Veteran's Day Celebration and Remembrance

Many years ago, Jeff Oerding started inviting all his veteran friends and their spouses out for dinner to celebrate Veteran's Day and then took them to the Veteran's Day dance at Pearson Air Museum. At some point, Bill and I started to be included. Since their marriage a few years ago, Jeff and Julie have continued this tradition every year although the evening has changed a little bit in the past few years because the Pearson Air Museum no longer has the Veteran's Day dance. Jeff and Julie always wear one of their many vintage uniforms that they own. They set up displays, have readings--usually about WWII, introduce everyone attending and their contributions to the military and ask them to tell their stories. Neither one of them has ever been in the military but they are part of a WWII living history group and have such a passion for military history and keeping it alive. It is so wonderful that they think enough of veterans to honor them in this way. And it is an honor to be included in this group of veterans.