Letter: Father set example of respect for country
To the editor:
What does Nov. 11 mean to you? Originally called Armistice Day, this holiday was established to honor Americans who had served in World War I. It falls on Nov. 11, the day when that war ended in 1918, but it now honors veterans of all wars in which the United States has fought.
This day reminds me of my deceased Dad, Clarence E. Stanton. My father was born on Nov. 11, 1930. He passed away on Jan. 16, 2005. He is buried with his fellow veterans at the New Hampshire Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen, N.H.
Dad had many medals from the Korean War. He had the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, United Nations Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal and too many others to mention. He was part of the Army's 25th Infantry Division, which participated in Gen. Douglas MacArthur's drive to push the battered North Korean army toward the Chinese border. My father told me, "If anybody ever says that they're not afraid to go to war, they should come see me."
My father was in a wheelchair in his later years. I remember while he was watching his grandsons play basketball in high school, he always wanted to try to stand for the National Anthem. Naturally it was hard for him, so he always put his hand across his chest or his military salute.
Whenever the National Anthem plays, I stand proudly at attention. It is a song of hope, of triumph, and of our American spirit. We should have a deep sense of pride in our country, our freedom, and, of course, our men and women who wear the uniform. Just like my father, our soldiers take an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, and the Anthem represents that sacred oath. So if you are physically able, please stand, stop moving, stop talking and take off your hat for our National Anthem.
I appreciate the luxuries and freedoms we have here not offered in so many countries around the world. Being an American is not a right, it's a privilege. So I thank my Dad and all veterans for their sacrifices. God bless our veterans.
Brian E. Stanton
Salem, N.H.
