Archive | November 11, 2008

These Deaths Have Been Brought To You By The Number Eleven

Everything you need to know about Veterans Day – from Bill Anderson:

Flag Eagle! At 11 a.m. on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, 90 years ago today, the fighting on the Western Front stopped. What most people do not know is that because the generals wanted the 11-11-11 slot, there was another 11 on 11-11-1918: thousands of men, including my great uncle, Ralph Cowell, fell that day. Ralph was one of 320 Americans to lose his life before 11 a.m.

There needed to be no fighting that day. The Germans had agreed to pull back, and everyone was anxious for the fighting to end. But that was not good enough for the powers that be, who wanted to do something cute with the number 11.


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