National Veterans Day Celebration, Birmingham AL

10-11 November 2006

ALSSAR/ALSDAR/ALSCAR Well Represented

     Celebration of the 59th observance of National Veterans Day in Birmingham drew superb participation by the Alabama Societies of the Sons, Daughters and Children of the American Revolution.  ALSSAR’s President COL Larry Cornwell, ALSDAR’s Regent Shelby Ward, and honorary President “Miss Jo” Thomas of CAR, were featured distinguished guests at the gala National Veterans Award Banquet in the downtown Birmingham Boutwell Auditorium on Friday evening, 10 November.

     As a part of the series of events, at 5:00PM on Friday, LTG Hal Moore, USA (Ret) of “We Were Soldiers Once, And Young” fame, led a “Raymond Weeks Walk of Honor” from the historic Tutwiler Hotel through Linn Park to pay honors to the founder of America’s Veterans Day.  Weeks was the leader of an Alabama delegation between 1947-1954 which culminated in then President Eisenhower’s redesignation of Armistice Day to become a national observance to pay respect of ALL veterans of ALL wars in 1954.  Thus, Birmingham is known as the “home” of National Veterans Day.

     Following the annual “Distinguished Guests Reception” in the upstairs of Boutwell Auditorium, over thirty members of the SAR, DAR and CAR joined a contingent of Gold Star Wives and Mothers in becoming a very significant part of the “overflow” crowd for the 59th annual presentation of the National Veteran Award to General Moore for his lifetime of service to America.  National, State and local dignitaries habitually flock to Birmingham annually to seize the opportunity to be a part of this annual National event.

     Attending the banquet this year were members of Birmingham, Black Warrior, Cahaba-Coosa, Cheaha and Montgomery Chapters, ALSSAR along with State and National officers of the DAR.

     For a number of years in the ‘70’s and early ‘80’s Compatriot Glenn Nivens was honored to serve as the Department of Defense Regional Coordinator for this world-famous Veterans observance event.  Nivens helped to coordinate this involvement by the ALSSAR, and would hope that this becomes a significant annual event for the joint Sons, Daughters and Children of the American Revolution.  Conceptually, in future years, we might constitute a parade element to project our uniformed Color Guard boldly before the vast audience which lines the downtown streets of B’ham from 1:00-4:00PM on Veterans Day.

     It is indeed a magnificent opportunity for we Sons of America’s FIRST Veterans to be engaged “front and center” with this recurring annual assembly of leaders and representatives all ALL National Veterans Organizations from throughout America.  This annual observance is held each November 10 & 11 regardless of the days of the week…so plan now for next National Veterans Day in Birmingham.

                                                           R. Glenn Nivens

                                                           US Army, Infantry, Combat Veteran

                                                           ALSSAR Event Coordinator