Two large gatherings took place over the last two days to honor veterans. The Hope Kiwanis Club honored veterans at the Hope Country Club Tuesday at the noon hour and the VFW 4511, the American Legion 427 and Post 12, and Sentimental Journey also honored veterans with a hot dog and fellowship time on Wednesday, at the Hope Fair Park Coliseum, November 11, at the 11th hour.
Harvey Smith, local author, was the keynote speaker for the Wednesday celebration, and Pat Butler sang the National Anthem. Francis Fry read a poem as a tribute to Vietnam veterans or any veteran not shown proper respect after or during their time serving the country.
At the Kiwanis dinner and celebration, which took place on Tuesday, Lt. Col. Mike Spraggins, Army National Guard, 39th Infantry Brigade was one of several speakers. He presented a slide show and stories about time being deployed in Iraq.
Military branches each stood to their own anthem as they heard it played. Many accounts of remembrance and appreciation were expressed, by several veterans who were in attendance. Both fallen soldiers and those still serving were honored.
Of the veterans who attended the coliseum event, each had a little something to add in later brief interviews. Veterans spoke from WW II, the Korean War conflict, Vietnam, and Iraq and those who has served time in the military in general.
Three of the oldest veterans were recognized, as George Frazier, 91, Claude Fitzgerald 91, and Jim Hogue age 90, all of Hope.
Fitzgerald, said he was originally from Texas, but has lived 35 years in Hope said he served four and one half years in WW II in the U.S. Army T5. He spent time in England , North Africa, and Italy. When asked for a quick statement from a veterans point of view today he answered, “ It didn’t bother me one bit. I’d join again. They do not have enough troops over there,” Fitzgerald said.
When asked to comment on current events he answered, “ It is a lot different , a faster war, all electronic. We didn’t need to be to be in those two wars anyway. Things need to be straightened up here,” he said.
“ I would go today if they sent me,” he said. It wasn’t clear if he was making a quip but seemed very truthful, “ If they would let me drive.
I can’t do a lot of walking but I can drive. We have a good military.”
Hempstead County JP Olen Dorman served in the U. S. Army in 1966-68, missing Vietnam by one day, he said. He was drafted to serve in Vietnam and said was he was shipped to Korea.
