One of his diary entries exemplifies an extraordinary patriotism among soldiers, even as they were being marched to their deaths. "Bad news for us. President Roosevelt's death. We all felt bad about it. We held a prayer service for the repose of his soul," Acevedo wrote on April 13, 1945.
It adds, "Burdeski died today."
To this day, Acevedo still remembers that soldier. He wanted to perform a tracheotomy using his diary pen to save Burdeski, a 41-year-old father of six children. A German commander struck Acevedo in the jaw with a rifle when he asked.
"I'll never forget," he says
-- "WW II vet held in Nazi slave camp breaks silence"
Veteran's Day is 11/11 because it is the day that brought WWI, the war to end all wars (the trick is not to call them "wars"), to an end. Let us truly honor them by not only remembering, but doing our best to keep them from harm's way.