Ivy Mitchell stood Saturday morning near the parking lot of Vine Grove Baptist Church as he waited for the Hardin County Veterans Day Parade.
Mitchell, who served 23 years in the U.S. Army, attained the rank of master sergeant by the time he retired.
He decided early he wanted a military career.
"Back in '46, I went in for a while then got out," he said.
Mitchell couldn't remain in the military because he was only 17 years old when he enlisted.
As soon as he turned 18, Mitchell re-enlisted and there wasn't anything his mother could do about it, he said.
Because of his and others' service, Veterans Day is an important day to Mitchell.
"It's appreciation that everybody rendered (for) the ones (who) have passed on, killed in action and (those who) survived and came back."
The 88-year-old never saw any combat duty. When the Korean War broke out, his unit was sent to Germany. The same circumstances occurred at the time of the Vietnam War when, again, his unit was shipped to Germany.
Mitchell went where the Army told him to go, he said.
"It works in its own way," Mitchell said.
Maj. Gen. Chris Hughes, commander of U.S. Army Cadet Command and Fort Knox, and his wife, Margue-rite, walked the parade route, which led from Vine Grove Fire Department to Optimist Park.
The commanding general saluted every service veteran he saw along the way.
"I gotta get my steps in today," Hughes said, laughing. "I'm from Iowa, my wife's from Missouri--we're not accustomed to waving like a king and queen from a car. We'd rather walk and say hi to people."
At Optimist Park, American flags waved in the chilly November wind while the 100th U.S. Army Band played patriotic songs.
Veterans of all ages and branches of service greeted each other shaking hands as if it had been years ago since they last saw each other.
Chaplain Larry Vance, a U.S. Marine veteran and pastor at Vine Grove Baptist Church, offered prayers on behalf of the nation and men and women in the military and he asked God to bless the flags on display.
"These flags are symbols we hold dear to our hearts," he said. "They remind us of sacrifices made yesterday, today and tomorrow."
Hughes was the keynote speaker for the longest-running Veterans Day celebration in the county.
He told those gathered as many as 330,000 veterans reside in Kentucky. The largest cluster, according to him, make Hardin County their home.
"You can't find a more patriotic place to serve," he said. "This is such a great community."
Hughes said he was thrilled to be part of Vine Grove's celebration and encouraged every individual to speak with veterans present and ask them about their service.
"Ask him or her their story," he said. "Ask them what they remember most about their service."
Hughes spoke briefly of the legacy of service his Family has given, including his parents, his wife's parents, their grandfathers, an uncle and their two sons who currently are serving in the Army.
"Pure love of country" is the reason Hughes gave for their multiple generations of military service.
Hughes also took a moment paying tribute to those men and women who served during the Vietnam War, referring to it as a "dark time."
Most Soldiers returning home from Vietnam were met with scorn, blame and hatred, he said. Many could not don their uniform while traveling through an airport or when in public for fear of being verbally assaulted or spat on.
Vietnam veterans did not receive appreciation nor were they shown significant value or respect they deserved, Hughes said.
"Today, I want to say, 'No more,'" he said. "Not today, not here in Vine Grove. Today, we will single out these Vietnam veterans and thank them for their service and ask them for their forgiveness."
Each Vietnam veteran present was awarded a copy of a Presidential Proclamation from Barack Obama and a Vietnam veteran lapel pin commemorating and honoring their service.
Hughes encouraged those in the audience to reflect on their blessings after leaving the ceremony and to continue to support America's veterans no matter the social climate or the social perception.
"Our veterans are why we have a country," he said.
Social Sharing