PAPILLION, Neb. (KMTV) — Veteran Michael Milson spent the day of remembrance sharing and honoring the meaning behind the red poppy flower.
- The red poppy is a symbol of sacrifice for those who served
- He visited places like the Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial to share the flower and its meaning
- As he passed out flowers, Milson exchanged stories with other veterans
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A red poppy flowers is a symbol of sacrifice those that served gave and one veteran spends every Veteran’s Day visiting places like the Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial to hand out small poppy flowers to veterans and their families.
"It’s a way to remember those who died in combat that didn't make it home," veteran Michael Milson said.
The poppy came out of World War I from a poem called "In Flanders Fields" and Milson, a veteran who served in the Iran-Iraq War, spends his veteran days going around handing out a small poppy flower to fellow veterans and families, sharing and honoring the meaning behind the red flower.
"For me it's not going out and getting a free breakfast somewhere or having a barbecue with my family,” Milson said. “It's about coming to places like this where I can visit other men like me and remember.”
As he passes out the flowers, he stops and shares stories with other veterans along the way.
"It usually ends up with a conversation of when you served, what branch what was your job and 'oh yea I was there at a similar time' and 'do you remember such and such 'and we can take what we are feeling in our remembrance and laugh with each other,” he said.
Milson said this day allows him to meet with others who have served and experience the bond they all share, and he was just one of many veterans who stopped at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Tom Rasmussen visited the memorial for his first time on Veterans Day, wearing his red poppy flower, something that he said he needed to do.
"Its special day to remember our brothers and sisters, especially the ones that didn't make it back, so I like to honor them,” Rasmussen said.
Whether it's a flower or a sincere thank you, on Veterans Day, America thanks all who sacrificed.
