On this day we honor the men and women who courageously volunteered and stepped forward to face danger and adversity all in the name of our country. It is a day for all Americans to be mindful and honor the heroic patriotic service of our Veterans and those that continue to fight.
In recognition of this important day, we recently interviewed one of our PalAmerican Security Officers who served in the United States Armed Forces between WWII and The Korean War (from 1945 to 1948). David Lee was a young 17-year-old boy when he joined the United States Navy. He was positioned in the commissary department and assigned the duties of a cook and baker.
David explains that preparing large quantities of food for an exhausted and hungry crew was no simple task. The volume of ingredients used in accordance to the amount of people was sometimes overwhelming, and it was a considerable task getting this just right, every meal, every day in such enormous quantities. There was a tremendous amount of manual labor involved during very stressful situations. Nonetheless, David persevered through each day ensuring all his duties were fulfilled with expertise and passion for these brave Navy personnel.
David’s time spent in the Navy as a young man forced him to grow up very quickly. He was exposed to many things that none of us should see in our lifetime. Faced with hardships each and every day his unwavering belief he was doing the right thing for himself and his country carried him through the most difficult of times.
As Veterans day comes every year, David hopes that people will take a moment to think about all Veterans past and present. He asks that we show respect and to truly consider what those sacrifices really meant for all American’s, not just the heroic troops on the front lines, but the dedicated men and women supporting these brave souls.
At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, we encourage you to take a moment of silence and pay your respects to all fallen soldiers and those that continue to fight.