Clemson celebrates Military Appreciation Day with an amazing show.
FOX Carolina’s CLEMSON, S.C. The football team at Clemson celebrated both its 30th Military Appreciation Day and their victory over Georgia Tech on Saturday. Being a military university founded in 1889, Clemson annually celebrates Veteran’s Day with great honors.
James Pressley, an instructor pilot with the National Guard, transported a 32,000-pound Chinook helicopter from Greenville to Clemson just for the event.
The military was as well-liked by the populace as the game.
“It goes without saying that we love Clemson. Simpsonville native Thomas Peery, a Clemson supporter, remarked, “My wife and I both attended Clemson.” However, the courageous men and women at Clemson grant us this freedom to enjoy the outdoors, even on wet days. I’m really grateful.
Elaina Alcocer, a Marine Corps pilot and Clemson graduate, discussed the advantages of serving your nation.
Alcocer remarked, “You make a lot of close friends who’ll be your family forever and it gives back to you in many ways that you don’t expect.” “You’re truly having a significant impact on the community.”
For 81 years, Memorial Stadium has stood as a symbol of our veterans’ sacrifice including the 10,000 Clemson alumni who are veterans. Inside the stadium, walk-on wide receiver Blackmon Huckabee Jr. belted out a beautiful National Anthem.
The crowd went even more wild after noticing the Tigers’ bus had a special escort.
“The guys on that bus, the first bus, they were going crazy because whatever that thing was in front of us was a bad… mama jama,” Head Coach Dabo Swinney said. “Some kind of Jeep with torpedoes on it. That would do a lot of damage. And they were spinning it around and it was really cool.”
The players wore purple jerseys in reverence to the Purple Heart. Clemson celebrated military leaders still with us, and remembered those who have passed. The grandfathers of both Dabo and his wife served in World War II.
“As I told the players, y’all show your appreciation by how you play,” Dabo said during a four-minute speech on the meaning of the day. “Let’s put on a show for them. They’re here for a show, let’s put one on.”
Then he described what he hopes veterans take away from the Tigers’ game.
“Maybe they had a little bit of joy and a little bit of relief, like real, real, real, life issues and challenges,” Swinney said. “Hopefully we were able to do that today.”