Veterans Day Thanks

Happy Veterans Day to all women and men serving and who have served in all of the branches of the United States Military.

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?Thank you for your service. We, civilian citizens, are proud of you. Please be proud of what you have done, of what you do daily and of what you will do.

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I am particularly thankful to my father, Commander James Tourtelotte (United States Navy and United States Naval Reserve).

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He finished studies at the University of MA, entered and succeed at the Officer Candidate School at the US Naval War College in Newport Rhode Island, served as a radar officer on the aircraft carrier, the USS Lake Champlain that picked up Alan Shepard after his historic Freedom 7 mission to space, finished his active duty honorably, went to law school, earned his law degree, passed the Massachusetts and Washington, DC bar exams, and became a lawyer all the while serving in the United States Naval Reserve.

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I love and respect the oceans and seas, thanks to my father, mother and United States Navy.

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I also wish to personally thank the following woman, men and organizations:

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Martin Tourtelotte (US Army – The Vietnam War)

Shaun Tourtelotte (US Army – The Persian Gulf War)

John T. Murphy (US Navy – World War II)

William Sweeney (US Navy – World War II)

Thomas Sweeney (US Navy – World War II)

John “Ted” Theodore Reilly (US Army - World War II and The Korean War)

Alan Robinson (US Air Force)

Gabriel Perzely (US Army)

Margaret Peterlin (US Navy)

Kurt Sanger (US Marines)

Matt Pothier (US Navy)

Mike Hayes (US Navy)

Keith C. Phillips (US Army)

Dan Walsh, Sr. (US Marines)

Ben Walsh (US Marines)

Evan Brodie (US Army)

Aaron J. Franklin (US Air Force)

Chris Carden (US Air Force)

The Navy ROTC Program at the College of the Holy Cross

The Boston College Veterans Memorial

The US Naval War College

Veteran Nurses who work at Mercy Hospital and Baystate Memorial Hospital

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I have tried to remember those who I am graced to know who serve and who have served. If I have mistakenly omitted anyone, I will try to amend this post. If there are errors, I thank my friends and family in advance for helping me to correct them and all of you for your indulgence.

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I have not yet had the fortune to know enough of the valiant women who serve our country. I hope that changes.

Here is a picture of my father when he was a young Naval officer.