The Southport Library Aides will honor those who serve, have served, or have died for their country on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. The event will be held outside the library promptly at 11 a.m.

This was the time the Armistice was signed 113 years ago in France signifying the end of World War I between the Allies and Germany. It wasn’t until 1954 that President Dwight D. Eisenhower changed the name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day to honor all men and women who have served in the military, not just WWI.

Being mindful of Covid, the service will be brief. Please wear warm clothing. After the ceremony, hot cider will be served. Chairs will also be set up.

To begin the ceremony, Tim Hanley will lower the flag to half-staff. The Reverend Kit Sherrill will offer prayers. Selectman Gerry Gamage will read the names of veterans from Southport who have died in the past year. He will also lead us in an anthem or two. Bob Dent will play Taps and Hanley will conclude the program by raising the flag. Much appreciation for the years they have all participated in this ceremony.

The service will be videotaped and shown later that day, with reruns to follow, on the local cable television channel.

Also taped on Veterans Day will be a talk by Maine author Jack Flowers, who will talk about his book, “Rat Six,” a novel about his experiences in the Vietnam War. A small group of local veterans will be his audience and will have the opportunity to ask questions after the talk.

Jim Singer, Southport resident and veteran, will present his slide show which features local veterans, including a special segment of 24 slides of those who have passed since Veterans Day 2020.

Flowers was drafted in 1967 to fight in a war he had opposed. “Rat Six” is a fictional story based on his experiences fighting the Viet Cong in the tunnels of Ku Chi under the Iron Triangle of Vietnam. Flowers wrote his novel long after the war because he continued to experience the fears of his years spent as a second lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers. He thought writing about his time in the war would help him heal. His book was not published, but in 1983, he was approached by two British men who were writing a book about the tunnels. They asked Flowers to write a chapter about his tour in Vietnam. That chapter, “Down, Dirty and Deadly,” later appeared in Life magazine. Flowers also appeared on “60 Minutes,” “Good Morning America” and with newsman Charlie Rose. It wasn’t until the 21st century that Flowers had his book published.