
not
seek
for
rest
to
toil
and
not
ask
for
any
reward
say
that
of
knowing
that
we
do
your.
Will
your
Holy
Name
Amen.
C
Remember
it
was
11th
hour
of
the
eleventh
day
of
the
eleventh
month
that
the
peace
treaty
was
signed.
The
end
of
war,
wohl
Wars,
the
Second
World
War
you'll,
see
the
names
of
all
our
Bay
County
soldiers,
sailors,
Marines
Airmen,
that
served
in
this
war.
We
honor
them
here.
That
is
why
we
are
here
today
to
give
thanks
to
all
our
veterans
and
also
all
our
troops
that
are
in
harm's
way
right
now
and
their
families,
with
this
I.
Give
you
thanks
for
attending.
Thank
you.
Honor.
D
D
E
E
C
D
E
E
F
F
We
remember
those
who
have
given
sacrifice
fighting
in
all
the
different
wars
and
conflicts,
and
today
we
honor
our
veterans
Lord.
We
give
thanks
that
they
truly
did,
as
your
scriptures
say,
love
your
neighbor
as
jesus
replied.
So
we
ask
you
today:
Lord,
let
them
know
attitude
how
much
we
appreciate
their
service,
their
families
sacrifices,
and
we
just
ask
Lord
that
for
those
that
suffer
from
infirmities
that
you'll
be
there
to
comfort
them
and
protect
them
and
help
their
families
along.
We
pray,
amen.
E
F
E
Before
we
get
on
with
the
ceremony,
there's
a
few
things
that
I'd
like
to
bring
your
attention
to
this
far
as
the
Saginaw
Valley
naval
ship
museum
in
the
USS
Edson,
the
first
thing
I'd
want
you
all
to
be
aware
of
the
bench
that
we
have
sitting
out
in
front
to
honor
Nick
genki,
who
was
our
executive
vice
president,
who
passed
bomb
dick,
was
responsible
for
a
lot
of
things
that
we
have
here
today
that
had
it
not
be
for
him,
we
wouldn't
have.
So
please
take
a
look
at
that.
E
Some
of
you
folks
were
here
when
we
dedicated
the
memorial
in
side
of
the
fence
for
the
USS
Frankie
Evans
and
those
74
sailors
that
lost
their
life.
If
that
is
new
to
you
place
after
the
ceremony,
stop
in
and
take
a
look
that
they
had
a
little
collision
with
the
Australian
aircraft
carrier
milburn
and
it
cut
the
ship
in
half
behind
the
CIC
and
74
of
the
shipmates
that
were
sleeping
and
a
forward.
Birthing
area
lost
their
lives.
D
E
A
it's
something
that
we
have
been
striving
for
since
the
ship
came
here.
Another
thing
that's
going
to
be
happening
within
the
next
week
or
two
is
we're
going
to
be
dressing
the
ship
with
dress
lights?
That
means
that
there
will
be
lights,
going
up
to
the
main
mast
and
down
to
the
bow
from
the
stern
to
the
bow
and
around
the
safety
rails
on
the
ship,
they're
LED
bulbs.
So
they
won't
burn
a
lot
electricity,
but
they
dress
the
ship
up.
E
And
when
you
come
over
that
bridge
at
night
time,
you
will
not
be
able
to
miss
the
ship,
we're
very
fortunate
that
one
of
the
former
commanding
officers
of
this
ship
captain
john
holmes-
he
was
the
seventh
skipper
and
he
has
paid
for
these
lights.
Thirty
one
hundred
dollars
so
alright
for
the
captain.
E
E
He
was
a
member
of
the
commissioning
crew
of
the
USS
George
Washington
Brett
served
as
special
liaison
to
newport
news
shipbuilding
company
during
those
ships
construction.
He
also
did
a
tour
of
the
Navy
recruiter
in
houston,
texas,
where
he
earned
the
recruiter
of
the
Year
award.
Of
course,
we
all
know
when
a
recruiter
lives
every
time
he
opens
his
mouth,
that
that's
not
in
this
I
just
thought:
I'd
throw
that
partying.
E
During
his
time
in
service,
breast
saw
action
in
Beirut,
Lebanon,
Libya
operation,
el
dorado
canyon
and
Desert
Shield
and
Desert
Storm
Brett
earned
the
Navy
Marine
Corps
Achievement
Medal,
the
expedit
metal,
the
Armed
Forces
Expeditionary
medal
navy
good
conduct
medal
with
bronze
star
Navy
expert
pistol,
metal,
Navy
expert,
rifle
metal
sea
service
ribbon
with
two
Bronze
Stars
in
the
Navy
recruiting
ribbon.
He.
E
The
state
commander
of
the
American
Legion
Department
of
Michigan
for
the
2017
2018
year
and
holds
membership
in
post
439
Saginaw
Michigan.
Bread
is
also
a
member
of
the
sable
American
Veterans,
the
40
and
8
that
support
Wars
carrier
Veterans
Association
the
Saginaw
Valley
naval
ship
museum
and
holds
an
honorary
membership
with
the
Army
Navy
Air
Force
veterans
in
Canada,
he's
married
to
his
wife
Bonnie
and
has
two
children
Barry
and
Julian,
and
resides
in
Saginaw
Michigan.
G
G
Good
afternoon,
ladies
and
gentlemen,
first
and
foremost,
let's
begin
today
by
recognizing
all
those
among
us
who
have
given
themselves
in
service
to
the
nation,
our
veterans,
active
duty,
service,
members,
Guardsmen
and
reservists.
Thank
you
for
your
sacrifice.
The
sacrifice
of
your
families
and
for
keeping
our
nation
free
welcome
home.
My
brothers
and
sisters
in
arms.
G
The
American
experience
is
unique
because
we
have
rarely
faced
the
enemy
on
our
soil
or
at
our
gates.
Our
citizens
do
not
live
in
fear
of
the
atrocities
of
violence
and
conflict
experience
daily
in
so
many
other
worlds.
We
have
our
military
men
and
women
to
thank
for
that.
They
never
give
up
the
fight
for
us
there's
something
to
be
said
for
that
kind
of
tenacity.
Babe
ruth
once
said
you
just
can't
beat
the
person
who
never
gives
up.
G
If
that
doesn't
capture
the
spirit
of
the
American
warfighter
and
the
American
veteran
I,
don't
know
what
does
the
USS
Arizona
Memorial
has
a
unique
shape
to
it.
If
you've
ever
visited
our
scene
photos,
you
know
that
it's
sort
of
an
enclosed
bridge
spanning
to
hold
the
ship
its
sides
are
high,
with
a
noticeable
dip
in
the
middle
of
the
structure.
The
architect
who
crafted
the
memorial
noted
the
following
we're
in
the
structure
sags
in
the
center,
but
stands
strong
and
vigorous
at
the
ends,
expresses
the
initial
defeat.
An
ultimate
victory.
G
I
believe
this
rather
poetic
description
also
applies
to
the
lives
of
so
many
American
veterans
disabled
before
during
and
long
after,
for
those
forever
changed
as
a
result
of
their
military
service,
there
is
often
a
period
of
darkness,
sadness
and
grief.
The
initial
defeat
of
their
lives
being
suddenly
often
violently
taken
off
course,
but
slowly
hope
begins
to
replace
doubt
that
fighting
spirit
emerges,
pushing
the
veteran
gradually
up
important
place
of
triumph.
The
ultimate
victory
of
life
fulfilled
and
restored.
G
Colonel
Johnson's
life
mattered
a
90
year
old
veteran
in
virginia
karl,
was
the
last
Tuskegee
Airmen
to
graduate
from
the
famed
school
that
produced
so
many
heroic
African
American
aviators.
According
to
a
recent
article
in
The
Washington
Post,
the
u.s.
army-issued
Carl
a
train
ticket
for
a
Pullman
sleeping
car,
so
he
could
get
from
Texas
to
Alabama
for
his
military
training
in
1946,
Carl
Carl
recalled
being
told
by
the
station
manager
that
he
and
his
fellow
black
soldiers
were
not
allowed
to
use
the
Pullman.
You
have
to
go
to
coach.
G
They
were
ordered
threatened
with
jail,
that
they
resisted
the
soldiers
rode
for
24
hours
and
were
denied
the
use
of
the
trains.
Dining
car
as
well
despite
the
indignities
Carl,
would
continue
to
treat
his
country
better
than
many
of
his
fellow
trip
citizens
treated
him.
Carl
would
extend
his
military
service
for
another
three
decades,
serving
the
Korean
and
Vietnam
wars.
He
earned
a
Distinguished
Flying
Cross
and
ten
air
medals
and
retired.
As
a
colonel,
when
governor
Ronald
Reagan
introduced
returning
poww,
John
McCain
and
speaking.
G
The
future
president
asked:
where
do
we
find
such
men?
He
was
speaking
of
many
veterans
when
he
answered.
We
find
him
in
our
streets
in
the
offices,
the
shops,
the
workplaces
of
our
country
and
on
our
farms,
in
other
words,
President
Reagan
was
referring
to
ordinary
people,
accomplishing
extraordinary
things,
and
it
isn't
just
a
min.
G
It
worked
later.
She
became
one
of
our
first
programmers
of
the
Harvard
marked
one
computer
and
would
invent
the
computer
language
known
as
COBOL.
The
world
was
fortunate
to
benefit
from
the
brilliant
mind
of
the
woman,
known
by
many
of
her
friends
and
admirers.
As
amazing
grace,
she
was
known
to
the
United
States
Navy
is
Rear
Admiral
very
soccer.
G
Although
she
left
us
in
1992,
we
can
emphatically
say
the
world
is
better
and
smarter
place
because
of
Admiral
very
soft.
Let
us
not
forget
Major
General
married
Austin,
it's
and
known
as
red.mike,
for
whom
our
magnificent
worship
behind
at
me
is
named.
Major-General
Letson
was
Medal
of
Honor
recipient.
His
citation
reads:
the
president
of
United
States
takes
pleasure
in
presenting
the
Medal
of
Honor
to
Colonel
merit
a
medicine
in
19
States
Marine
Corps
for
service
is
set
forth
in
the
following
citation
for
extraordinary
heroism
and
conspicuous
and
trippity.
D
G
On
the
night
of
13
14,
September
1942
after
the
airfield
on
Guadalcanal,
had
been
seized
from
the
enemy.
On
august,
eight
Colonel
Edson,
with
the
force
of
800
men,
was
assigned
to
the
occupation
and
defense
of
a
ridge
dominating
the
jungle
on
either
side
of
the
airport
facing
the
formidable
Japanese
attack,
which,
augmented
by
infiltration,
had
crashed
through
our
front
lines.
He.
D
G
Skillful
handling
of
his
troops
successfully
withdrew
his
forward
units
to
a
reserve
wine
with
minimum
casualties
when
the
enemy
and
subsequent
series
of
violent
assaults
engaged
our
forces
and
desperate
hand-to-hand
combat
with
bayonets
rifles,
pistols,
grenades
and
knives.
Colonel
Edson,
although
continuously
exposed
to
hostile
fire
throughout
the
night
personally
directed
in
fence
of
our
reserved
position
against
the
fanatical
fo,
a
greater
superior
number
by
his
astute
leadership
and
gallant
devotion
to
duty.
G
He
enabled
his
men,
despite
severe
losses,
to
cling
tenaciously
to
their
position
on
the
vital
ridge,
thereby
retaining
command
not
only
the
Guadalcanal
airfield,
but
also
the
first
divisions,
entire
offensive
installations
and
the
surrounding
area
sign
President,
Franklin,
Delano,
Roosevelt,
pretty
amazing.
No
wonder
they
named
a
shift
after
when
a
young
officer
asked
him
when
he
might
expect
a
rotate
back
to
the
United
States
brigadier
general
Edson
replied
when
the
war's
over
when
our
jobs
done
after
World
War,
two
Edson
held
several
commands
until
retiring
from
the
Marine
Corps
August,
verse,
nineteen
forty-seven
after
retiring.
G
G
Let
us
remember
the
estimated
20
veterans
day
who
commit
suicide
and
that
approximately
twenty
percent
of
the
Iraq
and
Afghan
veterans
have
experience
post-traumatic
stress
disorder,
veteran
still
faced
long,
wait
times
to
use
many
VA
facilities
and
the
care,
while
often
good,
still
needs
to
be
worthy
of
the
veterans
who
serve
this
great
nation
veterans,
come
in
all
shapes
and
sizes,
young
and
old,
rich
and
poor,
black
and
white,
and
nearly
every
category
in
between
they
served.
They
are
men
and
women
who
serve
are
still
serve
America
and
their
families
are
diverse
as
well.
G
We
need
to
remember
the
wives
so
briefly,
but
anxiously
dreaded.
Every
doorbell
ring
our
telephone
call
as
their
husbands
witnessed
unspeakable
horrors,
while
fighting
and
hard
to
pronounce
the
villages
that
most
Americans
can
never
find
on
a
map.
We
need
to
remember
the
modern
military
families
who
deal
with
frequent
address
changes,
interrupted
employment
by
spouses
and
a
disproportionate
sharing
of
parental
responsibilities
for
what
they
do
for
us.
Military
families
should
also
be
honored
on
Veterans
Day
and,
while
their
numbers
of
decreasing
too
many
veterans
are
still
homeless.
G
We
should
frequently
remind
employers,
the
veterans
have
been
tested
under
pressure,
have
completed
unique
training
and
they
displayed
the
leadership
qualities
that
would
limit
fit
almost
any
organization.
Hiring
a
veteran
is
not
just
the
way
to
show
gratitude.
It's
simply
smart
business,
Veterans
Day
is
an
important
with
symbolic
way
of
saying
thanks,
but
we
should
insist
that
our
elected
officials
produce
meaningful
laws
and
public
policies
that
will
enhance
the
quality
of
life
of
veterans
and
their
families
from
defeating
communism,
fascism,
imperialism
deliberating
slaves,
keeping
the
peace
during
the
Cold
War
and
battling
terrorism.
G
G
E
E
A
E
G
E
They
are
giving
surveys
for
those
that
are
in
the
danger
zone
for
lung
cancer
and
for
those
who
are
diabetics
or
have
problems
with
their
feet,
they
will
inspect
them
for
you,
please
stop
by
and
say
hi
to
them.
We
just
can't
thank
them
enough
for
coming
out
here
and
helping
us.
The
ship
is
open
for
visitors
today
and
it's
seeing
that
it
is
vectors
day.
E
Everybody's
welcome
to
go
on
board
for
half
price,
so
keep
in
mind
that
that
money
it
keeps
us
running
and
it
keeps
the
improvements
are
coming
as
you
go
through
the
ship
you'll
notice
from
last
year.
There
is
a
lot
of
things
that
have
changed
a
lot
of
things
that
have
been
added
and
once
again
thank
you
very
kindly
for
coming
and
have
a
great
veterans
day.