The Celebration of Soldiers

STORY BY LEILONI KING

On October 19, 2013 my family went to visit “The Wall”, which is actually called the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C, to pay tribute to my late Uncle Alvin (shown in the picture above). Veterans Day is the official holiday that Americans have been celebrating since 1954.  It was created to pay tribute to the 58,000 Americans that fought and died for  you and me. You should not look at this day as just  a day off from school or work, it is a day to pay tribute to our veterans.   

Everyone should start to celebrate this holiday because we need soldiers to protect us from harmful situations in wars. Soldiers can help you in world disasters, and they can save you in dire situations. Even if you don’t agree with the War you should always respect the lives that were lost in that War. Soldiers want the attention and respect they deserve. We honor our veterans by showing that we appreciate them and that we know that they are protecting us.

Do you realize that soldiers put their lives on the line to save us? If you don’t think about things, like that you really need to open your eyes a little more. When you see retired veterans, you should salute them, smile at them and make him or her feel appreciated.

I will do more to make sure that my family and I will celebrate this holiday because my uncle died in the Vietnam War in 1968.  His name is on the memorial site with all of the other millions of people who died from this huge war. If you ever go to the memorial, look for his name, Alvin Preston. He was my grandfather’s brother. When we were at the memorial, my grandfather's mother penciled my uncle’s name on the wall.

I hope you realize what Veterans Day really is. This isn’t just a day of rest. It is a day of remembrance.  It is a day to remember our fallen heroes.  Visit the Viet Nam Memorial and look at all of the names on the wall and analyze the mood.  You will feel proud. 

Leiloni King is an 8th grade student at Blow Pierce Jr. Academy.