The end of an era

WWI, the Great War and the one that was supposed to end all wars and as usual, they were wrong. War really never stops, it just packs up, moves to another place, sort of like a road show. This war was supposed to be different; it was fought in trenches mixed between attacks with gas and machine gun fire.

We had a lot of songs then, patriotic songs that made people feel good inside as they would watch American troops smartly parade to their individual and unit meetings with glory. At least that is what everyone thought back then, glory.

The truth was harder to accept; it was easier and made one feel better to assume this was simply a walk in the park. The songs all said so, it had to be true. The truth was war is hell, it brings out the warrior that lives within everyone and every person who served then, just as they do now, deserves the respect and gratitude of a nation.

On March 2^nd, the last combat veteran of WWI was laid to rest in Portland Oregon. As the echoes of a 21 gun salute and a bugler playing Taps, Retired Army Cpl. Howard V. Ramsey, passed away exactly one month before reaching his 109th birthday.

Military.com reported there are seven known WWI veterans still living, none were shipped overseas, making Ramsey the last known combat veteran of "The Great War.

Rest in peace Cpl. Ramsey.