by Evelyn J. Mocbeichel
November 11th. This date is more than just a day off from work or school as it was established as a recognition of our American Veterans. As many of us learned in grade school, the end of World War I was on November 11, 1918 at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. First called Armistice Day, then when war broke out all over Europe a few years after the holiday was created, it was renamed Veterans Day to honor all Veterans. There are ceremonies and parades all over our country and at Arlington Cemetery in D.C. to continue the tradition of honoring the men and women for their bravery and sacrifice and serving our country. Our town of Montauk and many others on the East End of Long Island also hosts events and commemorations to honor our brave men and women veterans that served in the military.
My father served in the United States Army Air Corps, which was the aerial warfare service component of the army between 1926 and 1941. When aviation became increasingly vital as part of modern warfare, the Air Force was created in 1947 and the Army Air Corps was dissolved. Then the army became a separate branch.
When I was growing up, there were three kinds of movies my father liked to watch. They were any westerns with John Wayne in it, musicals with plenty of tap dancing and another of his favorites was military themed films. On a non school nights I was allowed to stay up later and watch movies with my dad and soon these films became my favorites, too, and repeated watching an enjoyable tradition. There were several favorites that I still like to watch when they come on the channels that feature old films. If you haven’t seen these, try to find them and see the artistry of films of this era and the true stories about the lead characters featured in the films. The actions of these men were so heroic that Hollywood screen writers turned them into block buster films in those years post WW II.
Made in 1955, To Hell and Back is the true story of Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier in U.S. history. The film starred Audie Murphy himself and he was as handsome as any screen idol and amazingly talented in his first acting role. One of the saddest films I recall watching was called The Fighting Sullivans, made in 1944. The story was about a very close knit group of five brothers from Iowa that served on the same ship, the USS Juneau, during World War II. The ship was torpedoed and sunk off of Guadalcanal and all five brothers perished. To this day it remains the greatest combat- related loss of life by one family, at one time in American military history. After this occurrence the Sole Survivor Policy was implemented by the Selective Service in 1948 that exempted the sole surviving son of a family where one or more sons or daughters had been killed in action, or died in the line of duty while in the military service from being drafted.
Another favorite, starring Gary Cooper of High Noon fame, For Whom the Bell Tolls and Mr. Deed Goes to Town, is the 1941 film Sergeant York. It is the story about a Tennessee farmer who was an expert marksman that is drafted during World War I. York struggles with his pacifist inclinations before becoming one of the most celebrated war heroes. The acting in all three of these films is so believable that viewers becomes engrossed, attached and involved with the storyline and well being of the lead characters and soldiers on the same mission. More than just entertainment and a film to pass a few hours, these movies lend a reality to what our veterans have gone through and are experiencing today, serving in areas around the world.
Remember this on November 11th and thank a veteran you know or if you see one in uniform. Display your American flag. A heartfelt, sincere thank you to all our Veterans!
