Honoring All Veterans

Veterans Day.  What does this day mean to you?  Does it mean you have the long weekend with the Monday off?  Does it mean you have an early shopping day in preparation for Thanksgiving Day?  It’s not Memorial Day weekend where it’s warm and everyone is headed outdoors for a big BBQ kick off the summer.  It’s Veterans Day, originally known as Armistice Day.  An official public holiday observed on November 11 each year in the United States.  This day honors our military veterans; men and women who have served and continue to serve in the United States Armed Forces.  The day is synchronized with Remembrance Day and Armistice Day, which is celebrated by other countries to mark the anniversary of the end of World War I.  In 1918, on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour, the armistice ended the fighting of WWI. 100 years ago yesterday! Some 21 years later, in September 1939, WWII began and the plot of this story.

This is a story of my Paw-Paw.  My grandfather by marriage, who may be titled as a step-grandfather, but to me, MY Paw-Paw.  Loyed Howard Bedford, served during the Burma Campaign.  Battles fought in the British Colony of Burma, in South East Asia,  to the south of China.   I heard many of his war stories when I was younger, as did my brothers, Haven and Chris Thomas.  We would listen to him tell of his journeys and wonder how he survived.  What touches my heart most is he is the fact he still shares his amazing stories which is the exact reason I decide to share this with others; to honor him and ALL Veterans.  In June of this year, Mitzi Tyler Jeter, a school mate I’ve not seen in over 38 years posted on Facebook about chatting with an older gentleman while shopping.  “I saw an older gentleman sitting on a bench alone.  He was wearing a cap with a Calvary insignia on it.  I walked over and asked him if he had been in the Calvary and he said yes.  I sat down, thanked him for his service and he began telling me a few stories.  He was in the Calvary in Indonesia, India and China, patrolling the Burma Road on a mule.  He fought the Japanese and transported supplies on these mules.  What wonderful stories!  He said he was 93. I loved their stories and respected their service and grit!  They’re not going to be with us much longer, and I can’t thank them enough for all they’ve done and want to hear more of their stories”.   After reading her post, I immediately knew this was my Paw-Paw she was writing about.  I was so excited to find out for sure this was definitely Loyed H. Bedford, after I shared

a recent photo of him with her.

He was a member of the Mars Task Force, The Calvary of the Burma Campaign.

Cavalry Scouts used their special training to obtain, distribute, and share vital combat and battlefield information on the enemy and on combat circumstances and environmental conditions. Burma wasn’t always the typical hot blazing jungle as one may expect.  With elevations over 17,000 feet, some days water would freeze inside their canteens depending on the trail they would be assigned along the 117 miles of the Burma Road that linked Burma with southwest China.

Later  a new road was built in Northern Burma, The Ledo Road, which ran from Ledo, Assam through Myitkyina and connected to the old Burma Road at Wandingzhen, Yunnan, China.

From me, my family and friends, many thanks to my paw-paw and May God Bless him and all veterans.