Never Forget

It’s two days before Memorial Day and I am pleased to say I lost no relatives in the wars America has fought. Uncles, cousins, nephew, brother-in-law, father, and my husband all survived. And their wives, mothers and daughters worked on the home front to support them. They and my son’s service will be honored on Veteran’s Day.

I am writing to honor one, though, who served 25 years in the military, rising to the rank of Captain, and was engaged in top secret missions. I remember well his leaving us for months at a time and how hard it was for me to see him leave. My mother ran the ship in his absence, and ran a tight one.

He served as a bombardier initially during WWII. His unit received a presidential citation for sinking so many U-boats. Then he trained to service the extremely secret Norden bombsite. It was so secret that bombardiers were to destroy them if going down so they wouldn’t fall into enemy hands. His job was so important he had two body guards accompany him everywhere he went. He served in Europe, Italy, Africa, and in the Pacific theater. Join the army, see the world.

You couldn’t tell he had been through a horrid war he was such a mellow man. He kept his temper in check and was always upbeat. He loved my mother very much as we discovered in the love letters she kept for her whole married life. Even a few before they married. And he loved us, despite typical childhood antics. When I wandered from the faith and became a hopeless addict, he never stopped praying every night that I would return to the fold. He prayed that prayer for 15 years before he saw it answered. But God heard his pleas and answered his faithfulness and trust. Throughout my rebellion, he never stopped loving me or wrote me off, disowning me as some parents do with their difficult children.

He was a good airman throughout his service and was proud he was able to serve his country. He could have had to have been called back to action any time throughout the cold war. The terrible and terrorizing nuclear bombs placed in Cuba almost triggered what would have been a catastrophic war. He was ready.

My father is buried in a national cemetery and had a full honor military funeral, with a 21 one gun salute, the folding of the flag over his remains and presented to my mother with the words, “On behalf of the president and a grateful nation I present this to you.” Then Taps was played. In my estimation, he was not just a good man, but a great one. His example of living a life of faith and service has been passed down to his children and also his grandchildren. Before he passed away I had the last chance to say I loved him and that he was the best father I could have had.

I know there are plenty of people out there who could share similar stories about their fathers, and I salute their relatives who served honorably and bravely. The generation of WWII is quickly passing away and before it’s too late, we need to honor them and declare their greatness and be solemn in thought of the thousands who never made it home to the arms of loved ones.

My immediate and extended family served America in the military and some still do. I sometimes wonder if it’s passed down genetically. Probably not. What is there is love of our country and the freedoms we enjoy. Countless lives have been lost defending the life we would not have were it not for them. As the saying goes, “All gave some, some gave all.” Don’t let this Memorial Day be just a day to cookout.

In my city, there is a wall of local names of those who died in Vietnam. My husband is a Vietnam veteran. I think we will go there because I am just not ready to visit my father and mother’s grave yet. But I will fly my flag Monday and save time to quietly remember those who died in all our wars. They deserve at least that much. May their sacrifices never be forgotten.