By By Adrienne McKenzie
Atmore's American Legion Auxiliary honored those who fought for their country in World War II Saturday morning with a brunch.
According to Mary Stanley, president of the Women's Auxiliary, the event was great and had a good turnout.
"We wanted to do this while there are still plenty of them (WWII veterans) able to come and enjoy the brunch," Stanley said. "I think it went very well."
American Legion commander Aubrey Stanley gave a speech in honor of WWII veterans before the brunch began Saturday morning.
"This is your day," Aubrey Stanley said. "Wasn't it wonderful this morning to get up and do what you wanted to do? I want to thank you for what you've done in the past. As long as the Legion is here, you'll never be forgotten."
The morning included a lighting of a memorial candle, a POW/MIA ceremony and an armed forces medley.
Mary Stanley also gave a salute to the veterans of WWII.
"Many people viewed World War II as a continuation of World War I," she said. "World War I lacked a dramatically decisive conclusion. Hitler advanced the idea that the German army would have triumphed if it had not been for the German Revolution at home. Twenty-two years later, this idea was used to convince the German people that a second world war would be winnable."
According to Mary Stanley, WWII was the most horrific war in the history of human beings.
"World War II was a global military conflict that, in terms of lives lost and material destruction, was the most devastating war in human history," she said. "More than any previous war, World War II involved the commitment of the nation's entire economic and human resources. The most important determinants of its outcome were industrial capacity and personnel. In the last stages, two radically new weapons were introduced, the long-range rocket and the atomic bomb."
Mary Stanley said United States citizens should be proud of "G.I's."
"The term 'G.I.' is a World War II term that was very controversial in the beginning because of the designated characterization of 'government issue,'" she said. "The term 'G.I.' did prevail and two generations later continues to conjure up the warmest and proudest memories of a nobel war that pitted pure good against pure evil, and the good triumphed. The victors in World War II were the American G.I.s."
According to Mary Stanley, when soldiers fight in war together they become family.
"While men in combat outfits kid each other around, sometimes even fighting each other, there is sort of a family complex about it," she said. "No outsiders may join. They fought for each other as well and the ultimate goal was survival of the unit and the return home to the normalcy of their former lives. It was never the same. These soldiers knew that this war was decisively won with surrender documents being signed. The job started by their fathers, grandfathers, uncles, etc. in World War I was now finished. God has blessed our country through your service. May God continue to bless you and God bless America."
WWII veterans who signed the guestbook at the brunch in their honor included, W.C. Bedsole, Lloyd Biggs, Raymond Norris, Joel Day, James Forte, Eugene McLain, Garth Branch, Homer Nix, Charlie Stallworth, Jack Smith, Jack Lufkin, Lee Roy Findley, Charlie Weeks, Edwin Fore, Lafayette Sowell, James Morgan, Albert Huninghake, Jethro Dailey, Lavon Lee Martin and Byard Swift.