Eleven courthouse chimes mark 100th anniversary of World War I’s end

Veteran’s Day 2018 marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I begins in Front Royal, as it did across the nation, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month – the date and time when the armistice ended the most horrific war mankind at the time had experienced. Photos/Roger Bianchini

The 100^th anniversary of the end of the First World War was marked Sunday, November 11, as the Warren County Courthouse clock chimed 11 times – the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month – and American Legion Post 53 Vice-Commander Clarence Hartsell began a quiet, 45-minute ceremony.

A relatively small crowd of about 60 gathered in the courthouse grounds, most of them veterans. Many wore distinctive Legion caps, and others were wrapped in coats against the 45-degree weather, depicting their service of record. Despite the first cold snap of the season, skies were blue and brilliant sunshine provided some warmth for speakers and spectators alike.

The Sunday ceremony’s attendance was obviously affected by its clash with regular church services throughout the area and this year, being a Sunday observance of Veterans Day, no school bands were available.  However on this 100^th anniversary of the end of the first great global conflict of the 20^th Century, organizers felt it important to mark the occasion on the precise date and time of the armistice that halted a war so horrific in its modern weaponry and casualty count that it was for a short time believed to be a war that would end widespread human warfare.

For whom the bell tolls…

Commemorative wreaths were laid at memorial sites on opposite sides of the courthouse forecourt saluting town and county service personnel who’d given their lives in America’s wars, while others honored all of those who fought in World War I, the “war to end all wars.”

Appropriately, the Giles B. Cook Post 53 of the American Legion introduced U.S. Marine Corps veteran William Sealock, a Front Royal Town Councilor, whose military record included active duty in five combat zones, including those in Vietnam and the Middle East, who said he was there to honor all veterans of all wars.

Sealock described himself, born in 1944, as a “war baby”, offspring of a Gold Star mother. He came of a military family whose members served, some dying, in World War II, and in later American wars.

He revealed he was wounded on the battlefield in South Vietnam but cited one of his duties as a Marine Corps “grunt” as a career highlight – it was as a mailman for the troops during “Operation Starlight” in which 42 marines died.

Vietnam vet and Front Royal Town Councilman William Sealock recalled a personal and emotional side of the experience of war.

The mail carrier brought brief moments of joy to those caught up in the heat of battle and the soldier who delivered welcome news from home declared he had “no apology for being a ‘grunt’  performing this duty. Sealock rose through the ranks to retire as a Chief Warrant Officer and returned to civilian life as a Defense Department contractor. After serving on the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority Board of Directors, he was elected to Town Council in 2016. (To see and listen to Sealock’s approximately 15-minute welcoming address, guest speaker Larry Funk, and a complete video of the ceremony, go to the Royal Examiner video presentation accompanying this article)

Hartsell called for a moment’s silence for those who died in battle while guest speaker Funk, Post 53 commander, honored “every man and woman who has honorably served their country in every war since the Revolutionary War.”

A salute to those who have served as taps is sounded to bring this Veterans Day ceremony to a close.

He noted that while the “war to end all wars” – World War I – did not live up to its reputation, it did lead to the formation of the American Legion which then, and to this day, is in the business of alleviating the stresses of Americans returning from active duty. He noted that homelessness is most prevalent today among veterans and he offered a cure: employment. He asked potential employers to give major consideration to employing veterans, particularly those who have been wounded in service.

“Give them who gave us our precious freedoms a shot at the American dream,” he implored.

Among organizations represented at the 2018 annual ceremony, apart from various other officers of the American Legion, were: Jeff Cook, Commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 1860;  Dennis Henline, Exalted Ruler, Fraternal Order of the Elks, 2382; Richard Crawford, Veteran’s Chairman, Elks, 2382; and Wayne Sealock, Governor, Lodge 829, Loyal Order of the Moose.

Opening prayer and benediction were by Cindy Kokernak while John Kokernak sounded “Taps” to end the ceremony.  This year just one dog was in attendance, Cody, accompanied by his pal Stephen Kurtz.

Giles B. Cook American Legion Post 53 Commander Larry Funk delivered the keynote address.

(Our contributing writer, Malcolm Barr Sr., is a veteran of the Royal Air Force, and his son, Malcolm  Barr Jr., is an Iraq war vet who served 10 years with the U.S. Air Force and represents a contracting company in military intelligence adjacent to Langley AFB in Virginia. Barr Sr. recollects attending every Armistice Day (now Veterans Day in the U.S.) since emigrating from the UK in 1955, often more recently with a canine companion representing the “dogs of war”)