I too had known some WWI vets in my youth. One that sticks out is the village barber. My hometown had a population under 500 and the barber was 2nd generation to the business there. He and his dad had been cutting the hair of my forefathers since around 1900. He was in his 60's in the 1960's when I would walk uptown for a $2 crew-cut. There was a shell of a WWI hand grenade on his mantle. I do not recall discussing much about his service.

My Dad purchased a house in town from an older couple that had a lot of old stuff in it. My Dad asked them to leave anything in the house they would have otherwise thrown away. They left a Victrola (with records), an old bedroom set and a 1930 cabinet radio (still works and in my possession now). Also found was a stack of newspapers from back when the village had it's own press. In it was a paper from 1918 that listed local boys that had been injured from the war. It listed my barber, who had suffered from "shell shock". These papers were laminated and are still in my Dad's possession

As I new him, he was a kind and gentle man. He was also very complimentary to me. I can still remember him turning me in the barber chair, facing the mirror while he stood behind me with his hands on my shoulders telling me what a good young man I was becoming.

I honor him today for the sacrifices he made that I did not understand when I knew him back then. I would also like to honor two of my sons. One is in his 12th year (Army) and the other was honorably discharged last December (Air Force).

And a thank you to all veterans.