A call to arms to support fallen veterans

John Masterson named each military action involving the United States since the Revolutionary War during Memorial Day services at Iola’s American Legion Monday.
“Even those conflicts in which there were only a few deaths took someone’s husband or wife, son or daughter, mother or father, sister or brother, relative of friend,” Masterson said soberly. Almost 1 million Americans have now died in service to their country.
He encouraged the audience to honor all veterans and that “we need to be active and politically involved. … We need to hold our politicians accountable.”
Masterson recounted a boyhood memory to illustrate the political mire of war.
He noticed a cat darting down a street with a mouse in its mouth. Drawing on 1950s cartoons, Masterson thought mice — with Mickey and Mighty as examples — were good and cats were evil. He caught up to the cat, caused it to drop the mouse and picked it up. The mouse, apparently fearing further danger, bit Masterson on the finger.
“It seems too many times we have taken on the cat to be bitten by the mouse,” he said. “Since our military men and women cannot choose the campaigns in which they become involved, we must be their voice and make sure that the campaigns chosen by our presidents and legislators are worth the sacrifices that will surely be made. And that every effort is made to settle our differences peacefully before resorting to force.”
Masterson, a Navy veteran of the late 1960s, also noted the nation must not forget veterans and the wounds, physical and mental, that they suffer.
“Far too often politicians are more eager to send our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines into hostile situations than they are to take care of them when the campaign is over,” he said. “Veterans’ benefits must be protected.”

IOLA MUNICIPAL Band and representatives of several veterans organizations, including the sponsoring American Legion Leslie J. Campbell Post No. 15, were involved in the services held at the American Legion.
Robert Nelson, Legion commander, put the event together.