
Buddy Ebsen was born 118 years ago April 2
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Buddy Ebsen was an all time favorite actor of mine because he played Jed Clampett in The Beverly Hillbillies, a staple of my television watching childhood.
He was born April 2, 1908 in Beleville, IL. He was born Christian Ludolf Ebsen and was also known as Frank "Buddy" Ebsen.
He began as a dancer in a Broadway chorus during 1920s.
He later embarked on a vaudeville act with his sister Vilma Ebsen, which also appeared on Broadway.
He was even offered the role of Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz in 1939.
After agreeing to exchange roles with Ray Bolger to the Tin Man he fell ill to constituents of the aluminum makeup and was replaced by Jack Haley.
He also starred in Barnaby Jones around 1973 but this was not a program with any attraction for me personally.
Regardless, I have enjoyed his career and miss that kinder gentler past of which he was a part.
Buddy Ebsen passed July 6, 2003 from pneumonia at age 95.
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I am not a veteran of the conflict in Viet Nam. I am a "Viet Nam era" veteran however.
Today is National Vietnam War Veterans Day held as the result of Vietnam War the Veterans Recognition Act of 2017.
It happens each year on March 29 to honor the 3 million+ Americans who served in the Vietnam War — as well as those who didn't make it back home afterward.
The day honors all who served between 1955 and 1975, especially those who were not welcomed home properly like my step father.
He was wounded in action arriving in casts for two broken collar bones ... and the so-called "hippies" in San Francisco threw rocks and trash at him as well as verbally insulting and abusing him as he was being escorted though the airport.
Why weren't they fired upon by armed guards?
The country never did anything about this egregious mistreatment either.
This day serves to give Vietnam veterans that gratitude and recognition they deserved upon their return instead of the gross mistreatment they received.
It was set into place by President Nixon in 1974 for March 29. It was officially established as an annual national observance by President Donald Trump in 2017.
Local communities and American Legion posts hold ceremonies, breakfasts, and the laying of wreaths such as at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC.
Sometimes there is absolutely no decorum in a free nation.
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