Tag: military

This year, Veterans Day will be celebrated tomorrow, Tuesday, November 11.  VD is one of 11 federal holidays. Can you name the others? See below.

The holiday is always celebrated on the same date unless it falls on a Sunday, in which case it is celebrated on Monday, November 12.  This is a day on which we celebrate our living veterans as opposed to Memorial Day, which is reserved for those who gave their lives for our country.

The US Postal Service, schools, banks and most government entities, such as the DMV and local libraries will be closed. Financial markets will be open. Most retailers and other businesses will be open. Traditionally, many restaurants and golf courses offer discounts or freebies for veterans.

Many cities will hold parades. Who doesn’t love a parade? The largest parade will be in NYC (where else?), which will be returning for its 106th iteration. This year will mark the 250th anniversary of the US military. Parade organizers estimate that some 20,000 service members will be marching up Fifth Avenue from 25th Street to 47th Street accompanied by approximately 150 vehicles and in excess of 25 floats. Additionally, some 400,000 spectators are expected.

The festivities will commence with a wreath-laying ceremony starting at 10:55 a.m. at the Eternal Light Flagstaff in Madison Square Park. The parade will follow at 12:30 p.m. and conclude at around 3:30 p.m. It will be televised on ABC TV and streamed live on ABC7NY.com.

Many of you have requested a quiz.  So, here it is, and in honor of Veterans Day it has a military theme. Good luck and no peeking at the internet. No consulting “Alexa” or “Siri.”

1. Who was the US president during the first war against the Barbary Pirates? (a) George Washington, (b) John Adams, (c) Thomas Jefferson, (d James Monroe

2. The WWI battle that inspired the poem “In Flanders Field” took place in (a) Ardennes, (b) Charleroi, (c) Gallipoli, (d) Ypres

3. Each of the following presidents had been renowned generals, EXCEPT: a) Teddy Roosevelt, (b) Andrew Jackson, (c) Zachary Taylor, (d) Franklyn Pierce

4. “Pickett’s Charge” was the turning point of what Civil War battle? (a) Bull Run, (b) Manassas, (c) Gettysburg, (d) Fredericksburg

5. The “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” refers to which Revolutionary War battle? (a) Boston, (b) Lexington, (c) Concord, (d) NY

6. Tripoli, the stronghold of the Barbary Pirates, was located in what present-day country? (a) Libya, (b) Algeria, (c) Tunisia, (d)Egypt

7. The Alamo is located in which city? (a) Houston, (b) San Antonio, (c) Austin, (d) Galveston

8. The US fought the Gulf War against (a) Iran, (b) Syria, (c) Kuwait, (d) Iraq

9. Who said “Damn the torpedoes; full speed ahead.” (a) David Farragut, (b) John Paul Jones, (c) Ethan Allen, (d) Jonathan Eli

10. Which war resulted in the highest number of US casualties? (a) WWI, (b) WWII, (c) Korean War, (d) Civil War

11. Fort Sumter is located in which state? (a) North Carolina, (b) South Carolina, (c) Georgia, (d) Alabama

12. Custer’s Last Stand took place in which modern-day state? (a) North Dakota, (b) South Dakota, (c) Montana, (d) Idaho

13. Each of the following was a WWII battle in the Pacific theatre, EXCEPT (a) El Alamein, (b) Guadalcanal, (c) Okinawa, (d) Midway

14. Who was the US President during WWI? (a) Teddy Roosevelt, (b) Woodrow Wilson, (c) William Howard Taft, (d) Warren Harding

15. When General Douglas MacArthur said “I shall return,” to which country was he referring? (a) Australia, (b) New Guinea, (c) Guam, (d) Philippines

16. The Korean War began in (1) 1949, (b) 1950, (c) 1951, (d) 1952

17. Who was president during the Spanish-American War? (a) Grover Cleveland, (b) James Garfield, (c) Rutherford B. Hayes, (d) William McKinley

18. Where is Mt. Suribachi? (a) Iwo Jima, (b) Okinawa, (c) Tarawa, (d) Japan

19. Where is Vicksburg? (a) Alabama, (b) Louisiana, (c) Missouri, (d) Mississippi

20. When was the Veterans Administration founded? (a) 1870, (b) 1930, (c) 1950, (d) 1972

21. Which of the following was NOT a landing site on D-Day? (a) Silver, (b) Omaha, (c) Juno, (d) Sword.

22. Which British general surrendered at Yorktown ending the Revolutionary War? (a) Howe, (b) Clinton, (c) Cornwallis, (d) Burgoyne.

23. Each of the following cities was the site of fighting in the Iraq War battle EXCEPT: (a) Mosul, (b) Fallujah, (c) Baghdad, (d) Kamaleshwar.

24. Approximately, how many veterans are there living in the US? (a) 9.5 million, (b) 12.5 million, (c) 16 million, (d) 19.5 million?

25. Who was president during the War of 1812? (a) Thomas Jefferson, (b) John Adams, (c) James Monroe, (d) James Madison

ANSWERS: 1. c; 2. d; 3. a; 4. c; 5. c; 6. a; 7. b; 8. d; 9. a; 10. d; (more than all the other wars combined. 11. b; 12. c; 13. a; 14. b; 15. d; 16. b; 17. d. 18. a; 19. d; 20. b.; 21. a; 22. c; 23. d; 24. c; 25. d.

Federal holidays: New Year’s Day; MLK’s Birthday; G. Washington’s BD; Memorial Day; June Teenth National Independence

Federal holidays: New Year’s Day; MLK’s Birthday; G. Washington’s BD; Memorial Day; Juneteenth National Independence Day; Independence

Federal holidays: New Year’s Day; MLK’s Birthday; G. Washington’s BD; Memorial Day; Juneteenth National Independence Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Columbus Day; Veterans’ Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas.

Well, there you have it. Tell me how you did, well or (as my grandson used to say) “not so good.”