Honoring Hoosier Veterans
Every year our nation commemorates Veteran’s Day. We celebrate the service of our country’s military veterans and honor their patriotism and sacrifice for our nation. I myself am a veteran. After I graduated from Perry Central High School, I joined the United States Army and later joined the Indiana National Guard. I was commissioned as a lieutenant in 1998 and in 2003, I went to Iraq to serve as an Executive Officer. I have heard countless heroic stories of our veterans and have even served with them; stories of triumph, bravery and courage. One such story is that of Ed Whitcomb. Ed served Indiana proudly in the military and as Indiana’s 43rd governor. He was born in Hayden, Ind. in 1917 and left law school during World War II to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corps. One year later, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant. Ed was captured by the Japanese when his base was overrun during the Battles of the Philippines. He heroically escaped after being tortured but was later recaptured. He escaped a second time and swam through the night until he found an island unoccupied by the Japanese. He made contact with the U.S. Army and was ousted in 1943. He was discharged from active duty in 1946, though he remained in the reserve military forces until 1977 holding the rank of colonel. It is stories like Gov. Ed Whitcomb’s that inspired me to join the military in the first place and countless others like it have inspired soldiers across the United States to join the military as well. Every United States veteran has the security of knowing that what they did and the sacrifices they have made have strengthened our nation. . Veterans spend time away from their families, miss holidays and special events and risk their personal safety to ensure our liberties are protected. It is because of these sacrifices that we must remember to thank veterans every day, not just on Veterans Day. For more information on what the Indiana General Assembly has done to support Veterans here in Indiana, please go to http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?request=getSubjectLinks&main_code=0365&year=2013&session=1&subject=VETERANS. |
