A standing-room only crowd of residents, staff, volunteers and guests heard stirring patriotic music such as the “National Anthem,” “Eternal Father Strong to Save” and “America the Beautiful” performed by Roxanne Bach and the Marshalltown Men’s Chorus.

IVH Commandant Timon Oujiri and keynote speaker WHO Radio Host Simon Conway paid homage to veterans of all eras – from the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror.

“It is fitting that on the 101st anniversary of the original Armistice Day, we gather here to pay our respects to all veterans in all branches who served our country in peacetime and war,” Oujiri, a U.S. Army veteran said.

Conway – English by birth but a U.S. citizen, said less than 1 percent of the American population serves in the armed forces. They deserve gratitude, he said, especially on Veterans Day.

T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY The Marshalltown Men’s Chorus are shown during the Veterans Day Program Monday at the Iowa Veterans Home. The popular group sang a number of patriotic songs during the event.

“I get to do what I do because of those who served and many who made the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.

Conway, in his succinct remarks, said he was not a veteran, but was especially proud of his efforts serving on the board of the Puppy Jake Foundation.

The foundation provides service dogs to veterans suffering from mobility challenges and post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Since April of this year the foundation has provided 24 dogs.

“I wish we did not have to have a Puppy Jake Foundation,” Conway said. “I wish the Veterans Administration would realize how important service dogs are to our veterans. The suicide rate for our veterans is climbing. But fortunately, those helped by the Puppy Jake Foundation have not gone down that path.”

Holding the ceremony at the 11th hour on the 11th day in the 11th month was appropriate at IVH, where approximately 500 residents are served by 900 staff.

The official end of World War I hostilities took effect at 11 a.m. Nov. 11, 1918, with an armistice signed between the Allies and Germany.

The memories of the war — which saw the advent of the machine gun, tank and poison gas — killed hundreds of thousands of troops and civilians led President Woodrow Wilson to declare Nov. 11 Armistice Day.

The U.S. Congress renamed Armistice Day Veterans Day after the Korean War in 1954.

IVH serves:

• 6 Gulf War veterans

• 60 Korean War veterans

• 88 Peace-Time veterans

• 240 Vietnam veterans

• 35 World War II veterans

• 74 spouses

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Contact Mike Donahey

at 641-753-6611 or

mdonahey@timesrepublican.com