A Veteran's Veteran
By Jane Hampton
Cook
“YAHOOOOO!”
Such
was the burst of enthusiasm in my email inbox last month. The
occasion was simple. Dennis Ebersole, my friend Mary’s
husband, was home safely from his military deployment.
“We
have been SOOOO blessed by the prayers and support of all our
family and friends. We are so excited and happy to have him home,” she continued,
thanking God.
Mary’s
sacrifice is similar to many military wives. When Ebersole, a
Navy reservist, was called to active duty in March, Mary
forfeited the support of dual parenting. For eight months she
took care of three children under age four—including a
newborn—by herself. She suffered through many sicknesses and
two trips to the emergency room. She also served as the primary
caretaker of her father, who lives with her and is battling
Parkinson’s Disease and prostate cancer. Perhaps
Mary’s greatest sacrifices were peace of mind and rest.
Because of the need to protect the “operational security” of
Ebersole’s unit, Mary did not know where in the world he was.
When
Ebersole came home from his unknown location, Mary wanted to
throw him a party, but he opted for a quiet celebration. All he
wanted was to be in a “cocoon” with his family and surround
himself with the bountiful energy of their two boys and baby
girl.
Ebersole
is among thousands who will one day earn the distinction of
veteran. George Washington called the first veterans “one
patriotic band of brothers.” What binds each generation of
veterans to the next is their sacrificial commitment to live
loudly for liberty.
One
of the first veterans and his wife made a heartbreaking
sacrifice for freedom. Henry and Lucy Knox had been married a
year when they decided to “elope” in 1775. Her father was an
ardent loyalist, unwaveringly in his support of
Britain. But Knox’s patriot soul felt shackled after
Bostonsuccumbed to absolute military occupation by the British army.
He longed to join the militia surrounding his hometown. Lucy and
Henry sealed their pledge to join the American Revolution with
stitches. After sewing his sword into her coat’s lining, they
crept through the darkness into nearby Cambridge. There Knox joined the minutemen while Lucy became a refugee,
staying at various places throughout the war. Their decision
resulted in complete separation from her family, who refused to
correspond with her.
“Not
a line! My God! What stuff is the human heart made of? Although
father, mother, sister, and brother have forgotten you, yet, my
love, your Harry will ever esteem you the best boon of
Heaven,” Knox wrote to comfort Lucy.
Knox’s
sacrifices continued unabated through a brutal war lasting eight
tumultuous years. As a bookseller, Knox knew how to keep an
inventory. General Washington put him in charge of the big guns
and all things artillery. He proved himself so capable that Washington
entrusted him with the details of crossing the icy Delaware River
in 1776. After Benedict Arnold’s treason, Washington
needed someone willing to make sacrifices and lead West Point
. Knox was the man.
The
highest honor came at the war’s end. Knox was among the first
to join the revolution and the last to leave. After resigning as
commander-in-chief,
Washingtonpassed his job to Knox, who finished the task of dissolving the
Continental Army in January 1784.
Knox
then made a critical observation. What would become of these
patriots who had sacrificed so much for liberty? Knox again
turned his know-how into action, making him a veteran’s
veteran. With some lobbying, Knox convinced his former officers
to donate one month’s pay for a veteran’s fund. He founded
the Society of Cincinnatus, the first veterans’ group.
And
when Knox was finally able to go home, he—like Ebersole last
month—sought only the embrace of domestic tranquility,
shouting the continental equivalent of “Yahooo!”
“Having
brought the affairs here nearly to a close, I shall soon depart
for Boston, for which place Mrs. Knox and her little family set
out from New York (to meet in Boston),” Knox wrote Washington.
Veteran’s
Day is a time to remember and thank those who have served, from
Henry Knox to Dennis Ebersole. Their sacrifices are great and
often unspoken, but they do not need to go unnoticed.
Veteran’s Day gives Americans an opportunity to express
gratitude to those who have sacrificed family, fortune, and
felicity for the cause of liberty.
And,
so, to all veterans today: “Thank you for your service. Thank
you for your sacrifice. Thank you for living loudly for
liberty.”
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