Veteran’s Day –A Celebration

On November 11, 1918, World  War I, “the war to end all wars”, ended with an armistice (agreement) that the war was ended. On November, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 to be a national holiday; Armistice Day. The day was to be celebrated with patriotic parades and fireworks. Businesses, especially stores and services were expected to close for the day.

I remember the many times my family waited outside for the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th month. This was the time that all of the churches in town would begin tolling. My parents were born in Italy and moved here in the early 1900s. They were devout citizens and taught us to love our country, to honor our flag, and to defend it whenever needed and called.

In 1954, Congress passed a bill to change Armistice Day to Veterans Day. President Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day, a time for us to honor our veterans for their patriotism, their love of their country, and the heroism of those who died in the country’s service. Veterans Day is observed on November 11 every year regardless of what day of the week it falls on thereby securing the historical purposes that it is based on.

My 2024 Veterans Day Experience - November 11, 2024

The veterans living at Independent Village, including me, were invited to the NCHS Veterans Day Club program. Seven of us veterans and two staff members, Karen and Barbara, attended the program. NCHS stands for Naperville Central High School. The membership is composed of local veterans and students at the high school. The students served as greeters. The large auditorium was totally filled with students, parents and relatives of students, and other guests.

When we arrived we were led to seating at the very front of the auditorium and then my friend Wesley and I were escorted up to seats on the stage. We joined about 25 other veterans from all branches of the military. The program started with a greeting from the principal of NCHS, followed by a student presentation of What Veterans Day Means, our National Anthem,  and the Pledge of Allegiance. A student member introduced each of our military branches; Army,  Coast Guard, Marine, Air Force, and Navy; and the school orchestra played each branch’s tune. Wesley stood up with the Army and I stood up with the Navy.

Introductions of a few individual veterans followed. I hadn’t noticed that there was a listing of Dr. Peter Pierro, WW2, Navy on the program, so I was surprised when my name was announced. I stood up and saluted the veterans and waved at the audience. I have lived long enough to be a celebrated as the only WWII veteran in the crowd.  I served one full year during active wartime and when the war ended I was on the South Pacific front. My three brothers were each on a foreign shore, Germany, Italy, and the North Atlantic Ocean. We all returned home safely. 

The Keynote Speaker

Allen James Lynch, a veteran of the war in Vietnam and the recipient of the Medal of Honor was our featured speaker. Lynch joined the United States Army from Chicago in 1964 and served in the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) during the Vietnam War. On December 15, 1967, he rescued three wounded soldiers and stayed behind to protect them while the rest of his company was forced to withdraw. He single-handedly defended the wounded men against enemy attack until a friendly force was able to evacuate them. He was awarded the Medal of Honor, our highest military award for his actions. The medal was formally presented to him by President Richard Nixon  in 1970.

Former Sergeant Lynch gave us an inspirational, patriotic speech that gave us much of his vision of our country and of our responsibility to defend our country. He spoke about answering the call in his country’s time of need. His statement that he did not serve any person or group or political party, just that his allegiance and loyalty to his country was his greatest service. His powerful and inspiring message was clearly given and received by the veterans and audience alike. They acknowledged it with their long and loud applause. 

The New Immigrants and Our Old World

I am the son of a father and a mother who came to the United States from Italy in the early 1900s. First generation people were those who came here from a foreign land and we are their children. Those “foreigners” were not very well greeted. The Italians were called ‘Guineas’  and ‘Dagos’; the Polish were called ‘Polocks’, Jews were called ‘Kikes’ and ‘Sheenies, English were called ‘Limeys’ and so on, and so on. The way we dressed, what we ate, how we worshiped were all different from the current residents.

Those foreigners would only be able to do labor jobs and their children would never be considered for college. My father, who spoke and wrote extremely well in Italian and English, was a coal miner.  Good grade school students were not placed in the college prep program.

During World War II, there was a big change in perception. Immigrants' children were a major part of our military. Graduates of my high school classes with names such as Brovelli, Mankowski, Cubera, and Guenther went directly from their graduation to service in our military.  A young man with the name Pierro differed from his three older brothers who were in the Army by going to the Navy. War based movies such as From Here to Eternity would have a character named Angelo Maggio played by Frank Sinatra.

I don’t have the time or space to discuss how some of our current citizens are describing and treating our new immigrants. Some of them are children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those immigrants of years ago. I suggest they do ancestry research of their family and have pride in what they have accomplished.

Peter S. Pierro

11/16/2024