By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
The sky was crisp and blue. A light wind kept the flags waving and the red, white and blue bunting fluffing as an audience gathered in between the USS Stewart and the USS Cavalla. It was an ideal setting with ideal weather for the large crowd who had come to commemorate American veterans at the Galveston Naval Museum.
Children with their parents and adults without children explored the ships before the ceremony began. Entrance to the museum was free on Veterans Day, and many people took the time to both enjoy the museum and to honor our nation’s veterans.
Young John Listowski and his sister Lilly came with their mother and grandmother. The children have several grandparents who have served in the military, and one of their great-grandfathers served in WWII.
“Every year we look for a ceremony to take the kids, and this year, I found the Galveston Naval Museum while searching on the internet,” said the children’s mother.
The Listowski family had enjoyed exploring the historic submarine.
Ball High School ROTC were included in the ceremony. The ROTC presented the colors as the ceremony opened. The national anthem prerecorded by the Aggie Sea Choir embraced the hearts of the people.
Sgt. Ivan Hammond, who had served as a Marine radio operator at Iwo Jima, attended the ceremony with his daughters. Hammond celebrated his 100th birthday in August.
“We are grateful for every day we have our father with us,” said his daughter. “And the weather was perfect for our dad to attend today.”
Keynote speaker Col. Michael Fossum inspired the attendees with his military journey, starting from when he first joined.
“My hair was shoulder length, and all I knew it meant by joining the corps is that there was a haircut in my future,” Retired Air Force Col. Fossum shared with the audience of many veterans and their families, who chuckled in understanding. He had committed to the corps at Texas A&M as a way of paying for his college tuition and has no regrets.
In concluding his speech, he put out a call to action.
“It is up to all of us to spread the message to our kids and grandkids why we love America and what we can do to make it better,” Fossum said.
Fossum currently serves as vice president of Texas A&M University at Galveston. His career in the Air Force included flying 34 different aircraft as a test pilot. In 1992, he left active duty and turned to flying as an astronaut with NASA. He retired from the Air Force in 2010.
