Happy Birthday, Army: Thanks for Bringing Us Together!
During college, one of my friends always had the best birthday celebrations. I remember how I thought his birthday was my favorite birthday (even more than my own!) because it was always such a good time.
Thinking over why this might be, it can of course be attributed, in part, to the friend we were celebrating, but my bigger reason for always loving his birthday best was because it brought people together. It never failed, we all wanted to be there having a great time when it was this guy’s birthday.
That’s what the best kind of birthdays do, right? Bring people together.
June 14, 2018, is the Army’s 243rd birthday. What an amazing reason to bring people together for a celebration! There are many local Army Birthday events held across the nation, but as I found on the main Morale, Welfare, and Recreation website, this year’s Army Birthday Ball in Washington, D.C. has a special theme to celebrate.
This year marks one hundred years since the end of World War I in 1918. As such, the theme for the 243rd birthday celebration of our Army is “Over There! A Celebration of Army Heroes from World War I to Present Day.” The theme is dedicated to the service of the Army’s soldiers and our nation’s allies over the last one hundred years.
I had the opportunity to attend a locally hosted Army Birthday Ball, and the overall feelings it left me with were honor and pride.
Maybe you’ve had similar feelings if you’ve ever attended a formal military ball. Did you wind up feeling all the feels while listening to the keynote speaker?
Maybe the words you felt honored to hear came from a senior leader with many years of service, dedication, and lots of military history. I remember hearing from one such speaker who could offer inspiration pulling from his rich military history and the hopes he has for the future of the Army and service members.
A hundred years have passed between WWI and now—give yourself a moment to think about that much history. Even though we might not have the chance to soak in the honor of being in the same room as a WWI veteran this year, we can find ways to offer tribute to and be proud of those who served.
Personally, I would like to offer the following recognition in honor of my great-grandfather, Charles C. Stoeber. He was 24 years old when he entered the United States Naval Auxiliary Forces as an ensign during WWI. He served as an engineer on the USS Matsonia, which was a troop transport ship taking our soldiers to and from Europe.
During his service, he was recognized for emergency repair work he completed in the ship’s engine room. What a story that must have been, if I only had the honor to hear it firsthand! How many WWI Army heroes have his repair work to thank for safe transport?
I never got to meet or be in the same room as my great-grandfather, but I’m proud of his service and am happy to honor him here today.
This year’s Army Birthday Ball theme gave me the chance to connect with my family through learning about my great-grandfather. I didn’t grow up hearing many military stories even though my family has veteran service members. To collect up what I wanted to write for his tribute, I worked with my parents, my aunts, a second cousin, and my brother-in-law. This within-family research brought us together just like any birthday celebration would have.
Let’s remember, on our Army’s 243rd birthday, to honor all of our soldiers, allies, and service members. Happy Birthday, Army, and thank you for this amazing opportunity to bring people together to celebrate a century full of memories!
Would you like to honor a WWI veteran by sharing about their service in the comments below? Are you unsure if your family has any veteran stories you’ve never heard? Start finding your history today.
