Veterans' Day

During WWII, this gentleman attained the rank of Colonel in the US Army. He led charges into Brittany. He oversaw a regiment during the horrendous Battle of the Bulge. Men who served with the Colonel recall him as calm and thoughtful in the face of danger.
My great-aunt, Leona, who served as a nurse in the Army, knew the good Colonel personally. When her nephew suffered extreme physical and psychological injuries during the Battle of the Bulge, the Colonel saw to it that he was sent for treatment in England, where she was serving. He also helped her obtain a bicycle (a rarity during the war) and send it from England to her young neice, my own mother, in Michigan. In the midst of battle, he once pulled his men, a few at a time, out of formation long enough for them to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner. He served on a military tribunal that judged the guilt or innocence of Nazis accused of war crimes.
I love these stories, which evidence how much more there is to war than the fighting.
Thank you, Colonel Jeter, and all the veterans that you represent.

(Photos from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vic-and-becky/ )