Veterans Day in Delray Beach

Sgt. Thomas E. Smith

My dad died 10 years too soon.

As a member of the Greatest Generation, he had served in World War II as an infantry sergeant and tank commander of Company B 805th Tank Destroyer Battalion. He chased Gen. Erwin Rommel through the North African desert where my dad's tank was blown up in February 1943.

He then spent six months, lying on a board floating in water. Patched up and because the U.S. Army was short of men, he was shipped to Italy. The Allied Forces were battling the Nazis in Operation Shingle for four months in early 1944 at Anzio Beachhead.

He was injured there, too, by shrapnel that stuck in his spine and supposedly he would be paralyzed. His separation papers state that he "was in charge of a battery of 4 guns 76mm anti tank. Directed fire and led platoon into combat action mostly in Italian campaign."

He was a decorated war hero. Among his medals, he received the Purple Heart, the American Defense Service Medal and the European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal for his role in preserving our freedom. And he did walk daily for many decades.

But he did not live long enough to see the renewed spirit of patriotism, sparked by former NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw's 1998 book aptly named, The Greatest Generation.

To honor my dad, Sgt. Thomas E. Smith, I headed to Delray Beach on Veterans Day where festivities included a ceremony and parade and lots of walking. Here's what I saw:

Veterans Park was packed with war heroes and their loved ones.

People wore patriotic colors of red, white and blue.

WWII vets were acknowledged by the Delray Beach mayor.

Delray Beach Mayor Cary Glickstein gave a rousing patriotic speech. His
commission colleagues Vice Mayor Shelly Petrolia and Deputy Vice Mayor
Jordana Jarjura are on the right. Behind the mayor is the American Legion/
Veterans of Foreign Wars color guard.

This Atlantic High School band trumpeter was one of two who played "Taps."

After the ceremony, a parade marched west on Atlantic Avenue. The WWII
vets, of course, were treated to a golf cart-ride.

The Atlantic High School Band performed while marching west on Atlantic.

This group of Girl Scouts carried a banner that read, "Thank you, veterans!"

I felt renewed in spirit and added another .9 mile to my daily walking total. My heartfelt thanks go out to all men and women who have and are serving our country, with a special hug of gratitude to my dad.

And now, for my numbers

I had my best walking day last week on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014, when I walked:

Steps: 11,740

Miles: 5.8