2017 Tribute to our Troops: service and strength in and after war
Since 2003, FOX 2 has honored the men and women who put their lives on the line for our country. Each year, our goal is to pay "Tribute to our Troops" from Michigan and with ties to the Great Lakes State. That tradition continues this year, as we honor our veterans who share their stories of service and strength.
Here are some of the highlights from this year's program:
- Band of Brothers: Nine Vietnam veterans from Metro Detroit who were drafted together, did basic training together, were deployed together, came home to Detroit together and they still remain close. Each year, they vacation together with fellow vets across the country.
- Jule Hogan is a former Army paratrooper from Warren. He shares his story of service, in the Caribbean, as he gets ready to retired from his longtime job with the U.S. Postal Service.
- Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson, one of the original Tuskegee Airmen, shares his story. This year, he was honored as a "Distinguished Warrior" by the Detroit Urban League.
- A Revolutionary War veteran is memorialized with full honors nearly two centuries after his death. He was also one of the original founders of the city of Utica.
- Matthew Drake was the sole survivor of a suicide car bombing in Iraq. He and his mother share his journey through recovery. We also introduce "Fisher House Michigan", a place where families of wounded veterans will be able to stay during the recovery process.
- A Marine from Rochester is honored for saving a woman's life on Mt. Fuji. He shares his story, via Skype, from halfway around the world.
- A Livonia man is selected as the U.S. Navy's "Reserve Sailor of the Year".
This year's "Tribute to Our Troops" airs at 6:30 p.m. Friday, November 10th and Saturday, November 11th on FOX 2. It will also re-air throughout November and December. You can also watch the show in its entirety in the video above.
You can show us your Veterans Day photos on the Fox 2 Facebook page or tweet them to us @fox2news.
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