Honoring and Remembering Our Veterans on Veterans (Armistice) Day with High Flight Poem

I wrote this post in 2013 and felt it was appropriate to publish it again to honor and remember our veterans, my family members and friends.

When I was a child, the day to honor veterans was called Armistice Day. In 1921, Congress declares November 11th a legal Federal holiday to honor the soldiers who served in World War I.

Because Armistice Day was a legal national holiday, schools were closed and we honored our veterans by going to our hometown parade. We all knew and respected the flag etiquette  that required us to stand up from our seats on the curb of the main street and put our hands over our hearts, while our father’s took off their hats as the United States Flag passed by.

In 1954, President Eisenhower changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day.

Today, on Veteran’s Day,  I  have been thinking about my family members, friends, and all the men and women who have served and are still serving in the military. I am grateful and proud of their honorable service to keep our country free and safe!

The picture in this post was taken on November 11, 2009 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Our youngest son, Noah and I were honored attend our cousin, Major General (ret.) USAF Stanley F. Newman’s induction into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame. From left to right is our cousin Harriette (of blessed memory), Stanley’s wife, Stanley, Stanley’s and Harriet’s son, (ret.) Colonel USAF  George Newman, myself, and Noah. This year, my cousin Stan and my cousin George are celebrating Stan’s 90th birthday with a trip to Normandy take part in the 70 anniversary D-Day commemorations programs.

Please, visit Women’s Veterans Program on my website and learn more about my friend, (ret.) Colonel Jill Chambers, who is the founder and CEO of This Able Vet, which supports the V-WISE (Veteran-Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship).

Last year, my Facebook Friend, Sandi White shared the following poem on her profile. The poignant poem written by Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee, No 412 squadron RCAF, who was killed 11 December 1941. The words brought to mind my remarkable “Newman” family members who have served in the United States Air Force, the United States Navy and the United States Army.

“Thank you!” to all my family members and friends, and veterans who have served, and men and women who continue to serve our country.
Sheila Newman Glazov

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew –
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Please Spread the Word