Dear editor:
Saturday, Nov. 14, the South Georgia Veterans Activities Committee, along with the American Legion Posts and the Southwest Georgia Bank, will host the 21st Annual Veterans Day Breakfast at the Colquitt County High School cafeteria. The doors will open at 7 a.m. and the buffet line will begin at 7:30 a.m. This event is open for all veterans and their families and friends.
The speaker and guest-of-honor will be William “Bill”Abbott. Mr. Abbott will bring to us his personal account of being severely wounded, left for dead in minus 40-degree temperature, being taken prisoner by the Chinese, and the trials and tribulations he went through coming back to life.
He is one of the few who received a decoration for his conduct as a P.O.W. and was respected by both his fellow prisoners and his enemy captors. Mr. Abbott is the author of a book titled “Blood Runs Red, White and Blue.” You must come and hear why he gave his book this title.
The Korean War is often called “The Forgotten War.”Veterans from the Korean War came home without any fanfare or hero’s welcome and then disappeared into the population. I want to challenge all veterans who served during the Korean War to come out and help us honor one of our own. Quotes from two of his fellow prisoners Tolbert and Jones are “Abbott had a hole in his back you could put your fist in and it didn’t even slow him down” and “Abbott could always be counted on to help othrs. I just want to say thank you.”
John Zitzenbergr, Colonel U.S. Army retired, served in the same unit during Korea and has this to say about him, “William Abbott is a soldier’s soldier. He has thrived on adversity his entire life and is a testament to patriotism and love of country that few have achieved. They could not subjugate him as they did so many others.”
Copies of the book will be avaiable for purchase and signing.
Some called him a sinner, some called him a saint. Others say he was too mean to die. Come hear him in person and you decide.
Hoyt L. Holland
Korean War Veteran
Moultrie
