Remembering Somalia, April 1, 2024

• Remembering Somalia, April 1, 2024
• Remembering Somalia, April 1, 2024

Post Chaplain Kenneth Ramsey. O Lord, we thank you for the sacrifices our veterans who served in Somalia made for us and for world peace. We gather here in these moments to remember them. May this day be a day of commemoration to honor those who served, amen.

Please join me in the pledge of allegiance.

Americans consider themselves to be compassionate people, and the United States military has a long tradition of humanitarian relief operations both within and outside the continental United States.

Never has this humanitarian impulse proven more dangerous to follow than in 1992 when the United States intervened to arrest famine in the midst of an ongoing civil war in the East African country of Somalia.

Ultimately, hundreds of thousands were saved from starvation, but unintended involvement in Somali’s civil strife cost the lives of 30 American soldiers, four Marines, and eight Air Force personnel during the years of 1992 and 1994.

The American military had established the conditions for peace in the midst of a famine and civil war, but, unlike later in Bosnia, the factions were not exhausted from the fighting and were not yet willing to stop killing each other and anyone caught in the middle.

There was no peace to keep, and the United States withdrew all military combat troops in March 1994. The American G.I. had, as always, done their best under difficult circumstances to perform a complex and often confusing mission. But the best military in the world can only lay the foundation for peace; they cannot create peace itself.

Will now lay our memorial wreath in honor of those who served.

Our final tribute is the sounding of taps for those lost and those who served and survived but have since passed. Bugler sound taps!

Thank you for being here today. You are true patriots. Without you, this day would have gone by unnoticed in Shelby County.

This ends our program and thank you again and hope you have a good day.

FYI there are no programs in April, and our next patriotic gathering will be for Loyalty Day, Wednesday, May 1, 2024.

Shelby County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8904,

VFW hosting veterans’ breakfast this Saturday

Center will host a Veterans Breakfast at Tasha’s Country Kitchen in San Augustine on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at 9 a.m.