Episode 301 - November is for Remembering

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November is for remembering.

November is National Veterans & Military Families Month in the U.S. And at its heart is November 11th. In the United States, we call it Veterans Day. In Europe and across the Commonwealth, it's Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, marking the moment the guns fell silent at the 11th hour, on the 11th day, of the 11th month in 1918.

This week, we honor that shared history through the American Battle Monuments Commission, which was established by Congress in 1923 to care for America's cemeteries and memorials overseas and to keep telling the stories of those buried there.

We share a few of the more than 130 stories they preserve: Two Japanese American brothers who fought in WWII. A WWII veteran who died from a mysterious gunshot wound just 5 months after the war ended. Dr. Tula Lake Harkey, who was searching for a cure for bacterial meningitis at a British hospital during WWI — and contracted the disease herself. And a talented plumber turned soldier whose life ended on the battlefields of France.

These Ordinary Extraordinary stories live on because we continue to remember.

All of the information in today's episode was shared from the American Battle Monuments Commission website https://www.abmc.gov/ - Please visit to learn even more.

*This episode is not affiliated with or endorsed by the ABMC. Stories shared from ABMC public records.

Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun merch here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com

Family Tales: A free printable is now available! Gather 'round the table and dig into your roots! This interactive family history game is perfect for holidays, reunions, or just because. Ask, listen, and laugh your way through generations of stories and secrets. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UT_R56qEwNTIxIBrTy8KFyVmGnFOe7g8/view?usp=sharing

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