Street Photography. Occupy Wall Street: Foley Square NYC. Visit #4 on Veterans’ Day. |

Veterans supporting OWS on Veterans Day.

1919-to-2011

Our modern Veterans Day evolved from the first days of inauguration by Woodrow Wilson and his administration way back in 1919. Which is, for practical sake, another time. The point of the day, of course was to celebrate and remember the sacrifices of the fallen soldiers who died fighting in the first World War.

Fast forward to 1953, a man in Kansas had the timely idea of celebrating and honoring the fallen soldiers and the currently living. His campaign started in his home town, which reverberated through to the national stage. From there in 1954, Dwight Eisenhower helped pass it to the current form we see it today.

2.5 Million

There are many estimates, but the general number of dead & wounded soldiers is around 2.5 Million. This is including many of the foreign ‘conflicts’ and to all of the well known wars we have heard about in modern times (i.e. Revolutionary, Civil, Vietnam, Korea, WW 1 & 2, etc).

Top 3 Wars

The top ranked war/conflict which caused most of the fallen and wounded are:

1. American Civil War with around 650,000

2. World War II with around 410,000

3. World War I with around 120,000

Top 3 Wars compared to TTL Population

The top ranked war/conflict which caused most compared to the TTL population at the time are:

1. American Civil War with close to 2% of TTL pop

2. American Revolutionary War with close to 0.89% of TTL pop

3. World War II with close to 0.31 of TTL pop

TTL dead and wounded in the War on Terror (2001-present)

In Afghanistan, there have been TTL of 1,803 who have died and TTL of 9,971 who have been wounded. For a grand TTL of 12,035.

In Iraq, there have been TTL of 4,477 who have died and TTL of 31,965 who have been wounded. For a Grand TTL of 36,395.

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Whether one agrees with the protests of Occupy Wall Street or not, there had been real support from veterans who’d attended. It posed some poignant moments and significant assertions, provided by living and proud soldiers.

And at the least that means something, doesn’t it?

Sure does.