EDITORIAL: Honor veterans on Armed Forces Day

May 18—Our community recently celebrated at the Armed Forces Day Parade, but let's also honor military veterans this weekend.

The 138th Tactical Fighter Wing of the U.S. Air Force sent two F-16s from the Oklahoma Air National Guard during a flyover at the McAlester Armed Forces Day Parade on May 6.

Festivities also includes flyovers by an A-26 World War II bomber, C-45 cargo planes and A-T-6 trainer planes, plus a parade with several entries highlighted by a performance from the McAlester High School Marching Band and more.

The previous day brought the annual Armed Forces Day Luncheon that featured

Festivities brought hundreds to downtown McAlester to celebrate a theme of the 80th anniversary of the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant and honoring the U.S. Marines.

The events brought a ton of fun for our community — but it's also important that we show military veterans our appreciation.

Armed Forces Day is a day to honor all branches of the military and their goal of readiness for any eventuality. It is celebrated the third Saturday each May.

Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced on Aug. 31, 1949 the creation of Armed Forces Day to replace separate days recognizing the Army, Navy and Air Force. The single-day celebration coincided with the unification of the Armed Forces under one department — the Department of Defense — and each military league was asked to drop its individual days to adopt the newly created one. The Marine Corps League declined to drop support for Marine Corps Day but supports Armed Forces Day, too. President Harry Truman proclaimed the first Armed Forces Day on Feb. 27, 1950.

"Teamed for Defense" was the theme for the first Armed Forces Day to express unification of all the military forces under a single department. It also served as an "educational program for civilians" to increase awareness of the Armed Forces and expand public understanding of military's role in civilian life.

Our community has a deep military history and we hope everyone takes time to honor our veterans.

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