Memorial Day

John R. Hall

I hope that most folks will excuse me as I go "off topic" for a moment.

I just want to mention the true meaning of Memorial Day and what it is like to talk with heroes. Many kids today think that Memorial Day is just an extra day off from school or the day "the pool opens" and don't understand its true meaning. That is sad.

I have had the priviledge of being the son of a WWII veteran and have met several veterans as I have journeyed through my career with The News. I have mentioned this before but I constantly go back to the story I wrote of one of the survivors of the sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis in the waning days of WWII. The U.S. Navy "lost" the ship for several days. 1200 men went into the water and four days later only 300 remained when they were finally rescued.

I interviewed Donald Blum, one of those survivors, who is also a designer and consultant to the HVACR trade. I was humbled by this man, not for anything he said to me, but because he is a true, living hero.

We are losing so many of these heroes each day to old age and sickness. They are our living history and the real heroes. If you get the chance, talk with them and listen to their stories. Listen to historic events and then thank them for risking their lives to keep us free.

I often complain about things in my life but after meeting and learning about the heroics of our veterans, I am often ashamed to let so many "little things" get me down.

Thanks, from the bottomn of my heart. God Bless America.

Tony_8

AMEN

Well put. The definition of "hero" has been watered down over the years. I have a feeling it's coming back around, although unfortunate.

Wayco Wayne

My Dad

was in WWII. One of his missions was to "fly the hump" which in WWII terms means flying over the Himylayan Mountains to take supplys to China who had been cut off from aid by Japan on the Eastern front of China. The sight of Mt Everest in the light of dawn is a memory he holds close. Before that he flew bombing missions over France when they were occupied by Germany. He is very typical of his generation and never told me until I asked him when I was studying WWII in college. No big deal. He was just doing his job, was his aditude. No big deal, huh? Typical hero talk I say. WW

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Leo

It Saddens Me

It saddens me to see the present generation not understanding the significance of memorial Day. As the son of both a WW II veteran and a Korean War veteran I was taught about the losses. Bot my parents knew people who didn't come home from a war or their parents brothers or sisters. Growing up in a small town I remember each year at the parade the very old men WW I vets and the WW II and Korean vets who marched. Today the few who are left have to be driven. I fear in my life time Memorial Day services will trickle down to almost nothing.

Leo

hot_rod

University of Richmond

My nephew recently graduated there following his ROTC years. His induction into the Army was quite stirring, but the other "main" graduation held an even more emotionally defining moment.

Of all the hundreds of graduates, there were a handfull of some 40 that stood out. You see, there was this thing called W.W.II that interrupted the college careers of quite a few from UoR and many of those "potential" graduates never returned to finish college. Two sons of one such gentleman wrote to the college president asking if it would be possible to recognize their Dad, who was very fond of his University of Richmond days and whose health was failing. They feared he might not see many more years.

The president, to his credit, decided that not only would they recognize this one individual, they would gather up all the names of those who had been called to duty and honor all of the surviving members of those long forgotten classes with honorary degrees.

Their names were listed among all of the class of 2003, but stars beside names indicated killed in action. Out of some 80, about 40 were present to receive their honorary degrees that day. A rousing standing ovation, and many a wet eye, greeted those brave men and women who had gone to fight for the freedoms we enjoy. Some walked unassisted, some with walkers and a few by wheelchair. One gentleman's reaction is forever burned into my memory. As he stood with the help of his walker, he turned to the crowd and placing both hand on his lips, gave us all repeated kisses. He was in his glory and obviously loving the gratitude we bestowed upon him and his comrades from the service that day.

That was a damn fine moment.

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John R. Hall

Saving Private Ryan

I think I'll rent the movie again this weekend. It is tough getting past the first fifteen minutes or so. I can't imagine what those soldiers must have been thinking as the landing barge doors opened. And to think that some people have the audacity to criticize what those brave people did for our country.

Aidan (UK)

Private Ryan

Bloody Omaha. France can have no greater honour than to count herself the guardian of their graves. We will remember them.


Many years ago, I went around the cemetery at Arnhem in the company of a Polish lad, whose father had been in the Polish parachute brigade in WW2. His father had appendicitis and had missed the Arnhem operation. The son had a list of his father’s entire platoon and was looking for their graves. We didn’t find any of them, but there were very few in that cemetery who had made it even into their late twenties. A very solemn and moving experience for a young man.