Pancakes and Patriotism: Veterans Day at the Y

The Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919, officially ended World War I. Still, the November 11, 1918, armistice stayed in the public imagination as the day the fighting stopped. That temporary cessation of hostilities between the Allied nations and Germany took effect at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 the first Armistice Day commemoration.

As the years passed, Americans wanted to honor everyone who served, not only those from World War I. Veterans’ service organizations lobbied for change, and the 83rd U.S. Congress amended the 1938 act that made Armistice Day a holiday. Lawmakers replaced “Armistice” with “Veterans” to recognize service members from all wars. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the legislation on June 1, 1954. Today, November 11 honors every American veteran, including those who served in peacetime.

SHARED STORIES OF SERVICE

At our annual Veterans Day Breakfast, the YMCA of Greenwich welcomed veterans, active-duty service members, and their families into a room warm with the smell of fresh pancakes. Flags from every branch of the armed forces hung overhead, and placards on each table told the military stories of Y members who are veterans.

Members, staff, and community guests gathered at tables in our Member Lounge, where conversation came easily, and laughter carried across the room. Neighbors who had never met found common ground. Longtime friends caught up over coffee. Veterans shared stories of their service, and we listened with gratitude and care.

Students from our school break vacation camp program joined us, too. They sat beside the people who served our country and learned what service means from those who have lived it.

LIEUTENANT COMMANDER STEVEN HALL, USNR

This year’s guest speaker was Lieutenant Commander Steven Hall, United States Navy Reserve (USNR). A Princeton University graduate, he was commissioned as a naval aviator through the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) in 1966.

Life aboard an aircraft carrier was the focus of the talk, along with a special tribute to the enlisted deck crew. Their unsung dedication keeps the flight deck running day and night, in every kind of weather, so the ship can launch and recover aircraft.

In 1968, Steven earned his wings and joined Air Antisubmarine Squadron 35, based in San Diego. Flying the twin-engine propeller Grumman S2E Tracker, he carried out anti-submarine and search missions from the USS Hornet during the Vietnam War. The eight-month deployment ran from September 1968 to May 1969 and included a trip to the Tsushima Straits off North Korea, after that country downed a Navy reconnaissance plane.

Steven received the Air Medal for Combat Service and later commanded a Mobile Training Team in South Korea, where his operational squadron planning drew commendations from both the U.S. Chief of Naval Operations and the Republic of Korea. Over his naval career, Steven logged 2,200 flight hours and 175 carrier landings, more at night than in daylight. Since 1998, he has lived in Greenwich, Connecticut, where he founded his consulting firm.

MEMBERSHIP THAT MATTERS

There is no place like this place. At the YMCA of Greenwich, we are grateful for the veterans, active-duty service members, and their families in our community and are proud to honor their service with a membership discount of 15%, a waived joiner's fee, mental health counseling through our partnership with Jewish Family Services of Greenwich, and spaces for community and connection throughout the year through free events.