The Greatest Volunteer
A City employee reflects on honoring our greatest volunteers

The City of Norfolk has kept a special Holiday set aside to honor our greatest volunteers that encompasses members from every department in the city. It is a day to remember those who have given their time, and even their lives to serve and protect the rights, liberties, and freedom of every American in our country. To all citizens, it is known as Veteran’s Day.

Formally known as Armistice Day, in honor of those Americans who fought in World War One, this special Holiday grew to honor all of the American servicemen and women who stood brave on the front lines and fought in every war that our country has been in.

For many of us it is a day to place the American flag by the headstone of our loved ones who fought for our country in wars past. It is a time to pause from our daily routine and give a small prayer to those veterans who are still on the front lines, and for those only the few remember. And for many of us it is a time to shed a tear in fond remembrance of those we loved, and who are with us no more.

It is a time to be thankful for all that we have, because of the sacrifice of so many. A time to know that freedom is not free, but something that has to be defended.

For anyone who has been to the many Veterans hospitals, they could see for themselves the great cost of freedom our country has paid. They can see the young but broken bodies, the shattered nerves, and the soldier and sailor who will never have the same life of a youth full of great dreams. They can see the old veteran who sits alone, staring out of the window, too traumatized to speak, looking at a battle that was fought in a land far away, in a time long ago.

They are hallowed places where you stand quiet in reserved humbleness, and with a deep respect for the fallen. Places of rest for the honorable, the valiant, and the brave souls of our nation.

Veteran’s Day is special to those who take the time every day to raise the American flag at sunrise and lower it at sunset. It is a time honored tradition for those who understand what our flag represents, and what it means to serve under Old Glory.

It is a special day for those who have visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in our nation’s capitol. In 1921 six soldiers were selected from the Army of Occupation in Germany to act as pallbearers. They met at Chalons-sur-Marne in France where they were interviewed by General Rodgers. Of those six soldiers, Sergeant Edward F Younger of the 59th Infantry was selected to choose one of four caskets that held an unknown American soldier to be interned at Arlington Cemetery. His choice would be the one to symbolize all of the unknown dead of our country.

Realizing the enormous importance of his mission, Sergeant Younger bowed his head and began to walk around the four standing coffins of his fallen comrades. He walked three times around them, but on the fourth round he was involuntarily drawn to the second casket. In reverence he laid down a bouquet of white roses on it, stood and saluted, and then reported to his commanding officer that his mission was accomplished.

On the 11th month, and on the 11th day, at 11:00 a.m. in the year of 1921, the casket was lowered into the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
On the plain white marble tomb it is written, “Here rests in honored glory an American Soldier known but to God.”

It is understood that the respect was given to a soldier whose identity was lost, but whose sacrifice will not be forgotten. On Veteran’s Day, we can thank our greatest volunteers who have given so much to keep our nation free. They are the ones where “All gave some, some gave all.”

Contributed by Kevin T Collins, Norfolk Department of Utilities