TORRANCE TRIBUNE November 10, 2016 Page 5 TerriAnn in Torrance Veteran’s Day 2016 By TerriAnn Ferren Nov. 11, 1918 marked the end of WWI and it is significant that the date still remains unchanged after all these years to honor our veterans today. In November, 1919 Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 Armistice Day with these words, “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…” Each year, on Memorial Day, the last Monday in May, our city honors the fallen soldiers of Torrance listed on the Torrance Veteran’s Memorial Wall at the corner of Torrance Boulevard and Maple Avenue, by placing a wreath in memory of our hometown heroes. These fallen soldiers gave their lives in the service of our country. Every year, I reflect on the quote by Abraham Lincoln, “To care for those who have born the battle, their widows and their orphans”. That quote is true for Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day. We have Torrance resident, member of the Torrance Historical Society, and Navy veteran, Jerry Ronan to thank for spearheading the project of documenting the names of every veteran on our memorial wall and putting a face and a story behind each one so they will never be forgotten. The idea of gathering the history of the soldiers whose names are written on the wall in Torrance came after Jerry was contacted by the person gathering information on Cecil Harris, his childhood friend, for the project in South Dakota, (where Jerry Ronan grew up). Later, Jerry thought that was a great idea for Torrance. “We have these names on the wall and most people didn’t know anything about them, and I could see that we were very fast loosing their contemporaries from WWII. We had already lost them from WWI. We only have one name [on the wall] from WWI, Bert Crossland; the American Legion Post is named for him. The siblings were dying so I thought this is something we should do. It has been a marvelous experience,” said Jerry. Jerry continues searching for the history of each of our veterans who are listed on the wall. I recently spoke with Vietnam Veteran and author, Ron Kovic, who on July 4th of this year released the 40th Anniversary Edition of his best selling book, Born on the Fourth of July in conjunction with his latest work, Hurricane Street. I then asked him what he thought about Veteran’s Day 2016 and he told me, “Veterans Day is a day we should always remember those who have served and sacrificed on behalf of our country. Everyone who wears the uniform of this nation, whether they have served in combat or not - deserves our upmost respect. We can’t do enough for our veterans. We owe them the very best VA Hospital care possible and the best GI Bill we can provide – as good, if not better than the GI Bill provided for the veterans who returned home from WWII and Korea. Our promise to our veterans goes beyond simply welcoming them home and thanking them for their service, it is a lifetime commitment.” After speaking with Kovic, I decided I would peek into the GI Bill. What I found out was that the GI Bill had a slow start and was nearly deadlocked in the Senate in 1944, but on June 12th, Rep. John Gibson of Georgia was rushed in to cast the deciding vote approving the final form of the bill. It was then approved by Congress on June 13th and signed into law on June 22, 1944 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The GI Bill gave veterans an educational boost, as well as help in purchasing a home. My daddy, Thomas Lancaster used both these benefits upon returning home from Korean, and my father-in-law, Calvin Ferren did the same after WWII. My nephew, Thomas Lancaster, an Iraq/Afghanistan Army Veteran uses his GI Bill benefits as he works toward his Physical Therapy degree. These benefits have not only assisted my family through the years, they continue helping all veterans returning home from war. In 1984, Mississippi Congressman Gillespie V. Montgomery, assuring the legacy that the original GI Bill lives on today, revamped the GI Bill. Then, in 2008, the GI Bill was again updated, enhancing the educational benefits that cover additional educational expenses by providing a living allowance, and money for books. It also allows the ability of the veteran to transfer unused educational benefits to spouses or children. I found out there is a tome of information located at the Department of Veterans Affairs website at: www.http://benefits.va.gov/gibill/. If you are a veteran and haven’t taken advantage of your benefits, take a look at the website. Veteran’s affairs and concerns continue making news even today. Ron Kovic added in a later conversation, “I couldn’t believe when the Pentagon required veterans who had signed up to return their bonuses. People were outraged. Finally, after blanket condemnation and backlash and protest by millions of people – politicians and citizens - not to mention countless veterans groups, they finally relented. That is not the way to treat our veterans. They deserve the very best VA hospital care, the very best educational opportunities, not only upon their return from these conflict areas, but throughout their lives. We owe that to them, regardless of whether or not you supported these foreign policy decisions or not, if you supported the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, or not. One thing we can all agree upon as Americans is that everyone who serves our country deserves our love and respect, that is the least we can do.” The Torrance City Council on Nov.1, 2016 proclaimed November 6 – 12 as Military Veterans Appreciation Week in the city of Torrance. And this morning, in honor of Veteran’s Day, the first Veteran’s Day Breakfast was held in the George Nakano Theatre, sponsored by the city, in conjunction with the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 53. Councilman Milton Herring, Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Reserves spoke at the event. I heard from a city staff member that the hope is that this event will only grow in the future. Knowing our city, and the respect we all have for veterans, I believe that is true. In fact, our own Torrance Historical Society is honoring veterans on this 75th Anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor by sponsoring their Visit with a Veteran afternoon on Sunday, November 13th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Torrance Historical Society and Museum, located at 1345 Post Avenue. This event invites everyone to come and speak with WWII, Korean War, Vietnam, Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan veterans. For further information on this very special event access: www.torrancehistoricalsociety.org. Who are the veterans in your life? Abraham Lincoln’s quote is still relevant today. We need to care for those who serve. May I suggest you take time and listen to a veteran’s story this year and thank them. Remember them. Happy Veterans Day to all veterans. • C e r t i f i e d a n d L i c e n s e d P r o f e s s i o n a l s handyman BILL’S HOME & APARTMENT MAINTENANCE CONTRACTOR QUALITY at Handyman Prices. We cover everything from A-Z. 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