Veterans Day Reflections Urge Recognition Beyond Tributes

Veterans Day reflections published this week focused on honoring military service, understanding veterans’ experiences and considering what civilians owe those who served. The accounts ranged from personal memories of combat and military life to arguments about the holiday’s civic meaning, with several authors urging a commitment to veterans beyond annual tributes.

A retired U.S. Army commander described how decades of service changed his understanding of the holiday. He recounted three stories: actor Jimmy Stewart’s service as a bomber pilot during World War II; soldier Erik Oropeza’s actions during an ambush in Iraq in 2007; and a 2012 meeting in France with four American veterans of the Normandy invasion.

The commander said Oropeza helped retrieve wounded soldiers, provide first aid and rally members of his platoon under fire. He said two sergeants credited Oropeza’s actions with saving their lives. The Army recommended him for the Medal of Honor, but he received the Distinguished Service Cross, the account said.

The commander also recalled that one veteran’s granddaughter heard her grandfather share wartime stories during an evening gathering with fellow Normandy veterans....