Veterans Day for Real—

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My mosVeterans Day for realt remembered Veterans Day—Boise Idaho 1961

In the Boise of 1961 there were only two high schools Boise Senior High and Borah Senior High. Borah opened in 1958 so it was still the new kid on the block. Still, only three years old a mighty cross town rivalry had developed and the largest sporting event of the year was the annual Boise Borah foot ball game. An event so large the game was held on a national holiday…Veterans Day.

The Boise Borah game was held in the old Bronco Stadium on the Boise Jr. College campus on the banks of the beautiful Boise river. Eventualy Boise Jr. College would become Boise State Univeristy but that was still 20 years in the future. The stadium was two an half miles from our farm and I had gotten into the habit of going to all the Boise game with my older brother Ross. I went to Campus Grade school which was essentially a ‘feeder’ school for Boise. We were Boise Braves and the Braves needed us and we were there for the Braves. This sediment changed years later when I broke my neck and was forced to go to Borah High because the school was built on one level a opposed to Boise which was built in 1910 or something. The physical transition was nothing compared to having to attend a school I was raised to hate but that is fodder for another blog.

I sad earlier attended these games to support the team which I did in spirit but actually I went to these games to run round and be away from home. My parents would either drop us off at the game or we would ride to the game with the Cantrells who truly were Boise High supporter. I remember the folks would give us the 75 cents which was admission to the game but we would usually jump the fence and pocket the quarters. These football game were played at night greatly increased the pleasure of being out unsupervised. However, the Boise Borah game was played at 2:00 in the afternoon. The game was hosted by both schools ROTC programs. There was marching, shooting, singing and cannon fire and later in history, extravagant half time programs. Lots of snare drums and brass horns when they al got to playing you feel the music inside your very guts in side your very soul.

I am not super sure of the year but I know the year had to be 1961-1962. JFK was still alive and I was just beginning to put things together. Like this Veteran’s day thing. I knew the day had something to do with the army or with the military or something like that but nothing was in focus. But I had a moment of clarity though: I was on the North side of the stadium just walking with the crowd. I may have been mouthing off or acting a little rowdy when something back into the back of me. I turned, maybe a little defiant and there facing me was a guy dressed in olive drab fatigues, jump boots and a green beret. I stopped and stared and he walked on by. This was the first real solidier think I ever saw. I had seen the “Rotcies” and my share of Guardsmen but this was the real deal. This guy just emanated danger. He new stuff I could tell he knew real stuff. I got out of his way.

I don’t remember anything else about that day except Mr green beret. He was a Beret right after JFK had established the corp. It still meant something then. Not the watered down version of LBJ’s great society. He was there before it got real hot in S.E.Asia. He has always been my veterans day icon. Happy Veterans Day!