Veteran’s Day is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11 to honor and celebrate the service of all our U.S. military veterans. Major hostilities of World War 1 formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. At the urging of major U.S. veteran organizations, Armistice Day was renamed Veteran’s Day in 1954.
On November 11, 2022, the Crookston Veterans Council gathered at 11:00 a.m. to pay tribute to our area veterans at the Golden Link Senior Center. Paul Dubuque, Commander of American Legion Nels T Wold Post 20, was the MC. He welcomed the four organizations that make up the Veteran’s Council; American Legion Post 20 and Auxiliary, Disabled American Veterans #14 and Auxiliary, VFW Post 1902 and Auxiliary, and Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Committee of Crookston. Each organization offered a tribute and laid a wreath in honor of Veterans. George French and the UMC Choir provided music, and the Golden Link provided lunch for all veterans and an evening meal for Veterans and their guests, Veteran widows, and widowers.
The evening program included Jim Urness Sargent at Arms, a Prisoner of War/Missing Man Table ceremony by Jamie and Bill Cassavant, and meal prayer by Gerry Moreno. Tables were decorated with placemats from Cathedral School students and Thank you notes from the Trinity JAM students. Following dinner, George French entertained with piano selections. Emily Tate, Ms. Crookston American Legion Auxiliary essay contest winner, read her essay on caring for Veterans. Jean Tate, a niece of World War 2 MIA Moses Tate, told the story of how the military identified his remains and brought him home to be laid to rest on October 27, 2022.
