The Town of Mint Hill and the Mint Hill Chamber of Commerce held it’s annual Veterans’ Day Breakfast on Saturday November 11, 2017 at 8:00 am in the Kerr Building at Philadelphia Presbyterian Church on Bain School Road.
The local town dignitaries were on hand including Mayor Ted H. Biggers, Jr., the Board of Commissioners the staff and family members were in attendance. VFW Post 4059 Commander Earp Williams made a brief presentation to the 300 or more local veterans who chose to attend the annual event. There were six local veterans from American Legion Post 235 in Matthews who were in attendance as well.
The Red, White and Blue colors of old glory waved while the spirit of comradeship and former military stories were told as this reporter walked around the packed room filled with veterans of tables of ten airmen, marines, sailors, soldiers who all served this country honorably in the defense of freedom.
On Veterans Day we honor all who served and sacrificed for our nation. These men and women are the best of the best America has to offer. They understood there is a higher cause to serve and aspire for something more important than yourself. These souls all stood as a true band of brothers and sisters when our nation needed them most and they answered the call as true patriots.
The AFJROTC from Independence Posted the Colors as the program began holding Old Glory with pride and dignity. The Pledge of Allegiance was said by all in the room, this crowd stood at full attention and saluted our Flag when Melissa Tamez sang the Star Spangled Banner.
Mayor Ted Biggers, Jr. a former Air Force pilot for 8 years gave the welcoming address which was well received by the audience of 300 Spartans in the room. An enjoyable breakfast was handed out to each individual veteran by local Boy and Girl Scouts of Philadelphia Presbyterian Church. Patriotic music was provided by the Smith Brothers and Neal Davenport.
The Special Guest Speaker was Captain Carl Gamble an 8 year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a retired commercial airline pilot.  Gamble who is a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross told his personal story when he had the skills to land a severely damaged C-47 hit by enemy antiaircraft fire over the skies of Vietnam saving the lives of his crew. He also told the story of being hijacked to Cuba on a commercial flight from Charlotte to Miami. This makes Captain Gamble the only pilot to have the distinction of flying a burning aircraft in wartime and landing before it exploded, and being hijacked as a commercial pilot during his flying career.
As the ceremony came to an end just like the opening began with Reveille it ended with Taps very appropriately as everyone who served in the armed forces certainly remembers.
