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South Jordan Journal

South Jordan honors those who have served

Nov 18, 2019 03:55PM ● By Susan Palmer

Residents serve veterans breakfast on Nov.9 at the South Jordan Community Center. (Susan Palmer/City Journals)

By Susan Palmer | [email protected]

On Nov. 9, South Jordan officials organized a breakfast in honor of veterans at the South Jordan Community Center. 

At the end of WWI, United States President Woodrow Wilson declared Nov. 11, Armistice Day. After WWII, this became Veterans Day. Since this time, we set aside this day to honor and express our gratitude to our service men and women. Memorial Day in May is a day to remember our service people who did not return or have passed on, but Veteran’s day is to remember all of those who served, living and dead, both in peacetime and in war.

All branches of the military services were represented at the function, and vets from many conflicts from WWII, Korea, Vietnam and Middle Eastern conflicts as well as other policing conflict attended. Attendees ate a hearty breakfast of pancakes, eggs. bacon and a large selection of fruits and muffins. They shared  experiences of their heroism and their gratefulness to have survived. Some mentioned other veterans who did not survive. These people put their lives on hold to defend the freedom of America, and their love of this land was apparent. They expressed their stories with pride and with humility at a job well done.

City leaders organized the Veterans Day Breakfast, which also included veterans’ families. Community members, SoJo Employees, Eagle Scouts and U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams all volunteered to cook food and to serve and entertain these veteran heroes.  

McAdams spoke briefly to the attendees.

“It is nice to be with you today and to be reminded that when you put your lives on the line for this country, you weren’t republicans and democrats; you were Americans,” McAdams said. “That is something that we need to remember in this day and age. We are going to have differences of opinion in Washington, but those differences are what have made this country great. Remember, we are on the same team and working for the same cause.”

Julie Taylor and her daughter Mindy Taylor provided musical renditions of “America” and “America the Beautiful.” Some of the veterans stood during the songs in honor and for love of America.

Many veterans exchanged stories of valor and dedication. During WWII, Patrick Harris was a navigator on B17 flying fortress dropping bombs on Germany. After 18 bombing missions, Germany surrendered. He was supposed to fly 25 missions, and he expressed worry that if he had flown 25 missions, he may not have survived. 

A microphone was passed around and the veterans told of their service of flying supply missions in Vietnam, intelligence gathering in Iraq, and combat and support missions in the air on the ground and the ocean.